What are you drinking now?

[mcbaumannerb]

I have one and you do need the little buffer pouches to calibrate it each time for use, but my efficiency jumped about 10% when I dialed in my pH with it (not saying strips wouldn't be as good - I just never used them.)

 

[CliffMongoloid]

I have one and you do need the little buffer pouches to calibrate it each time for use, but my efficiency jumped about 10% when I dialed in my pH with it (not saying strips wouldn't be as good - I just never used them.)

why not just use 5.2?

was that a dumb question?

 

[Ridire]

why not just use 5.2?

was that a dumb question?

I had never heard of 5.2 buffer until you posted this. Does it work?

 

[wobrien]

I had never heard of 5.2 buffer until you posted this. Does it work?

The more I read in the brewing science forum, the less I believe it does anything beneficial. Ajdelange (the water chemistry guru) flat out says not to use it.

 

[finsfan]

I had never heard of 5.2 buffer until you posted this. Does it work?

IF you do some reading up on that product, including the Bru'n water knowledge page, most people say it doesnt work that well, or at all. From what ive read, it doesnt move PH that much unless you use a lot, but then you have introduced a lot more salt into your water as well.

 

[Ridire]

The more I read in the brewing science forum, the less I believe it does anything beneficial. Ajdelange (the water chemistry guru) flat out says not to use it.

If Bru'n Water is accurate, it is easy to get RO water to an ideal pH, anyway. I was just wondering if it was some sort of safety net. My reading of the reviews leads me to believe that it is too high in sodium. I think I'll just take a few tests of my mash after calculating pH with the spreadsheet and see if I am getting close to what it is calculating for me.

 

[finsfan]

I have one and you do need the little buffer pouches to calibrate it each time for use, but my efficiency jumped about 10% when I dialed in my pH with it (not saying strips wouldn't be as good - I just never used them.)

I'd be fine calibrating it for each brew day. That is a lot less expensive than dropping over $100 on a meter. Thanks for the heads up! Do you recommend any particular buffer solution?

 

[Ridire]

While we are on things you add to your brew, I add whirlfloc to everything. I have recently started wondering if the fining thins the body of my beers. I have no problem with that for lighter beers but my biggest complaint about the dark (porter/stouts) I have brewed is that they just seem too thin. Does the fining contribute to that thin mouth feel?

 

[mcbaumannerb]

I'd be fine calibrating it for each brew day. That is a lot less expensive than dropping over $100 on a meter. Thanks for the heads up! Do you recommend any particular buffer solution?

I use the Hanna 4.01 & 7.01 solutions since my LHBS carries them for about the same price as Amazon (a little over $1.00 each.) Easy to use and work well.

Having read through the water chemistry thread (and about 1/2 way through the book Water,) I personally would never use 5.2 buffer solution. The amount needed to bring your wort to the right level has to impact the beer in then (IMO.) I use distilled water and build it up and have never had to do much adjustment after dough-in to hit my pH.

While we are on things you add to your brew, I add whirlfloc to everything. I have recently started wondering if the fining thins the body of my beers. I have no problem with that for lighter beers but my biggest complaint about the dark (porter/stouts) I have brewed is that they just seem too thin. Does the fining contribute to that thin mouth feel?

I doubt it has a major impact on mouthfeel or clarity - I skip it when I'm brewing dark beers. Even the ******-bags on BA don't mention the clarity on an RIS.

 

[wobrien]

While we are on things you add to your brew, I add whirlfloc to everything. I have recently started wondering if the fining thins the body of my beers. I have no problem with that for lighter beers but my biggest complaint about the dark (porter/stouts) I have brewed is that they just seem too thin. Does the fining contribute to that thin mouth feel?

Damn. I add it to everything and have had issues with thin stouts. I just brewed a RIS that will have a FG around 1.035-1.040, so if that one seems thin I'll stop using whirlfloc.

 

[Ridire]

Damn. I add it to everything and have had issues with thin stouts. I just brewed a RIS that will have a FG around 1.035-1.040, so if that one seems thin I'll stop using whirlfloc.

I am not saying it does anything to the body. I am merely asking.

EDIT: also, short of adding lactos, what can be done to give these beers a thicker texture? Mash at a higher temperature, I would imagine would do it, but to what extent? Is there a grain that should be used to thicken up the beer?

 

[wobrien]

I am not saying it does anything to the body. I am merely asking.

EDIT: also, short of adding lactos, what can be done to give these beers a thicker texture? Mash at a higher temperature, I would imagine would do it, but to what extent? Is there a grain that should be used to thicken up the beer?

Anything with a lower amount of feementables, Carapils, malto dextrin, crystal malts, etc

 

[mcbaumannerb]

I am not saying it does anything to the body. I am merely asking.

EDIT: also, short of adding lactos, what can be done to give these beers a thicker texture? Mash at a higher temperature, I would imagine would do it, but to what extent? Is there a grain that should be used to thicken up the beer?

One option would be to stick it in a barrel for two years and let evaporation thicken it for you.

 

[Ridire]

http://byo.com/body/item/89-add-body-to-your-beer

I am thinking I will avoid whirlfloc for the Christmas stout I'm planning.


Oh, and I'm drinking coffee, to add some on topic talk to the ramble I've started.

 

[CliffMongoloid]

IF you do some reading up on that product, including the Bru'n water knowledge page, most people say it doesnt work that well, or at all. From what ive read, it doesnt move PH that much unless you use a lot, but then you have introduced a lot more salt into your water as well.

i picked some up for my next brew day... this makes me sad

i thought it would be an easy way to get the right PH

 

[BrewinHooligan]

Drinking coffee like it's my job while pretending to work at my job.

 

[finsfan]

I am not saying it does anything to the body. I am merely asking.

EDIT: also, short of adding lactos, what can be done to give these beers a thicker texture? Mash at a higher temperature, I would imagine would do it, but to what extent? Is there a grain that should be used to thicken up the beer?

Mashing at a higher temp certainly helps, and grains also play a part in their ability to convert to simple sugars or not, like wobrien mentioned. Most big or sweeter stouts mash at 156. I was aiming for that on my Buffalo Sweat clone and it ended up at 154. It was noticeable by me and others on this site that there wasnt enough body. Even BJCP judges picked that out, so mash temperature is one of the biggest keys, as well as some other aspects. Also, dont be afraid to add lactose. It does wonders for keeping a beer fuller bodied and helps mouth feel.

 

[Ridire]

Mashing at a higher temp certainly helps, and grains also play a part in their ability to convert to simple sugars or not, like wobrien mentioned. Most big or sweeter stouts mash at 156. I was aiming for that on my Buffalo Sweat clone and it ended up at 154. It was noticeable by me and others on this site that there wasnt enough body. Even BJCP judges picked that out, so mash temperature is one of the biggest keys, as well as some other aspects. Also, dont be afraid to add lactose. It does wonders for keeping a beer fuller bodied and helps mouth feel.

Glad I invested in the mash tun. With my BIAB set up, I was losing a lot of temp in my mash. I did not like to swing things by firing up the burner again. I have a feeling I just do not really know what my true mash temp was when I was doing the BIAB brews. The Igloo, according to my digital pen thermometer, did not lose so much as 0.10 degree during the 60 minute mash on my SMaSH brew. I'm guessing that might be the biggest problem I was having with my BIAB porter/stouts.

 

[finsfan]

Glad I invested in the mash tun. With my BIAB set up, I was losing a lot of temp in my mash. I did not like to swing things by firing up the burner again. I have a feeling I just do not really know what my true mash temp was when I was doing the BIAB brews. The Igloo, according to my digital pen thermometer, did not lose so much as 0.10 degree during the 60 minute mash on my SMaSH brew. I'm guessing that might be the biggest problem I was having with my BIAB porter/stouts.

BIAB with a metal tun does make things a little harder. Plenty of people mash in metal tuns, but im sure it took some time to dial in how to keep proper temps. If I do a 1 or 2 gallon batch, I heat up my oven to 170, turn it off before putting my mashed pot in, and let it mash inside the oven. It doesnt drop much, but still probably more than my cooler. Coolers are the way to go while keeping things cheap and simple.

 

[DrunkleJon]

I am not saying it does anything to the body. I am merely asking.

EDIT: also, short of adding lactos, what can be done to give these beers a thicker texture? Mash at a higher temperature, I would imagine would do it, but to what extent? Is there a grain that should be used to thicken up the beer?

Isnt that one of the purposes oatmeal is added to stouts for?

Gah, put your kid to work day. There are children everywhere. Maybe I should recruit them to start building that pyramid I have been planning.

Water.

 

[DisturbdChemist]

Glad I invested in the mash tun. With my BIAB set up, I was losing a lot of temp in my mash. I did not like to swing things by firing up the burner again. I have a feeling I just do not really know what my true mash temp was when I was doing the BIAB brews. The Igloo, according to my digital pen thermometer, did not lose so much as 0.10 degree during the 60 minute mash on my SMaSH brew. I'm guessing that might be the biggest problem I was having with my BIAB porter/stouts.

Right now I just wrap my pot in a sleeping bag. Got a Igloo. Just need to fit it to a mashtun.

 

[Hopinista]

after an extremely long night at work, pounding Saison Dupont like it's my job.

 

[Ridire]

Right now I just wrap my pot in a sleeping bag.

That's exactly what I was doing.

 

[Ridire]

Drinking Coke with my crappy McDonald's lunch. Getting lazy about this healthy eating thing again.

 

[Hello]

I use the Hanna 4.01 & 7.01 solutions since my LHBS carries them for about the same price as Amazon (a little over $1.00 each.) Easy to use and work well.

Having read through the water chemistry thread (and about 1/2 way through the book Water,) I personally would never use 5.2 buffer solution. The amount needed to bring your wort to the right level has to impact the beer in then (IMO.) I use distilled water and build it up and have never had to do much adjustment after dough-in to hit my pH.



I doubt it has a major impact on mouthfeel or clarity - I skip it when I'm brewing dark beers. Even the ******-bags on BA don't mention the clarity on an RIS.

The reviews are all over the place but you say you use it with the calibrating solutions?
Is that these ($15)? http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004HE7W42/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20



Water. I have had too much coffee and junk today.

 

[Hopinista]

HB pale. What's next?

 

[MrNickVT]

Water.

The 49ers get to tear a new butthole into Dallas to start the season!


Sent from my iPad using Home Brew

Odds are obviously not in my favor but care to make a beer wager?

 

[Remmy]

Odds are obviously not in my favor but care to make a beer wager?

I'm good.

But I will say the Niners will win a Super Bowl before Dallas wins 12 games.

Edit: Drinking two cups of water with two plates of food for lunch. Fat-ass syndrome.

 

[finsfan]

Odds are obviously not in my favor but care to make a beer wager?

If we played this year, I would be up for that.

 

[MrNickVT]

If we played this year, I would be up for that.

Who knows when that'll happen again. Were two years to late for that lol