Water adjustment help

[doublehaul]

I try to adjust my water using Brun water but I am really winging it. I pretty much try to add phosphoric acid for pH and add a bunch of gypsum for IPAs.

Right now I am mashing 12.25 lbs 1.75L Weyermann Pilsner in 4.9 gallons water and added 5 ML 85% phosphoric acid. I have a PH meter that read 3.7, first time I've used it hope it is wrong.

I planned on adding 3ML phosphoric acid to the sparge.

I can't get brunwater, Brewers friend and brewfather to come close to agreeing.

Anyone care to take a stab at my pH adjustment or give advice on brunwater?

My efficiency has been low and I suspect it'sbeen my misadjustment.

 

[Jag75]

It might be easier starting with RO water and building. Your ph meter was reading 3.7 ? Was that at about 20 min into the mash? Did you calibrate your meter ? At 3.7 your getting close to sour ph levels

This would probably be better answered in the Brew Science section.

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

3.7 pH is flat out wrong. Given that your source waters alkalinity is (on average) about 165 ppm, and presuming that you didn't add any minerals to it, 5 mL of 85% Phosphoric should only get you to about pH 5.5 - 5.7 in the mash.

Did you add the phosphoric acid to the mash water ahead of the mash, or directly into the mash? Did you calibrate your pH meter right before mashing? Did you cool the sample to room temperature?

 

[brewdude88]

Be advised, that water report is from 2018! Odds are, that is not your current base water at all. Building RO water from scratch is really the only way to know what you have. that being said, my pilsner grain bill (very similar to what you used, with a similar mash thickness) consistently hits 5.25 PH with 6mls of 85% phosphoric acid in water with 0 alkalinity and 50PPM calcium.

I think your pH meter needs calibration or temperature adjustment. Also, if you have one of the cheapo pH pens, I've never gotten consistent results with one.

 

[doublehaul]

Be advised, that water report is from 2018! Odds are, that is not your current base water at all. Building RO water from scratch is really the only way to know what you have. that being said, my pilsner grain bill (very similar to what you used, with a similar mash thickness) consistently hits 5.25 PH with 6mls of 85% phosphoric acid in water with 0 alkalinity and 50PPM calcium.

I think your pH meter needs calibration or temperature adjustment. Also, if you have one of the cheapo pH pens, I've never gotten consistent results with one.

Awesome thanks that makes me feel better. I skipped my sparge addition but will have to invest in a better pH pen

 

[Jag75]

As for ph meters I bought the Beverage Dr and it works great . Think it only set me back about 50$

 

[mabrungard]

That water isn't too bad for brewing, but the alkalinity would need neutralization for most brews. Those additions of 85% phosphoric seem a bit high, but I suppose they're possible.

While there is little chance that a properly acidified mash is going to fall below a pH of 5, it is possible that the pH of strike water could be well below 4 prior to grain addition. The grain will buffer the pH back into the desirable range. That buffering mechanism does take time and it could be possible that early pH measurements in the mash would be low and would rise in time.

But, do question the accuracy and calibration of the meter. Do keep it hydrated in storage solution and calibrate the meter with 4 and 7 solutions prior to each day's use.

 

[doublehaul]

It might be easier starting with RO water and building. Your ph meter was reading 3.7 ? Was that at about 20 min into the mash? Did you calibrate your meter ? At 3.7 your getting close to sour ph levels

This would probably be better answered in the Brew Science section.

It was right after mashing in, I did not calibrate. It was a cheap homebrewfinds deal so not too worried

 

[doublehaul]

Thanks all good info, I will calibrate it next time and maybe hold off 10 minutes on the measurement? The reason I bagged the sparge addition is it read 5.3 initially then some lower numbers later. I used to just add a little acid malt in the mash

 

[Silver_Is_Money]

Thanks all good info, I will calibrate it next time and maybe hold off 10 minutes on the measurement? The reason I bagged the sparge addition is it read 5.3 initially then some lower numbers later. I used to just add a little acid malt in the mash

Measure pH at least 30 minutes into the mash. And cool the sample to room temperature.