When to add acid to sparge water?

[hanuswalrus]

This may be a silly question, but I'm trying this for the first time and would like to get it right. I'm prepping my sparge water now, I have all the salts in, now I'm wondering if it matters when I add the lactic acid. Just throw it in before I start heating the sparge water?

 

[te-wa]

http://beerandwinejournal.com/acidify-sparge-water/ you're welcome.

 

[hanuswalrus]

http://beerandwinejournal.com/acidify-sparge-water/ you're welcome.

Thanks, I did come across this article while researching the subject. But why is Bru'n Water telling me to acidify my sparge water? I don't have a pH meter at this point and am relying on Bru'n Water's calculations to achieve a good pH.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks, I did come across this article while researching the subject. But why is Bru'n Water telling me to acidify my sparge water? I don't have a pH meter at this point and am relying on Bru'n Water's calculations to achieve a good pH.

Because the best beer is made with Sparge water that has little to no alkalinity.

 

[ajdelange]

Ideally sparge water should have 0 or slightly negative alkalinity (proton deficit) with respect to desired kettle pH. This insures that the sparge will not pull grain bed nor kettle pH high. Any of the acids we consider (lactic, phosphoric, citric, sulfuric, hydrochloric) are suitable. Check mash pH with a meter!

 

[hanuswalrus]

Yes a pH meter is on my list of things to get... right after a chest freezer and temp controller. Thanks for the timely responses!