Mah PH... 5.5 vs 5.6 vs 5.4 (vs 5.2?)

[stevedasleeve]

I know there is info out there but I cant find the answer to this specific question! What flavor impact does a mash PH of 5.5 have over, say 5.4?

To elaborate just a little, I've been using a PH meter to measure my mash PH, taking notes and then adding acidulated malt for the next batch (+ gypsum.) Since doing this my beers which were good are now great. I target 5.4-5.6 and use the EZ Water Calculator Spreadsheet 3.0.

I'm brewing a IIPA today, measured the PH -> 5.5, I'm brewing the same recipe Sunday. I wonder if it is worth adjusting to go lower?

In other words the range I keep finding is 5.2-5.7 or something but what is better - 5.2 or 5.7? And if I were to adjust my mash PH to 5.4 on Sunday will it make a real difference? And if I go to the bother of doing that why not 5.3 - its just a few more ounces of acidulated malt or a couple of MLs of acid? Or should I shoot for 5.2?

Cheers!
Steve


Cheers!
Steve

 

[bob1852]

Assuming you're taking your pH samples with room temperature wort?

If so, ~5.5 is closer to actual mash temp pH of 5.2....

 

[stevedasleeve]

Yes my procedure is to wait 15 mins, take a sample, cool it to room temperature, take a reading. This last one was 5.5, is there any reason to go lower ( or higher?)

Steve da sleeve

 

[LandoLincoln]

Flavor impact? I don't think it affects flavor. I do think it affects extraction efficiency.

I find that 5.4 gives me a pretty optimal extraction. But I am far from an expert on water chemistry.

 

[fogley]

Depends on the beer....
For my darkers beers like stouts I tend to let it be a little higher because the lower ph gives a harsh and less round taste

however for hoppier beers or something with a little bite like a saison I prefer it to be a little on the lower end of the range.

as with most things personal taste plays a factor- try some experiments

 

[mabrungard]

pH definitely affects flavor in a number of ways. The hop expression can be changed markedly, the tartness of low pH can brighten flavor and conversely flavors can be dull if the pH is too high. And as pointed out above, an excessively high pH will draw tannins and silicates out of the husk and really diminish the flavor.

In general, I find that the paler the beer, the lower the pH target should be. In addition, there are tart styles that will further benefit from making sure the mash pH is already in the low range (say 5.2). Pale lagers and many malt focused styles may benefit from targeting around 5.2, but hoppy beers need a slightly higher pH to help bring the hops out (say 5.4). A roasty beer might benefit from a slightly higher pH of around 5.5.

But all of those targets are relative. It still matters what YOU think tastes best. pH is just one more variable that you can tune to meet your expectations. There isn't a single correct answer.

 

[stevedasleeve]

Ok I'm brewing this again tomorrow so I'll lower the ph one point and keep everything else the same. I use 8 g gypsum in the mash and 8 g in the boil so I'll shift it to 16 g in the mash which will get it down almost to 5.4 according to my spreadsheet. Thanks for the thoughts!

Cheers,
Steve da sleeve

 

[ArcLight]

>.Ok I'm brewing this again tomorrow so I'll lower the ph one point and keep everything else the same. I use 8 g gypsum in the mash and 8 g in the boil so I'll shift it to 16 g in the mash which will get it down almost to 5.4 according to my spreadsheet. Thanks for the thoughts!

Thats quite a lot of Gypsum. Is this for 5 gallons?
This doesn't help you now, but you can always try adding very small amounts to a finished beer, until you like the taste, then scale up for your next batch.

 

[bob1852]

Yeah, I prefer using acid (lactic or phosphoric) for the bulk of pH adjustments to the mash & sparge while using gypsum, CaCl, and MgSO4 in limited quantiles to focus on the calcium, magnesium, sulfate, and chloride levels I'm after.

 

[stevedasleeve]

My water is seriously lacking in calcium so I add gypsum as a matter of course. 16 g is not over the top for me! Generally I'll add half at mash and half at boil, I am a hophead so 90% of my beers are hop heavy and benefit for the added gypsum - PH adjustment or not...

Cheers!
Steve