Do i really need to adjust the ph balance

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Depends on the goal. You can make beer either way so not necessarily "need" to, but dialing in the chemistry will make a noticeable improvement. Depending on the composition of your tap water, some styles may turn out better than others unadjusted. If your water is has particularly high levels of certain ions, you may see negative impacts in any style.
 
Doesn't really matter. Mash pH matters insofar as getting the kettle and finished wort pH right.

Mash pH matters for more than that.
And do you actually know extract brewers who are adjusting pH?
 
There's a whole thread on where the pH matters most in the Brewing Science section. The enzymatic reactions in the mash have wide pH tolerances and unless you're in some godforsaken extreme they'll convert. The one big issue is whether you'll start extracting excess polyphenols late in sparge as the pH rises. pH for hop utilization, fining functionality, and healthy fermentation are the big end goals. How you interpret that depends on how you interpret Kunze and the like (which was the debate in that thread).

I'm not saying that mash pH doesn't matter. I'm saying homebrewers fixate on mash pH when it matters less than wort pH, and that is still an issue for extract brewers.

I know *very few* extract brewers who adjust for pH. But I have encountered a few.
 
There's a whole thread on where the pH matters most in the Brewing Science section. The enzymatic reactions in the mash have wide pH tolerances and unless you're in some godforsaken extreme they'll convert. The one big issue is whether you'll start extracting excess polyphenols late in sparge as the pH rises. pH for hop utilization, fining functionality, and healthy fermentation are the big end goals. How you interpret that depends on how you interpret Kunze and the like (which was the debate in that thread).

I'm not saying that mash pH doesn't matter. I'm saying homebrewers fixate on mash pH when it matters less than wort pH, and that is still an issue for extract brewers.

I don't disagree with any of this. But I'll add/emphasize that it's quite possible, depending on source water and grain bill, to end up in the godforsaken extremes. And it's not just "full conversion" that's at risk... you can actually be not too far off the ideal mash pH range and significantly impact attenuability.

I know *very few* extract brewers who adjust for pH. But I have encountered a few.

That's a few more than I have! :)
 
I think we fixate on mash pH because we're schooled that it drives the pH in all the down line concerns. I concern myself with getting a recipe in the range I want and then repeat it. I don't think chasing pH in the mash is a good thing. I take a reading and if not what I want but still in the 5.2-5.6 range I'll adjust it in the kettle. I have a Pils that was mashed at 4.9-5.1 that scored a 45 at the NHC. After that beer I started making my lite yellow beers at a lower pH and do my stouts and porters at 5.5-5.6, ambers at 5.4. The best thing is I have a ways to go before I reach a conclusion, which means more beer for me.
 
I've never adjusted ph on extract brewing, nor do I know anyone who does . When using extract it's best to use RO water because the salts, acids and mash ph were already done . When brewing all grain I adjust mash ph . It also depends on your water . I can use tap water just fine when brewing a stout with zero water adjustments. The lighter beers are a different story. Now I guess it depends on the OPs question. Is it mash ph or final ph were talking about ?
 
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