Mash pH

[DuncB]

The pH will drop more post boil and can change with whirlpool hops, dry hops and with fermentation. Very unlikely that your beer you drink will have a pH as high as 5.15.
You have a meter so can test this in a little while.

 

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If it's not too far off topic I'd be interested to know people's pH goals for certain styles. I.e. 5.3 for hazies, 5.4 for pale ales, 5.5 for stouts, things like that - do folks drive characteristics intentionally with certain pH targets? Or do we just aim for 5.4-ish across the board to prevent issues and call it a day?

 

[hottpeper13]

f it's not too far off topic I'd be interested to know people's pH goals for certain styles. I.e. 5.3 for hazies, 5.4 for pale ales, 5.5 for stouts,

I've been finding correlation between pH and color. I now mash my RIS's at 5.5-5.6 and find that they mellow and are more homogenized sooner, and I mean 3 mos instead of 6. Also my Pils and fizzy yellow beers are crisp, clean and clear when mashed at 4.9-5.2. I make quite a few beers that are copper color and because of the other 2, I mash these at 5.3-5.4 and they turn out quite well.
You might ask how I do that being I don't use a computer for my recipes. Well Bobby is right that with RO and 344 batches under my belt ( and down the gullet) I got it figured out. That didn't happen without a meter, and now I rarely check unless it's a new recipe.

 

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That didn't happen without a meter, and now I rarely check unless it's a new recipe.

Thanks for the #'s. That's the direction I aim, the #'s I listed (including lagers on the lower end with the hazies), after a lot of reading but it's cool to see someone agree with the rules of thumb in practice. I might aim a little lower on the latter next time.

I measure every batch, but it's becoming fairly predictable now. I've got about 10 "styles" I routinely brew with small changes if any changes and so there's not much I can't predict at this point (grains vs additions and resulting pH). But with my LHBS closing and moving online I've started to pay attention again since I know that, for example, a new brand of Maris Otter can make a big difference over the brand I'd used the previous batches. And it's making me wonder if my targets are about right, or my directions at least (seems they are).

 

[hottpeper13]

I use acidulated malt to adjust acid so when i get a new 5 lb bag I do a meter check on the first batch to be sure. Never thought to check each new malt bag.

 

[DuncB]

If it's not too far off topic I'd be interested to know people's pH goals for certain styles. I.e. 5.3 for hazies, 5.4 for pale ales, 5.5 for stouts, things like that - do folks drive characteristics intentionally with certain pH targets? Or do we just aim for 5.4-ish across the board to prevent issues and call it a day?

A few recipes I've taken from info on craft beer podcasts by pros, they have been adding acid after the boil to counteract the pH rise associated with big whirlpool hops and the upcoming dry hopping.
Some seemed to be going into the low 4's

 

[jerrylotto]

A couple of people said they don't check pH at all, and if I always brewed the same style and had it dialed in, I probably would be in that camp. But I try to brew something different most of the time and I don't necessarily follow recipes.

 

[crazyjake19]

A few recipes I've taken from info on craft beer podcasts by pros, they have been adding acid after the boil to counteract the pH rise associated with big whirlpool hops and the upcoming dry hopping.
Some seemed to be going into the low 4's

Post-boil pH is definitely a consideration when large whirlpool or dry hop additions are planned. The general rule is a 0.1 pH rise for every pound per barrel, or 0.5 oz per gallon.

With some large WP/DH additions in an NEIPA that could easily push the pH out of the ideal range.

 

[DuncB]

So about 3.5 grammes per litre will raise the pH by 0.1

 

[Kickass]

The general rule is a 0.1 pH rise for every pound per barrel, or 0.5 oz per gallon.

Since PH is not linear, but rather exponential, this seems like it’d only be accurate in a fairly narrow window. Any thoughts on when this becomes mathematically inaccurate?

 

[Broothru]

I'd be interested in reading more on this. Do you have references? The 4.8 to 4.9 pH value, tĥat is.

Found this one reference from Brad Smith's (BeerSmith) blog about targeted finished beer pH targets. It's not the reference I was talking about, but it does reinforce the idea of lowering pH to make lagers cleaner/crisper.



Finished Beer pH Targets:

Lagers: 3.9 – 4.1

Ales: 4.0 – 4.2

Mild/Dark: 4.1 – 4.3

*Always < 4.3 – 4.5 for stability and food safety concerns

High pH = low stability (> 4.5 – 4.8)


I'll keep looking, if for no other reason than to convince myself that I just didn't think it up all by myself!