When to add 5.2 pH Stabilizer?

[BrewBern]

I'm doing a small batch AG BIAB 18 ltr mash and wondered when the best point was to add a half teaspoon or so of 5.2 pH Stabilizer was?

I seem to recall the recommendation being to add with the grains at dough in rather than to the strike water?

Any and all help / comments appreciated.

 

[sandyeggoxj]

That is an easy one: Don't.

If you want to mess with water chemistry, fine, but don't just throw a "blanket treatment" into your mash and hope for the best. Make educated decisions based on scientific data. Head over to the brew science forum here on HBT and get a snack and read, read, read.

Good luck!

 

[ChefRex]

Add it now, to your garbage can!

 

[Gavin C]

that is good advice. Advice which I wish I had had prior to buying that junk. Used it on 3 brews. Check out the brew science area. Water chemistry is fun to explore and use during a brew day. I make additions and pH adjustments on every batch now. Take a bit of planning, but I enjoy the process.

This product does not do what it is supposed to.

 

[BrewBern]

I had read a few forum posts elsewhere and the thoughts on its benefits were certainly mixed.

Had struggled last time with efficiency so was tempted to alter the mash pH with this.

Tempted not to bother and go for a longer mash time (90 mins) as a "control" this time round and see what happens.

 

[RM-MN]

I had read a few forum posts elsewhere and the thoughts on its benefits were certainly mixed.

Had struggled last time with efficiency so was tempted to alter the mash pH with this.

Tempted not to bother and go for a longer mash time (90 mins) as a "control" this time round and see what happens.

Efficiency is tied much more closely to the quality of the milling than the pH of the mash. If you previously had had good efficiency, don't blame the pH of the water. A longer mash can compensate for a poor milling but eventually you need to get the proper milling and to control that you need to be milling the grain yourself.

 

[Natdavis777]

Never....

 

[maierhof]

When I asked a very similar question to AJDelange (all around beer chemistry genius) here is what he said:

"I would advise most home brewers not to use it." I am quoting there the man that formulated and that sells it. The reasons why it does not work have been set out here many times." - AJDelange - 2-16-14

Check out this post too - lots of good info there:
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=198460

 

[JonM]

Thoughts are not mixed. AJ Delange has thoroughly explained how and why the stuff cannot do what it purports to do. A handful of people who don't have or use pH meters threw out some anecdotal "well, I like it" stuff that just doesn't hold water. A bunch of people who don't know what they're talking about with anecdotal stuff doesn't make results "mixed."

Use it to stabilize the pH of the local landfill.

 

[BrewBern]

Well, I got close to my intended gravity without using it with slightly less than a 90 minute mash and boil each. Upped the grain bill slightly but I do suspect that the milling / crush is a bit coarse.

If i intend to do this recipe again I may try it for efficiency comparison / taste differences.

 

[BrewBern]

Seems hardly worth my while then based on those links.

You live and learn I suppose.

 

[maierhof]

Well, I got close to my intended gravity without using it with slightly less than a 90 minute mash and boil each. Upped the grain bill slightly but I do suspect that the milling / crush is a bit coarse.

If i intend to do this recipe again I may try it for efficiency comparison / taste differences.

The answer you gave means to me that you do not understand the water chemistry yet. Do can do yourself a big favor by using one of the many calculators that are available to you so you can learn what it is all about:

brewersfriend.com
beersmith.com
ezwatercalculator.com

brew on

 

[g-star]

Well, I got close to my intended gravity without using it with slightly less than a 90 minute mash and boil each. Upped the grain bill slightly but I do suspect that the milling / crush is a bit coarse.

If i intend to do this recipe again I may try it for efficiency comparison / taste differences.

It will add a lot of sodium and do absolutely nothing to buffer you mash pH in the desired range. The product has been reversed engineered, and the chemistry is VERY CLEAR...it won't work as advertised. It is completely useless for brewing.

 

[TheHopfather]

Never!! As everyone said, dump it, it's snake oil.

Now if you are dead set on using it you can add it at mash in. I used it for a few batches before I knew any better and I'd just add it to my pot of grains before I mashed in. I did see an increase in efficiency using it than without. However the real improvement in the quality of my beer didn't come from pH 5.2 Stabilizer, it came from reading the water primer in the science forum and building my water from RO and salts. Do yourself a favor and read, read, read the water primer. At some point it will just "click" and you'll wonder why it was so confusing to begin with.