Baking Soda

[weejub]

I got a word of warning about using Star San from a local brewing shop and I thought I would run it by you all with two parts to the question:

1. Do you have issues with Star San really reducing pH and making your cider too acidic? I typically rinse with it and poor directly into it once it is pretty much drained, but not always perfectly dry.
2. Anyone use Baking Soda in the secondary or with back-sweetening to both reduce acid and produce a little CO2?

I need to get acid testing stuff, I guess.

The cider I just bottled seems to give me a little heartburn, so worried wife will really notice it.

Thx

 

[Yooper]

Star-san won't reduce the pH appreciably.

Do you like the taste of baking soda in your cider? If you don't, then don't use it!

If you must do acid adjustments, it's easiest in the primary and using calcium carbonate.

 

[weejub]

Star-san won't reduce the pH appreciably.

Do you like the taste of baking soda in your cider? If you don't, then don't use it!

If you must do acid adjustments, it's easiest in the primary and using calcium carbonate.

Good info, Yooper, thank-you. And also thanks for the tip on Calcium Carbonate - - why take tums when you can put them right into your cider without all the bad taste!!