pH for Mashing - 1st time AG

[rinhaak]

Didn't know whether to post this here or in the water section, but since it's a mashing question, put it here.

Still boning up on some last minute reading before I brew my first all grain tonight. I've been reading that the water should be at a pH of 5.2. In all of my extract brewing, I've been leaving the water alone (I live in Boston) because the tap water's really, really good. Am I going to get in trouble if I don't adjust the pH?

 

[EdWort]

If you are doing All grain, and have decent water, the pH in the mash will regulate itself.

RDWHAHB.

 

[sudsmcgee]

And mash pH should be measured at room temp, and at room temp it should be 5.4.

 

[mabrungard]

If you are doing All grain, and have decent water, the pH in the mash will regulate itself.

RDWHAHB.

Unfortunately, not completely true.

A low residual alkalinity water should perform better for light colored beers and a high residual alkalinity water should perform better for darker beers. Trying to brew a beer style that isn't particularly suited to the water may not produce a good beer. Fortunately, you will probably still produce a drinkable beer. Yah RDWHAHB still applies, but do try to figure out what styles your tap water is more suited to and either concentrate on those styles or figure out how to treat your water.

 

[andyhat]

I've only brewed a few all grains. I actually have one in the boil kettle right now, but I would say that for your first one or two to not worry about the water chemistry. Indeed water is very important but you can produce good all grain brews without messing with it. The first one or two goes, I would really work on getting the other processes correct. Work on getting to know your system and hitting your mash temps. Work on whichever sparge technique you are using and other differences between partial mash and all grain.

When you have one or two all grains under your belt, request a water profile from your water provider. From there, you can modify the PH to better reflect the style that you are going for because part of the style is recreating the water type of the time and place.

For the time being, hitting the correct mash temp and moving correctly through the processes is much more important than the water chemistry.

That having been said, you really should put the tap water through a carbon filter (at a minimum). Water is the most important ingredient and unfiltered tap water may produce off tastes.

Best of luck.

 

[Rev2010]

I agree with the others that for your first batch or two don't worry about the water if your tap water tastes fine to drink. IMO just give it a go without PH treatment and filtering to see how it comes out. Then after a batch or two or three then start looking into the PH and such. I wouldn't even worry about filtering your water yet either if you say it's great. I never filtered mine and each of my batches has been great, except for one pumpkin but that was my fault entirely lol.


Rev.

 

[Darwin18]

Unfortunately, not completely true.

A low residual alkalinity water should perform better for light colored beers and a high residual alkalinity water should perform better for darker beers. Trying to brew a beer style that isn't particularly suited to the water may not produce a good beer. Fortunately, you will probably still produce a drinkable beer. Yah RDWHAHB still applies, but do try to figure out what styles your tap water is more suited to and either concentrate on those styles or figure out how to treat your water.

It's also not too difficult to screw up water chemistry and completely ruin a batch. Honestly if your water tastes fine out of the tap, then I wouldn't mess with it, especially if you're doing your first all grain batch. Figure out the all grain process, and once you have that down try experimenting with your water profile, if you find it necessary.

 

[rico567]

It's also not too difficult to screw up water chemistry and completely ruin a batch. Honestly if your water tastes fine out of the tap, then I wouldn't mess with it, especially if you're doing your first all grain batch. Figure out the all grain process, and once you have that down try experimenting with your water profile, if you find it necessary.

I really like the last phrase in the previous post- "-if you find it necessary," i.e., "don't fix it if it ain't broke." I've been brewing AG for the past 2.5 years, after breaking in with 18 months of extract batches. The results of my brewing haven't motivated me to do anything with the water. I use strictly RO water from the grocery store, and have from the outset, as we live in a rural area on a well, and the water has high levels of dissolved iron and calcium, making it unsuitable for brewing.

As with the rest of brewing, there are variables- and water is no exception, making for a number of possible solutions. So far, I'm very pleased with the beers I make (ranging from blondes to imperial stouts), and so am completely unmotivated to adjust the profile of my water.

 

[BigEd]

Didn't know whether to post this here or in the water section, but since it's a mashing question, put it here.

Still boning up on some last minute reading before I brew my first all grain tonight. I've been reading that the water should be at a pH of 5.2.

You need to real a little more carefully. It's not the water pH, it's the mash pH. There is copious information here at HBT in the Brew Science section with stickys on water as well as many threads. Boston tap water is an excellent base as it is very low in mineral content. While it is true that many brew without any water adjustments and by doing this you will always make beer, by making a few simple water adjustments for the type of beer being brewed it can yield improvements in efficiency, runoff and flavor.

 

[mabrungard]

I really like the last phrase in the previous post- "-if you find it necessary," i.e., "don't fix it if it ain't broke." I've been brewing AG for the past 2.5 years, after breaking in with 18 months of extract batches. The results of my brewing haven't motivated me to do anything with the water. I use strictly RO water from the grocery store, and have from the outset, as we live in a rural area on a well, and the water has high levels of dissolved iron and calcium, making it unsuitable for brewing.

As with the rest of brewing, there are variables- and water is no exception, making for a number of possible solutions. So far, I'm very pleased with the beers I make (ranging from blondes to imperial stouts), and so am completely unmotivated to adjust the profile of my water.

Wa ha, I like that. RO is the ultimate in 'messing with water'. Gordon Strong said the same thing and the point that I mentioned to him too, was that you don't want TOO MUCH STUFF in your water. The real problem comes for brewers how don't know and understand their water and then go and add something to their brewing water. If those ions are already high, a brewer can easily create Alka Seltzer beer, as Gordon termed it for me.

This brewer may appreciate his straight RO brewing, but I can assure anyone that a few simple adjustements to RO water WILL make better beer. At a club party this weekend, I tasted a new AG brewer's pale ale. He mistakenly picked up distilled water and used it with no additional minerals. The beer was distinctly without character and also had a slight twang and cloudiness. That character was not from infection. In that case, some calcium would have helped the beer clear and some sulfate would have helped the hops pop. It was not a bad beer, it just did not have much character.

So in some respects, rico's sentiments are correct. Don't mess with your water too much, but do understand what you're doing. RO water is a great starting point for any brewing, but you still HAVE to adjust it to produce good beer in most cases.

 

[MrManifesto]

i really don't think screwing with water profiles is that important if you're making good beer. there's a 1000 things more important to be worrying about on your first time AG.