Looking For Instructions and Measuring and Adjusting Mash pH

[Jiffster]

I have been searching wide and far but have not been able to locate specific instruction on how to conduct a test mash to determine what my mash pH would be for a specific brew session and how to adjust it.

I have been using the recommendations in the "Brewing Water Chemistry Primer" (Cutting the salt additions in half as recommended until the primer is updated) to treat RO water for my brews.

I am going to purchase a pH meter but I want to understand the process of testing and adjusting the mash before invest in the meter.

I batch sparge using an Igloo cooler as my MLT.

I would appreciate any instruction, links to instruction, etc that anyone could provide.

Also, I realize I can use software to determine what the mash pH likely is and how to adjust. I want to understand the process of actually measuring the mash and then adjusting it as needed and/or conducting a test mash to measure and make adjustments.

Thank you

 

[TheMadKing]

do a scaled down mash with the same grain bill you will be using in your full batch, and measure the pH about 20 minutes into the mash.

For example if you are doing a batch with 10 pounds of 2 row and 1 pound of crystal 20 in 5 gallons of strike water, try doing .5lb of 2 row, .1lb of crystal 20 in .25 gallons of water.

The pH of the test mash will be the same as the pH of your full sized mash as long as your grain and water ratios stay the same.

It doesn't do you any good to do a test mash unless you have a pH meter though, because thats the whole reason to do it: to check the pH and adjust your full sized mash accordingly.

 

[Jiffster]

do a scaled down mash with the same grain bill you will be using in your full batch, and measure the pH about 20 minutes into the mash.

For example if you are doing a batch with 10 pounds of 2 row and 1 pound of crystal 20 in 5 gallons of strike water, try doing .5lb of 2 row, .1lb of crystal 20 in .25 gallons of water.

The pH of the test mash will be the same as the pH of your full sized mash as long as your grain and water ratios stay the same.

It doesn't do you any good to do a test mash unless you have a pH meter though, because thats the whole reason to do it: to check the pH and adjust your full sized mash accordingly.

Yes, I realize I need the meter. But I had no idea where to begin.

So lets say I do have a meter and I conduct a test mash and find I have a pH of 5.9. Lets say this is for an IPA recipe.

What would I do with that number (5.9) to get my mash at the correct pH (5.2, correct?) using the info found in the primer?

How much Sauermalz would I need to add to my grain bill and how much Calcium Chloride and Gypsum would I need to treat my RO water with to achieve an optimal water chemistry?

Also, where would I find a .1 gallon Igloo cooler? LOL!! Sorry, I had to.

 

[TheMadKing]

Yes, I realize I need the meter. But I had no idea where to begin.

So lets say I do have a meter and I conduct a test mash and find I have a pH of 5.9. Lets say this is for an IPA recipe.

What would I do with that number (5.9) to get my mash at the correct pH (5.2, correct?) using the info found in the primer?

How much Sauermalz would I need to add to my grain bill and how much Calcium Chloride and Gypsum would I need to treat my RO water with to achieve an optimal water chemistry?

Also, where would I find a .1 gallon Igloo cooler? LOL!! Sorry, I had to.

What I would do, rather than looking up the math and figuring out how to do it the right way (because I'm lazy)

Is fool the Brunwater calculator into outputting a mash pH of 5.9 with no lactic acid additions, and start using trial and error to figure out how much lactic acid/CaCl/gypsum you would need to drop that pH to 5.4

Does that make any sense?

 

[TheMadKing]

How much Sauermalz would I need to add to my grain bill

Also, where would I find a .1 gallon Igloo cooler? LOL!! Sorry, I had to.

Also, from personal experience, I don't like using acidulated malt. I found that I was undershooting my pH targets consistently whenever I used it, so I switched to using liquid Lactic acid because I suspect that the acid levels in acidulated malts are neither uniform nor consistent batch to batch. I am not able to detect the flavor of acidulated malt personally, so I found the consistency to be much more of a desirable characteristic.

Haha, I would use an oversized insulated coffee mug

 

[thereverendmaynard]

I use acid malt with a small planned lactic addition. I measure PH prior (cooling to room temp) to determine how close i am - then use LA to get to my final. I use Brun' Water to for calulations on salt additions etc...

Is there a reason to do a test mash instead? (Perhaps not wanting to use LA?)

 

[TheMadKing]

I use acid malt with a small planned lactic addition. I measure PH prior (cooling to room temp) to determine how close i am - then use LA to get to my final. I use Brun' Water to for calulations on salt additions etc...

Is there a reason to do a test mash instead? (Perhaps not wanting to use LA?)

Yes

You should be taking your pH measurements on room temp wort 20 minutes into the mash, after they've become relatively stable (it will gradually raise during the mash). The problem is, at that point 90% of the conversion has already taken place, so adjusting the pH at that point doesn't do any good.

Making any pH adjustments during the mash is bad practice, so its better to know how the mash is going to behave ahead of time by doing the test mash and adjusting your water additions BEFORE you mash in. The pH measurement should be a benchmark for improving your NEXT batch, not adjusting this batch.

 

[doug293cz]

Yes

You should be taking your pH measurements on room temp wort 20 minutes into the mash, after they've become relatively stable (it will gradually raise during the mash). The problem is, at that point 90% of the conversion has already taken place, so adjusting the pH at that point doesn't do any good.

Making any pH adjustments during the mash is bad practice, so its better to know how the mash is going to behave ahead of time by doing the test mash and adjusting your water additions BEFORE you mash in. The pH measurement should be a benchmark for improving your NEXT batch, not adjusting this batch.

Hence the reason for the test mash. The test mash would be your first pass with a new recipe/ingredients, and then your real batch would be your second pass, which you adjust based on the pH measurement of the test batch.

Brew on

 

[thereverendmaynard]

Got it. Thanks.

 

[mabrungard]

Also, from personal experience, I don't like using acidulated malt. I found that I was undershooting my pH targets consistently whenever I used it, so I switched to using liquid Lactic acid because I suspect that the acid levels in acidulated malts are neither uniform nor consistent batch to batch. I am not able to detect the flavor of acidulated malt personally, so I found the consistency to be much more of a desirable characteristic.

I am also uncomfortable with acid malt use for the same reasons. I've seen variations in acidity between products that are on the order of 2 to 1. That is kind of hard to accommodate and plan for. But if you are used to a single acid malt product, you can calibrate your usage. The supporter's version of Bru'n Water does have an acid malt strength adjustment setting that enables brewers to better account for those variations.

 

[Jiffster]

So is the alternative to using acid malt to just leave out the acid malt and add lactic acid based on the results of the test mash?

 

[ajdelange]

Kai measured two acid malts. I measured 1. Joe Walts measured 1. That is hardly a universe but the results were amazingly consistent. The coefficient of variation in proton surfeit to pH 5.4 was 18% for those four acidulated malt samples. At the same time note that the proton deficits of four like colored base malts to pH 5.4 shows a CV of 22%. Thus, based on these malts at least, the base malts are more variable than the acidulated malts. In either case CVs that large make the reasons for a test mash clear.

Properly handled, of course, acidulated malt is fine for adjusting mash pH. That is why they make it and why savvy brewers buy it. It is certainly handy for adjusting mash pH but the real reason to use it is the nuanced flavors it adds to lagers. It is, after all, just another specialty malt.

As to whether one uses sauermalz, sauergut or straight lactic acid that is clearly a matter of personal taste. There is no reason to favor or fault any one relative to the others.