Recent content by dixosx

Stove top gas burner.

So I made another 3.5 gallon batch without El Dorado Hops. I used RO water and 1/2 tsp calcium chloride (just enough to get me 50 ppm of calcium) in the mash and .5 ml of lactic acid in the sparge water. Same issue this time but not as bad, previous batches were considerable worse. I added the...

I have what I believe is a brewing chemistry related question. I have made several batches recently of the following recipe: 3.5 gallons 2lbs 2 row 1lbs maris otter 1lbs pilsner .5lbs crystal 10 .5lbs carapils .5lbs crystal 40 3 oz of different hops at flame out and a 60 min steep...

Did you measure you final gravity, and what was it? Kinda sounds like the beer did not attenuate enough.

I use 85% phosphoric acid to adjust the pH of the mash and sparge water. For the sparge water is there a certain amount of acid per gallon of water that can be used to bring the pH to...say 5.6 or 5.5? Or, is it better to just add the water, take a reading and adjust from there to the desired pH?

I use Bru N Water, and it works great. I do still get tannin extraction from Distilled/RO water. Not nearly as much as my house water, but still do. If the heated sparge water is added to the mashtun after the first runnings could I take a pH reading? If I can, should I try to keep the pH in...

Generally I no spagre brew for my 5 gallon batches, as it works better for my system. When I do 10 gal batches I need to batch sparge do to mash tun size limitations. When I batch sparge, can I check the pH of the water after it is added to the grain or should it be done prior? Is there anything...

Makes sense thanks for the help!!

Thanks for the info!! This brings up anoter question I have. I added all of the salt and acid additions to the DI water prior to heating. I calibrated my meter and then chcked the water PH and it was 2.8, which really threw me off since I though distilled water had a ph of 7. I checked the...

"It should be pretty close to target because you should have made acid/alkali/sauermalz as necessary to the grist and or water before doughing in" So, I use RO water since my tap water is crap. From my limited understanding that has a pH of 7. Should I acidify the water with 85% phosphoric...

When adjusting mash pH, do you add the grain to the heated water, stir and then measure? After the first reading do you then add salts and/or acid to get the desired pH? I have used salts and acid before, but never really tested pH. Or should I adjust my water to say 5.5 at room temp, then heat...

Sounds good. Thanks

I just purchased a Milwaukee PH56 meter. Do I calibrate it before every brew session? The instructions dont really say and I am new to pH meters.

My efficency sucked until I bought a grain mill and crushed my own grains. That is my guess.

I have just started doing some 1 gallon single extract, single hop beers to try and get a handle on how hops taste, smell and bitter beer. Have any of you tried this, and have any good pointers for me. Like what a good gravity would be, or a bitterness ot gravity ratio I should be aming for. So...