The Final Frontier - PH

[Grinder12000]

There is a pretty good podcast talking about PH and why everyone should look into it when brewing.

By John Palmer

 

[Saccharomyces]

There is a pretty good podcast talking about PH and why everyone should look into it when brewing.

By John Palmer

There aren't many things I obsess over when brewing.

Mash temp? Meh. Close enough for a government job.
Strike volume? Meh. Looks close enough to me.
Boil time? Meh. I'll have another cold one and toss in the hops and call it 15 minutes left.

pH? You bet. I check it twice, after doughing in and before running off the last runnings. I like fully converted mashes, and I prefer beer that doesn't taste husky and grainy!

The other is fermentation temp. Nothing worse than a fruity stout that gives you a hangover from hell....

 

[Kauai_Kahuna]

Thanks for the link.
OK, I bought a Brewcraft acid test kit and forgot about it. I just opened it and instead of some test strips, it seems like something I need to read the directions on and actually use. Maybe on my next mead.

 

[Grinder12000]

The reason I say Final Frontier is it SEEMS I'm like many people and actually looking at the water was the last thing on my list to do once I had the process down.

 

[uncleozzy]

You mean I need to buy even more stuff? Twist my arm, why dontcha.

 

[Throckmorton]

Related questions... what method do you guys use when testing pH. I bought some strips and found them very difficult to read.

 

[giligson]

So lets say you measure your pH ... so what
"Whada you gonna do about it punk!"

seriously - what if you find your mash pH is off - what do you do?


BTW for wine I use this:

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Digital-pH-TESTER-pH600-Aquariums-Reef-Tanks-RO-Water_W0QQitemZ120332911433QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item120332911433&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1215|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318

 

[lmg95]

From my experience as a chemist pH strips (depending on their range) are not very accurate. However, they will give you accurate enough reading withing 1 measure of pH

 

[Eastside Brewer]

Water was the last thing I though would have an effect on my beers. Water is water.... right? Wrong! I started looking at ph. I have a ph meter, and I also got a water report. Of course I am not a chemist but I have learned that by making a few minor adjustments dialing in the ph as close to 5.2 as possible, everything gets better. I use a little lactic acid in the water prior to dough in and a little gypsum to the mash and it works like a charm every time! Different styles of beer require different water treatments to achieve different ph levels. Look into ph and your beers will improve.

Eastside

 

[Saccharomyces]

The reason I say Final Frontier is it SEEMS I'm like many people and actually looking at the water was the last thing on my list to do once I had the process down.

As long as your water isn't full of chlorine (filter it with a carbon filter) adjusting for pH will go pretty far.