Combining acid malt + lactic acid to drop pH

[sam524]

Hi everyone. I'm brewing a batch tomorrow and need some help with my water profile. It's my first time brewing a NE style double IPA (also my first time adjusting the water profile) and I think I have a solid resulting profile. Only problem is my pH is still higher than I want. I't at 5.46 when adding 4oz (2.4% of the grist) and I read going higher than that can funk it up. Would adding lactic acid on top be the same thing as adding acid malt or would it help drop the pH without risking the sour taste?

Original water profile:
pH: 7.7
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Est, ppm: 190
Electrical Conductivity, mmho/cm: 0.32
Cations / Anions, me/L: 2.6

Ca: 23ppm
Mg: 8ppm
Na: 18ppm
Cl: 45ppm
SO4: 6ppm
HCO3: 53ppm
Total Hardness, CaCO3: 91ppm
Total Alkalinity, CaCO3: "<" - Not Detected / Below Detection Limit

Adjusted water profile

IIPA Recipe

Also, upping the acid malt to 5oz puts me at a pH of 5.4, but is 3% of the total grain bill.

 

[chickypad]

Yes, adding lactic acid would the be same thing. You shouldn't need to worry under 4-5% acid malt.

 

[sam524]

Yes, adding lactic acid would the be same thing. You shouldn't need to worry under 4-5% acid malt.

Ok cool. I ended up getting 5.4oz of acid malt. Adding all of that would drop the pH to 5.38 and be 3.2% of the total weight. If this seems fine I'm gonna go for it.

 

[daksin]

That's reasonable. Might want to pick up some pH sticks the next time you're at the HBS. Calculators and water reports aren't always perfectly accurate. Once you get to know your system a little better it should get easier.