Lowering mash pH

[dmcmillen]

If I need to acidify my mash in order to lower the pH, how do I know how much Lactic acid to add? Is there a formula or do I just add a little at a time until I reach the right pH.

 

[Rev2010]

You can use a calculator like Brewer's Friend: http://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator

or you can download the Brun' Water spreadsheet: https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/

Brun' Water may be a bit overwhelming the first time if you've never used it before. If you use the Brewer's Friend calculator I'd see what the recommended lactic amount to add is both by putting in the exact grain bill and then also by changing the mode under "Grist Info" to Beer Color. Then use the lower suggested lactic amount of the two results - they won't be the same. It's better to go less with the lactic than more as you don't want to overshoot the pH and go too low.


Rev.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

If I need to acidify my mash in order to lower the pH, how do I know how much Lactic acid to add? Is there a formula or do I just add a little at a time until I reach the right pH.

I switched from EzWaterCalc to Bre'n water because Yooper and other respected HB'ers mentioned it's more accurate. If you use R/O, BrW is pretty easy. You can skip tabs 1 and 2. With my latest 5.5gallon RIS, didn't have to use any. On the DIPA, only needed 1ml in strike water. But that's with 100% RO.

 

[dmcmillen]

You can use a calculator like Brewer's Friend: http://www.brewersfriend.com/mash-chemistry-and-brewing-water-calculator

or you can download the Brun' Water spreadsheet: https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/

Brun' Water may be a bit overwhelming the first time if you've never used it before. If you use the Brewer's Friend calculator I'd see what the recommended lactic amount to add is both by putting in the exact grain bill and then also by changing the mode under "Grist Info" to Beer Color. Then use the lower suggested lactic amount of the two results - they won't be the same. It's better to go less with the lactic than more as you don't want to overshoot the pH and go too low.


Rev.

I have Bru'n Water which I've just started to use to determine how to treat my mash water before I dough in. I've been brewing a long time but just getting serious about my water. You're right, Bru'n Water is a bit cumbersome at first but is the most thorough calculator I've found.

My question was more an adjustment question. After dough in to the pre-treated water, if I still need to adjust the pH, how to determine how much to add. Can I do that with Bru'n Water or just add a little at a time until I hit the desired pH.

Also, is there a good database of water profiles for specific beers. Palmer's spreadsheet provides ranges for the bjcp stypes. Brewer's Friend has some general profiles. ProMash, BeerSmith have the famous city water profiles. I guess this is just going to come with experience in learning how the water minerals/salts effect taste/flavor. For example, I'm getting ready to brew a Vanilla Porter so I'm trying to figure out what I want my target profile to be. I know gypsum enhances hoppy beers and calcium chloride enhances malty beers. I have had my water tested, so I do have my water profile.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

I have Bru'n Water which I've just started to use to determine how to treat my mash water before I dough in. I've been brewing a long time but just getting serious about my water. You're right, Bru'n Water is a bit cumbersome at first but is the most thorough calculator I've found.

My question was more an adjustment question. After dough in to the pre-treated water, if I still need to adjust the pH, how to determine how much to add. Can I do that with Bru'n Water or just add a little at a time until I hit the desired pH.

Also, is there a good database of water profiles for specific beers. Palmer's spreadsheet provides ranges for the bjcp stypes. Brewer's Friend has some general profiles. ProMash, BeerSmith have the famous city water profiles. I guess this is just going to come with experience in learning how the water minerals/salts effect taste/flavor. For example, I'm getting ready to brew a Vanilla Porter so I'm trying to figure out what I want my target profile to be. I know gypsum enhances hoppy beers and calcium chloride enhances malty beers. I have had my water tested, so I do have my water profile.

Your using a quality pH meter as your determination you need adjustment? I'm starting with BrW profiles and will go from there. @Yooper maybe able to better answer pH question.

 

[Rev2010]

My question was more an adjustment question. After dough in to the pre-treated water, if I still need to adjust the pH, how to determine how much to add.

Oh ok. Well with the calculators I'm pretty much always spot on or within .1 of my intended pH so I don't bother to adjust after the reading. There's most certainly a way to calculate the later adjust. Even in the water calcs, if you miss your intended pH, just take note of how many more points you need to adjust to, enter the desired in the sheet with the new difference subtracted, and note the difference in recommended lactic amounts and use that much. Like say you want a pH of 5.35 and you're at 5.52. The sheet originally said to use, say, 3ml of lactic acid but you instead got to a pH of 5.52. Take that difference of .17 and subtract it from 5.35 for a 5.18 pH. Go back to the sheet and input 5.18 and see how much lactic it then suggests - say 4.25ml (just randomly giving an example), then add 1.25ml more.

Of course this might not be an exact way, and it most certainly is flawed in some ways, but it would at least help to get closer to your numbers I would think.

That aside, I'm sure someone will chime in with a better, more accurate and scientific way, or with a link to an adjustment calculator specifically for this.


Rev.

 

[dmcmillen]

rev,

I'm using a Milwaukee MW101, accuracy ±0.02 pH so I'm pretty good there. Good suggestion on using Bru'n Water to estimate any necessary adjustment. Right now, I'm more at the theory stage, since I'm just starting to get serious about my water and starting to brew more again. One of my friends that used to have a micro brewery here, suggested (a while back), for our water (we have same water), to add 1/8 to a 1/4 teaspoon gypsum per 5 gallons for hoppy beers and same amount of calcium chloride for malty beers. That's worked ok. I'm just ready to up the ante.

My challenge right now is knowing enough to decide what water chemistry to use for a given beer that I'm going to brew. I think I'm going to let Bru'n Water make that determination for me, making any adjustments to its recommendations that make sense to me with my current knowledge level. Then make really good notes and start the learning process.

I've only had to trash 2 batches of beer over the years. A 5 gal batch when Katrina hit which got contaminated and a 10 gal batch last year when a pump failed applying heat to the mash. So I expect the beer will be drinkable unless I really screw up the water chemistry.

 

[ThirstyPawsHB]

Ok, done a couple of brews now with Brew'n Water as opposed to EzwaterCalc. My efficiency has skyrocketed from from low 60s to mid 70s. I've noticed BrW doesn't need lactic acid to get me to 5.4pH with various styles. Ez was calling for 3 to 4ml.