any household items to lower mash pH?

[bkov]

i have to get some 5.2 next time i order but i was going to brew tommorow, are there any household items i can add to the mash to lower the pH but not affect the final flavor? my tap water pH is 7.6

 

[lamarguy]

Yes, there is - dilute your tap water with RO/distilled water and/or increase the percentage of crystal/dark specialty malts to lower the mash pH.

The only other household item I can think of is citric acid but that will likely leave a residual taste in the beer.

 

[DeathBrewer]

Lactic Acid, Acidulated (sour) malt, gypsum...I can't really think of anything I would have sitting around. This looked interesting:

How to Brew - By John Palmer - Balancing the Malts and Minerals

 

[BigEd]

Probably not unless you are into home canning tomatoes and maybe have some calcium chloride hanging around. First, however, a couple of questions: how do you know you need to lower the mash pH? Have you measured it previously? What kind of beer are you brewing and what is your water profile?

The pH of the water itself doesn't tell you much and in fact is of little importance. It is the interaction between the level of various brewing water ions, the water's residual alkalinity along with the type and ratios of malt types in the recipe that will determine the pH of the mash. If you don't already have one get a water report from your water supplier. Knowing what is in your water is the first step in making the proper adjustments for good brewing.

 

[Bobby_M]

What biged said. Grain has buffering power so if you measured your mash PH, you'd see closer to 5.2.