Can I just use lactic acid for mash and sparge water?

[hanuswalrus]

I'm looking to brew a pale-ish beer tonight (around 5 SRM). I'm in Chicago and trying to avoid having to buy RO / distilled water every time I want to brew a pale beer. I've been using lactic acid to treat my mash/sparge water based on Bru'n Water's calculations, in order to get my pH in range (sorry, no pH meter yet).

My question is : Do the bicarbonates / carbonates in the water still have an effect on the overall flavor of the beer even after I've acidified the water with lactic acid? (Can I get away with using 100% tap water for pale beers as long as I'm acidifying mash/sparge water to hit the proper pH range?)

 

[mabrungard]

Yes. If your water is coming from L. Michigan, then the alkalinity is low enough that using lactic acid won't create off flavors. If your water is coming from wells in the outlying suburbs, then its possible that the alkalinity is too high and you might have a problem using lactic.

 

[hanuswalrus]

Thank you Martin. I'm in Oak Park which, I'm fairly certain, gets Lake Michigan water. So 3 gallon each for mash and sparge w/ 2 mL lactic acid 88% in each should be OK? Bru'n Water shows an estimated mash pH of 5.5, which is what I was targeting.