While past experience and the Bru'N Water spreadsheet told me my latest mash pH should have been around 5.2-5.3, 10 minutes in my pH read 4.8.
I had a couple of baking soda additions during the mash to raise the pH up to 5.2 for the IPA I was brewing. What I haven't yet read (and the "Water" book is staring at me from the bookcase, children don't let me read...) is:
What is the impact of adjusting the pH during the mash?
If the pH is too low (or high) for 30 minutes before I can correct it, is it too late for proper enzyme activity? Per Brukaiser, it seems not. But what is meant by 1-2 pH units 5.1 to 5.2 as 1 unit, or 5.0 to 6.0?
From http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=How_pH_affects_brewing
The above tells me it is reversible (if I'm close enough, but I'm unsure of that unit of measure) but also that at some point it is too late. What is that point, and can it be corrected by mashing longer?
I ended up at a pH of 5.2 at 50 minutes into the Mash, starting at 4.8 10 minutes in, thanks to adding baking soda. 3 total additions of 1 tsp, so slowly climbing to that mark.
I stopped the mash to mash-out at 70 minutes. I did end up with 80% efficiency, and the beer has finished out to 2 points above the beersmith estimate. Any thoughts on the impact my terrible mash day will have? This is an IPA. First taste (while green, warm, and not carbed) was not what I would call an IPA. But I also only seem to taste bitterness out of Sculpin these days.
I had a couple of baking soda additions during the mash to raise the pH up to 5.2 for the IPA I was brewing. What I haven't yet read (and the "Water" book is staring at me from the bookcase, children don't let me read...) is:
What is the impact of adjusting the pH during the mash?
If the pH is too low (or high) for 30 minutes before I can correct it, is it too late for proper enzyme activity? Per Brukaiser, it seems not. But what is meant by 1-2 pH units 5.1 to 5.2 as 1 unit, or 5.0 to 6.0?
From http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=How_pH_affects_brewing
As long as the difference between the optimal and actual pH is low (1-2 pH units) the effect of pH on the enzyme activity is reversible since the enzyme is not permanently damaged (denatured). In practice this means that pH can be corrected even after dough-in and little or no enzymes will be lost as a result of a suboptimal initial pH. But once the pH is adjusted to an adequate level these enzymes will get a later start. At that point some of them may have already been denatured as a result of the heat before they got a chance to work at an optimal pH. This is especially true for the more heat liable beta-amylase and limit dextrinase. If the pH is substantially far from the optimum the enzyme can also be denatured, but that is difficult to achieve in brewing.
The above tells me it is reversible (if I'm close enough, but I'm unsure of that unit of measure) but also that at some point it is too late. What is that point, and can it be corrected by mashing longer?
I ended up at a pH of 5.2 at 50 minutes into the Mash, starting at 4.8 10 minutes in, thanks to adding baking soda. 3 total additions of 1 tsp, so slowly climbing to that mark.
I stopped the mash to mash-out at 70 minutes. I did end up with 80% efficiency, and the beer has finished out to 2 points above the beersmith estimate. Any thoughts on the impact my terrible mash day will have? This is an IPA. First taste (while green, warm, and not carbed) was not what I would call an IPA. But I also only seem to taste bitterness out of Sculpin these days.