Ph issues.

[blackstrat5]

I just brewed a weizen (two times) And had a mash ph of 5.9. It was a 1.25 qt/lb ratio.
I'm in Baltimore and the current report from the water dept. Is.
Alkalinity - 56
Ca - 26
Mg - 8
Na - 17
Sulfate - 20
Cl - 47
I used braukaiser's water calculator. It gave me an estimate of 5.6. Anyway I was wondering what the suggestions were to correct the ph and /or more accurately predict the mash ph. Thanks for any help.

 

[Croat]

Maybe a stupid question but do you use any RO water or other salts because of your chloride to sulfate ratio?

 

[smakudwn]

What was the grain bill?

If you need to you can add slacked lime?

*opps, don't add lime to bring PH down.

 

[blackstrat5]

Didn't use RO water. Just 100% tap water (filtered with activated carbon to get rid of the pool water).

The grain bill was 60% pale and 40% wheat.

I wasn't sure if adding salts, and using a percentage of distilled water, using an acid, or 5.2 should be used to bring the ph down?

 

[smakudwn]

Assuming 6lb of pale and 4lb of wheat. I put those numbers in the EZ water calc and got 5.87 predicted ph, so pretty close to what you got. U would nee about 5 oz of Acid Malt to bring that down to 5.6 ish or 3.5 ml of 88% latic acid.

Get the EZ water calc spread sheet, its pretty easy to work with.

 

[Croat]

Besides lowering your Ph you should consider using some MgSO4 or gypsum to get this chlorine to sulfate ratio balanced. Their ratio ,in your water, is on the malty side.

 

[passivegray]

I generally use 5.2 pH Stabilizer in my mash just when I brew..unless I'm brewing a stout (or any darker beers.) It seems to work out fine for me (so far 100%) of the time.

 

[blackstrat5]

I'm all for experimentation.

Should I start with 5.2
Or should I go directly to using the spreadsheets to calculate salt additions (for a better ratio of Cl and sulfates ) and acid additions since the salt alone won't bring the ph that far down?

 

[wildwest450]

You actually have a good base for brewing with. You want to get your calcium up to 50ppm, here's some good reading from someone who knows water chemistry.
My water is even softer than yours, I have learned through trial and error, that less is more with brewing salts.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f128/brewing-water-chemistry-primer-198460/

 

[thegerm]

All the spreadsheets I use have been so wildly off on PH predictions that I only use them anymore for targeting ion concentrations like for Ca, SO4 and Cl. I adjust Ph with Lactic Acid or NaOH if needed. Lactic acid is cheap and available at any HBS. Food grade lye (NaOH or KOH) is also available online from essential depot, but handling is a little tricky due to it being a potent caustic.

 

[jtejedor]

Did you use strips or a ph meter to measure ph? Also did you measure at mash temp or cool it down to room temperature? Just curious as the strips can read high.

 

[blackstrat5]

I used a meter and cooled the sample to room temperature first. The meter was calibrated before brewing.

I guess ill start trying the cacl to bring the ca levels up and work with the Cl to sulf ratio. Ill see where the ph goes, and if its still too high and the minerals are what I want ill go to lactic acid.

 

[afr0byte]

All the spreadsheets I use have been so wildly off on PH predictions that I only use them anymore for targeting ion concentrations like for Ca, SO4 and Cl. I adjust Ph with Lactic Acid or NaOH if needed. Lactic acid is cheap and available at any HBS. Food grade lye (NaOH or KOH) is also available online from essential depot, but handling is a little tricky due to it being a potent caustic.

What do you consider wildly off? The largest difference I've seen was about .2, which I don't consider wildly off.