pH of soda?

[Cider123]

So I have been carbing homemade seltzer at about 25-30psi in a corny keg that sits in my kegerator. It has been working pretty well for almost a year now.

Lately we have found our seltzer to be a bit harsh on our stomachs. I know the carbonic acid produced will lower the pH but didn't know if there is a safe range to aim for? Can soda be produced that is too acidic?

Thanks

 

[tjmac5071]

Maybe try a lower pressure to reduce the carbonic acid? I actually keep mine at the same pressure as my beer about 12psi and 35-36 degrees. My wife and I actually prefer this over the store bought now because of the lower carb. Also, do you know the pH of the water you are using? I use spring water with a pH around 6. Maybe play with the mineral content to adjust pH if needed?

 

[Yooper]

Many people use RO water with a bit of bicarbonate (baking soda) for their seltzer to mimic commercial seltzer. You don't need much at all (maybe 1/4 teaspoon for 5 gallons) but you don't want to add it if you don't know the content of your water. If you're using tap water, for example, it could be related to that.

 

[Cider123]

Thanks folks.

I was wondering about the starting pH of my water. It has been something I have neglected even in brewing. I have always understood that adjusting the pH of your mash helps to unlock more flavor in your beer.
For soda, I was concerned that the carbonation, plus a questionably low pH water (well water in my case) could be giving me a more acidic product than you buy commercially.

One odd thing that occurred once before. I had a keg of soda that always foamed up when poured from the tap. It did this through the whole keg and so I figured it was some dirt or gunk in the keg that didn't get cleaned out. When I cleaned the keg, the threads of both posts had a lot of greasy-feeling white residue. It took some scrubbing, as the normal Oxy soak wouldn't remove it.

I guess I'll pick up a pH meter.