TOPIC:

Hi, I'm trying to troubleshoot an efficiency problem which has led me to checking my mash ph. I BIAB, so the mash is usually about 5~6kgs of grain to 35 litres of water. I want to brew an all pilsener malt ipa. Today I tested by mashing 3 samples of mo in my oven, 146grams grain to 1litre tap water. The first sample wasn't treated, the second had 2grams dls added after dough in(should have been added to dry grain according to instructions -mistake), the third had about a gram of dls added to dry grain pre dough in. I kept all 3 in the mid 60s temp range. The dls calculation was based on my water ra of 50ppm caco3-tested. Anyway, all mashes were maxing out my ph strips at about 6.8. The dls didn't seem to help. I eventually squeezed some lemon juice into one of them and the ph went through the floor, reading 5.2 on my strips which is the minimum they read, so it could have been anything below that. I want to brew my ipa in the next few days and I'm considering doughing in and letting sit for 10mins, then adjusting ph with lemon juice?? Any thoughts on this? If it did impart flavour I don't think it would be entirely negative. The brew is based on big chief amarillo which I found kinda citrusy anyway. I've been reading a bit online and can't really see others using lemon juice, is that because it's a crap idea??

Thanks

L

Lars, send me a PM, I never did get around to finishing this off with you.

I have all the chemicals you could need to do this, CRS, DLS etc so no need for you to shell out on anything.

If you send me on your number we can have a chat and organise something.

If ye are getting together on this, would you mind if I sat in too. I'm at the stage where I'm understanding water adjustments, but would really benefit from someone else's superior knowledge?

Pm sent, will keep you in the loop Shane. I'm clueless on this stuff

6.8 is [u:1t86tz39]very[/u:1t86tz39] high pH for a mash.

As you know 5.2 is about spot on for yeast. A balanced mash will give you 5.2 assuming your water is not pure alkali

In malahide I stopped using the 5.2 ph Adjuster as its an expense you don't need. When my electronic ph meter arrived I check my next mash ( with no water adjustments ) and it was spot on at 5.2

Where is your water comming from? Mains/Well/Private local scheme?

What is its initial ph?

Will

"Will_D":53a3gs74 wrote: 6.8 is [u:53a3gs74]very[/u:53a3gs74] high pH for a mash.

As you know 5.2 is about spot on for yeast. A balanced mash will give you 5.2 assuming your water is not pure alkali

In malahide I stopped using the 5.2 ph Adjuster as its an expense you don't need. When my electronic ph meter arrived I check my next mash ( with no water adjustments ) and it was spot on at 5.2

Where is your water comming from? Mains/Well/Private local scheme?

What is its initial ph?

Will[/quote:53a3gs74]

It's a well with an ion exchanger before the house supply.

The water from the well directly looks like it's close to being perfect for a stout and that after looks pretty good with a few additions for a pale.
My own inclination would be to take it before the exchanger and treat it down with CRS and then add whatever DLS would be needed.
The reason we're looking at this at all is that Lars boiler is cutting out when he's doing BIAB, my suggestion is that shouldn't really happen where good conversion has happened as it's more likely that starch will burn on and cut out elements than it is that well converted wort will burn on.

I have a flat bottomed boiler here at the moment that I will shortly be testing with to ensure that a boil can be done in such a boiler and how, but then I know it can since the Aussies regularly use urns to do BIAB. I've got to work out for myself what's happening and hopefully fix Lars problem.