I recently started paying attention to mash ph and making proactive adjustments with lactic.
I brewed an ordinary bitter 12 days ago, and using Beersmith's calculator to hit 5.20, added 8 ml of 88% lactic to my mash. 5 gallon batch. My ph meter was reading 4.8 after that, but I don't fully trust it because it's cheap and I don't maintain it well.
I read later that day that 1.6 ml/g lactic is controversial at best. The beer fermented fine at 67F to 1.010 and stopped there. I let it rest at 71 for a few days and then cold crashed for a couple more. Kegged it last night and force carbed overnight.
The first few cold samples have been distinctly tangy; more than enough to ruin it for me. I don't know if it's the lactic, if it's still too young, an infection, or if it's somehow the marris otter and EKG playing tricks on my palate. I am pretty obsessive about sanitation. I lid the kettle at flameout and counterflow chill to 68, then gravity fill straight into a thoroughly sanitized fermonster and sealed it immediately. I did wait about 3 more hours to pitch, and I did not love the smell of the active fermentation in my keezer, but the smell of the finished beer is on point.
I brewed virtually the same recipe last year and it was one of the most smooth and enjoyable ales I've ever made.
96% Marris Otter
2.5% Amber
1.5% Black Patent
30 IBU's from 60 minute EKG, 15 minute EKG, and flameout EKG. Modest amounts of hops.
OG 1.042 FG 1.010 SRM 7.7
WLP Dry English
I brewed an ordinary bitter 12 days ago, and using Beersmith's calculator to hit 5.20, added 8 ml of 88% lactic to my mash. 5 gallon batch. My ph meter was reading 4.8 after that, but I don't fully trust it because it's cheap and I don't maintain it well.
I read later that day that 1.6 ml/g lactic is controversial at best. The beer fermented fine at 67F to 1.010 and stopped there. I let it rest at 71 for a few days and then cold crashed for a couple more. Kegged it last night and force carbed overnight.
The first few cold samples have been distinctly tangy; more than enough to ruin it for me. I don't know if it's the lactic, if it's still too young, an infection, or if it's somehow the marris otter and EKG playing tricks on my palate. I am pretty obsessive about sanitation. I lid the kettle at flameout and counterflow chill to 68, then gravity fill straight into a thoroughly sanitized fermonster and sealed it immediately. I did wait about 3 more hours to pitch, and I did not love the smell of the active fermentation in my keezer, but the smell of the finished beer is on point.
I brewed virtually the same recipe last year and it was one of the most smooth and enjoyable ales I've ever made.
96% Marris Otter
2.5% Amber
1.5% Black Patent
30 IBU's from 60 minute EKG, 15 minute EKG, and flameout EKG. Modest amounts of hops.
OG 1.042 FG 1.010 SRM 7.7
WLP Dry English