Best way to reduce mash PH

Usually if I’m making a Pilsner or light lager I’ll use the acidulated malt. I’ve been adding it most of my lagers and alts that are more malt forward Ive read that the lower pH also enhances the flavors. I can’t say what percentage pilsner but if I’m using any pilsner at all it’s probably getting some acidulated malt. I don’t test the pH of my finished beer but I’m sure somewhere there is a list of proper pH for styles I’m just not there.

1 Like

Gotcha. I’ve had some efficiency issues and started using acidulated to help with those. Apparently now I need to start thinking more about style and pH. So to the folks on the forum, just how much impact does pH have on flavor? Is it a game changer?

Now there’s a piece of this puzzle that needs some scrutiny, Mr. Noob…
Perhaps pH does help to accentuate the malt. A couple things I’ve noticed since using pH corrections.
Attenuation of yeast… Most times before my FG’s for the brews I do ended up from 1.010 up to 1.013… Now I’m ending down 1.006 and just a bit higher… As I understand, the proper pH is beneficial for Alpha and Beta amylase conversion… I wonder if that is also hand in hand FAN…
Second, my brews are clearer… Sparkling, I don’t know as a keg won’t last that long around here…
Third, and to me maybe more about eye candy, the lacing in the glass along with head retention… Sure makes for a beautiful schooner of brew to drink…
Of course this coming from a left handed swede only makes it my perception, and I will continue correcting as long as I brew now…

Sneezles61

1 Like

Time to get my pH meter out and see what I can do to my brews. I don’t have any complaints right now but maybe I just don’t know what I just don’t know. :wink:

Like @brew_cat I don’t check final pH but the software will get you where you should be if you’ve input your source water and all required fields. I am a strong proponent of correcting pH when necessary, as @sneezles61 mentioned above especially useful for lighter colored styles. I find Brewersfriend very easy to use after trying several over the years. I don’t( I threw it out when we moved out of our house recently) use a pH meter because it hated me :joy::joy::joy: .

I target a mash pH of 5.2 -5.3 these days because I like the lively flavor this range imparts.

2 Likes

Yes, I don’t check after I find my mash is at its targeted range… Sneezles61

Most of you guys know I’m anal about water chemistry, so it should come as no surprise that I adjust the mash pH every time I brew. There was a period of time a few years ago when I checked the pH of my water, adjusted, checked the mash to confirm Brunwater, checked the first runnings, checked the kettle and sometimes adjusted, checked the post boil pH and then checked pH prior to packaging. I’m a little less anal now. Some days I use my meter to confirm. Most of the time I trust Brunwater to get me in the right range based on my well water pH and the grainbill. I’ve found the variance of my well water pH to be less than .3 throughout the year and that’s not really enough to concern me.

I’d suggest when you first start taking pH readings that you check your strike water from the filled MT. I’ve found that will differ slightly from water straight from the tap. Probably due to residual left in my MT(kettle). Doesn’t affect it a lot but sometimes .2-.3. YMMV

Because my water is a little more on the ‘hard’ side I can brew some dark beers without acidifying the mash but that’s because of my water pH. Your water may be softer, in which case “only adjusting light beers” is not a good MO.

I also agree with @voodoo_donut that you’ll get a more pronounced flavor with a slightly lower kettle pH and have always mashed my lagers at 5.4 but lowered kettle pH to 5.2. Having said that, it also depends on the yeast that you’re fermenting with. Some yeasts produce more acid than others so take that into consideration as well.

2 Likes

Danny, you did very well describing pH correcting… I applaud you!
I have to check my pH before I brew all the time… In the winter up here, no such thing as run off… So I’m lucky that my water isn’t picking up sediment from the concrete around my well…
In the summer, it’s a whole new program…
Sneezles61

3/5’s of the band mates couldn’t tell I used lemon in my brew… But then a heavy hand of hops may well disguised any flavors…
I still have 2 more guys to try this on!
Sneezles61

Reading how to make an angel food cake and one author said that “cream of tartar” is acidic…you know… left over scum in the fermenter bucket from wine? :joy: Just kidding…
Since I happen to have a container of it and brew day should happen again next week… I’m going to see how it works…
Wife’s birthday tomorrow… She hasn’t had a home made cake since her mother passed away… I now will assume the responsibility… I hope…
Sneezles61

2 Likes

I wanna see a picture of that cake!

1 Like

Putting my nose back into John Palmers’ how to brew… Chapter 21… Since Im not being tugged or pulled into any direction… I will read this chapter with my water report in hand… If nothing becomes of my reading… at least I knocked the dust off of this book!
Sneezles61

1 Like

On pg 338 & 339 John P. is using a quote from Dr. David Taylor… From our conversations on here? :hushed:
Sneezles61

Pg 334 starts the mystery… Units of mineral concentration… Once thats kinda understood… Water tinkering in my brews…
Sneezles61

I was intimidated about water treatment because of people posting you have to treat your water. Actually most people don’t except maybe for pH unless you’re water is really hard or has chlorine. Now if you’re starting with RO water yes you need to add stuff

Yes, Distilled and RO need the “salts”…
Treating water is just another piece of the puzzle… If you want to get into it, it’ll change the finished brew and how it is flavored…
But you don’t really have to if you have good tasting water… Its an option…
Sneezles61

This stuff is sooo far over my head… I was hoping you’d just add a teaspoon of this… and… you get the point… right?
Its not… either agitating or heating water alters whats going on… And then if I understand John Palmer… it takes about 2 hours of water being heated to “gas off” carbonic content… to a degree… oh dear…:confused:
One thing I grabbed from this reading… Areas with high RA… have been boiling water, cooling and decanting…
That makes a water suited for dark brews now suited for very light brews… (directly from Munich)…
Of course there are some of you that really like math quizzes… Then this chapter is what you want to play with… Moles… Ions… milliEquivalent… ml/L or g/G? :dizzy_face:
Sneezles61

It’s really not all that complicated. I think Palmer just likes to make everyone think he’s smarter than them. You’d be better off reading the water information pages in Brunwater.

3 Likes

Ill brew tomorrow and I was going to just switch the scale to ml/L and start adding the salts according to my water report… A crap shoot of sorts… Fingers crossed!
Sneezles61

Don’t read that stuff it’ll warp your brain. Brewing beer is not that complicated. The old saying if your water tastes good you can brew with does really hold true for the most part. I’ll add a few minerals to my brewing water but does it change my beer much? I can’t really tell and people I share with don’t notice.

3 Likes