LovesIPA
Well-Known Member
A while back I had a hard time making light beers that tasted right but stouts and porters tasted fine. After talking to some people, and having people taste the beers, I learned that I can't use my tap water to brew light beers.
After making a few batches with added gypsum and epsom salts, I bought some pH test strips. When I would check the pH, it would usually come out very low (4.6 or lower). I've since learned NOT to dip the strip directly into the mash and also that temperature affects pH reading.
I've also learned that I should be using CaCO3 to bring the mash pH back up to where it should be.
I ALSO learned that I'm supposed to be treating the sparge water as well. I asked this on HBT a few months ago but didn't get an answer.
My next beer is going to be Biermuncher's Oktoberfest. I downloaded Bru'n Water and plugged the grain bill in. Does it really only matter if a grain is base, crystal, roasted, or acid? It seems pretty broad.
What happens to my beer now is that is usually tastes fine out of the fermenter. After dry-hopping for a week in the keg it doesn't taste right. I have a Mosaic IPA that was great initially but now the hop flavor and aroma is gone, replaced by a bitter, astringent flavor. SWMBO and I both tasted it last night out of the keg and it now borders on undrinkable.
Is this because the mash pH for this batch was 4.6?
Honestly this hobby is starting to become very frustrating to me. I just cannot brew a decent IPA. If addressing the pH problem doesn't substantially improve the flavor of my IPA's I'm seriously considering giving this up. It's THAT frustrating.
After making a few batches with added gypsum and epsom salts, I bought some pH test strips. When I would check the pH, it would usually come out very low (4.6 or lower). I've since learned NOT to dip the strip directly into the mash and also that temperature affects pH reading.
I've also learned that I should be using CaCO3 to bring the mash pH back up to where it should be.
I ALSO learned that I'm supposed to be treating the sparge water as well. I asked this on HBT a few months ago but didn't get an answer.
My next beer is going to be Biermuncher's Oktoberfest. I downloaded Bru'n Water and plugged the grain bill in. Does it really only matter if a grain is base, crystal, roasted, or acid? It seems pretty broad.
What happens to my beer now is that is usually tastes fine out of the fermenter. After dry-hopping for a week in the keg it doesn't taste right. I have a Mosaic IPA that was great initially but now the hop flavor and aroma is gone, replaced by a bitter, astringent flavor. SWMBO and I both tasted it last night out of the keg and it now borders on undrinkable.
Is this because the mash pH for this batch was 4.6?
Honestly this hobby is starting to become very frustrating to me. I just cannot brew a decent IPA. If addressing the pH problem doesn't substantially improve the flavor of my IPA's I'm seriously considering giving this up. It's THAT frustrating.