seven9st_surfer
Well-Known Member
I really didn't want to start another BW vs BF thread, but I can't find my answer using search. With only base and crystal malts, the differences are within 0.05 of each other. My problem is whenever I start adding roasted malts to my grain bill, the two start giving me drastically different pH levels. Example using 7g distilled mash water and 1.5g sparge (BIAB with small sparge) and no salt or acid additions for both mashes:
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
pH: 5.69
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
pH: 5.65
Difference: 0.04
--------
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
pH: 5.51
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
pH: 5.49
Difference: 0.02
--------
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
pH: 5.27
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
pH: 5.39
Difference: 0.12
--------
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
0.5# Black Malt (500L)
pH: 5.14
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
0.5# Black malt (500L)
pH: 5.35
Difference: 0.21
The more roasted malt in the recipe, the wider the margin becomes, with BW estimating a much lower pH. I've double, triple, and quadruple checked with multiple recipes and made sure that all other variables are the same between the 2 programs. Has anyone else noticed this, or have an explanation? I've always used BF in the past, but started using BW more recently after reading how people tend to find it more accurate. Thanks for any help.
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
pH: 5.69
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
pH: 5.65
Difference: 0.04
--------
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
pH: 5.51
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
pH: 5.49
Difference: 0.02
--------
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
pH: 5.27
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
pH: 5.39
Difference: 0.12
--------
BW:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
0.5# Black Malt (500L)
pH: 5.14
BF:
9.5# Maris Otter
1# Crystal 120
1# Chocolate (225L)
0.5# Black malt (500L)
pH: 5.35
Difference: 0.21
The more roasted malt in the recipe, the wider the margin becomes, with BW estimating a much lower pH. I've double, triple, and quadruple checked with multiple recipes and made sure that all other variables are the same between the 2 programs. Has anyone else noticed this, or have an explanation? I've always used BF in the past, but started using BW more recently after reading how people tend to find it more accurate. Thanks for any help.