Acid in Mash

[Silver_Is_Money]

Question for you - not arguing just asking - does 4ml at 88% sound normal to you?

I could only attempt to 'nominally' (as opposed to specifically) answer your question if I had every pertinent detail as to 'source' water analyticals, mineral additions to same, water volumes (with emphasis upon the mash, but also with respect to the sparge), grain and adjunct details, and grain and adjunct weights.

 

[marc1]

I could only attempt to 'nominally' (as opposed to specifically) answer your question if I had every pertinent detail as to 'source' water analyticals, mineral additions to same, water volumes (with emphasis upon the mash, but also with respect to the sparge), grain and adjunct details, and grain and adjunct weights.

From the Brewer's Friend link:

No Sparge, 7.5 gallons water

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

For the presumption of 100% pH reduction due to Calcium within the mash I compute a need for 4.34 mL of 88% Lactic Acid whereby to 'nominally' achieve a mash pH of 5.40.

For the presumption of only 50% pH reduction due to Calcium within the mash I compute a need for 6.25 mL of 88% Lactic Acid whereby to 'nominally' achieve a mash pH of 5.40.

 

[bwible]

Beware that modern research indicates that within the mash "proper" the impact of pH lowering via the addition of Calcium ions into ones mash water is actually measured to range from between 1/2 to 1/4 of that previously believed and dogmatically accepted. Only one mash pH assistant software/spreadsheet offering (that I'm aware of) is capable of being dialed into compliance with the latest research by the user, and is downloaded pre-set to compliance with 1/2. The others still follow antiquated (and effectively research falsified) guidelines with respect to the mash pH lowering via the addition of Calcium.

Is that yours?

 

[bwible]

I’ve been using the EZ Water Calculator. It seemed to have less of a learning curve and fewer instructions than Brun’Water. I also have a mac and software written for Excel sometimes works goofy on a mac. Apple uses a program called Numbers that is similar to Excel but I found its not always 100% compatible. Some cells and formulas and such don’t transfer over intact. I had problems with Brun’Water on the mac. EZ Water calculator works pretty well.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Is that yours?

No, the researchers who reached this conclusion are:
1) Initially AJ deLange said he found the pH reduction due to extant plus added calcium ions within the mash proper to be generally ~1/2 of Kolbach.
2) More recently research Chemists Barth and Zaman found that the pH reduction due to extant plus added calcium ions within the mash proper ranged from ~1/2 to ~1/4 of Kolbach, with the outcome being base malt dependent. And they published a peer reviewed paper to that effect. I have a copy of their paper, but anyone who is interested must pay for access to it so I'm not able to simply upload my copy here.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

I’ve been using the EZ Water Calculator. It seemed to have less of a learning curve and fewer instructions than Brun’Water. I also have a mac and software written for Excel sometimes works goofy on a mac. Apple uses a program called Numbers that is similar to Excel but I found its not always 100% compatible. Some cells and formulas and such don’t transfer over intact. I had problems with Brun’Water on the mac. EZ Water calculator works pretty well.

EZ Water is indeed easy to use, but to my knowledge it has not been maintained or upgraded in nearly a decade.

 

[bwible]

No, the researchers who reached this conclusion are:
1) Initially AJ deLange said he found the pH reduction due to extant plus added calcium ions within the mash proper to be generally ~1/2 of Kolbach.
2) More recently research Chemists Barth and Zaman found that the pH reduction due to extant plus added calcium ions within the mash proper ranged from ~1/2 to ~1/4 of Kolbach, with the outcome being base malt dependent. And they published a peer reviewed paper to that effect. I have a copy of their paper, but anyone who is interested must pay for access to it so I'm not able to simply upload my copy here.

Which package is that just out of curiosity?

 

[bwible]

EZ Water is indeed easy to use, but to my knowledge it has not been maintained or upgraded in nearly a decade.

The types of malt that can be entered leave something to be desired too.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Which package is that just out of curiosity?

See the short blurb beneath my avatar.

 

[bwible]

See the short blurb beneath my avatar.

Thats what I meant when I asked if it was yours.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Thats what I meant when I asked if it was yours.

Ah, I thought you were interested in the research.

 

[rallenhall]

Taking a flyer here on malt. When did you crush (or was it pre-crushed) and how was it stored? Years ago I crushed malt for two witbiers, one to be brewed immediately and the second a week or so later. Neither contained acidulated malt. Malt for witbier #2 was stored in a plastic bag in a refrigerator to preserve 'freshness.' The first brew was normal but the second was acidic to the point of being undrinkable. The whole bag apparently had turned to sauermalt from natural lacto and humidity. No mash calculator would have caught that. I haven't put malt in the fridge since.

 

[wsmith1625]

I crush my grains the night before I brew. I store them in my basement which is low 60's in the winter and low 70's in the summer. I don't repackage them either, just leave them in the bag until I mill them into a bucket. The bucket of milled grain goes back into the basement when it's done to maintain the temp. I use grain temp to calculate strike water temp, so I don't want to mess it up.