Mash PH problems with BS3

[Turfgrass]

Everything was going well until I checked the ph of the mash. My target using BS3 was 5.4 and that was after the water, salts and acid were added to the program. Double checked my steps by confirming with the YouTube ph tutorial.

I just placed my ph probe under the recirculating spray into the MT and the ph registered in the upper 3’s. Not sure what this did to my now fermenting wort. Afterwards I checked on the BF software and it confirmed a ph of 3.87 and that didn’t include any acid additions. The recipe was for a milk stout which included English Pale Chocolate and Carafa 3.

Is BS3 that far off? How could I have corrected this mistake in the mash? How could I have raised the ph prior to brewing? Adding gypsum and epsom salt to create custom water profile didn’t help. Thanks again .

 

[Big Monk]

Everything was going well until I checked the ph of the mash. My target using BS3 was 5.4 and that was after the water, salts and acid were added to the program. Double checked my steps by confirming with the YouTube ph tutorial.

I just placed my ph probe under the recirculating spray into the MT and the ph registered in the upper 3’s. Not sure what this did to my now fermenting wort. Afterwards I checked on the BF software and it confirmed a ph of 3.87 and that didn’t include any acid additions. The recipe was for a milk stout which included English Pale Chocolate and Carafa 3.

Is BS3 that far off? How could I have corrected this mistake in the mash? How could I have raised the ph prior to brewing? Adding gypsum and epsom salt to create custom water profile didn’t help. Thanks again .

There are known issues with Brad's implementation of Riffe's calculator, AFAIK. I would stay away from BS3's pH stuff until he gets it sorted out.

 

[jdauria]

Adding acid was probably your mistake, first off I don't think BeerSmith handles acid correctly in my opinion, plus the dark malts you used would drop pH as they add acidity, you usually need baking soda or chalk to boost pH up. Another trick is to reserve the roasted malts until the end of the mash and add them when sparging. You still get the color and a lot of the flavor, but don't need to worry about pH being low at that point.

Unfortunately, I think you are in for a very tart milk stout with such a low pH.

 

[Turfgrass]

Adding acid was probably your mistake, first off I don't think BeerSmith handles acid correctly in my opinion, plus the dark malts you used would drop pH as they add acidity, you usually need baking soda or chalk to boost pH up. Another trick is to reserve the roasted malts until the end of the mash and add them when sparging. You still get the color and a lot of the flavor, but don't need to worry about pH being low at that point.

Unfortunately, I think you are in for a very tart milk stout with such a low pH.

I’ve never had to use baking soda or chalk before. Do they add to the water profile other than raising ph. For example, I needed to raise Ca and S.

Yeah, unfortunately the software screwed me up and brewing takes a lot of time. Any addition for recovery as fermentation has just begun? Thinking of transferring to keg on top of peanut butter flavor. Thx

 

[jdauria]

I’ve never had to use baking soda or chalk before. Do they add to the water profile other than raising ph. For example, I needed to raise Ca and S.

Chalk will add calcium and bicarbonate, but it is also hard for chalk to dissolve on it's on in the mash. Baking Soda will add sodium and bicarbonate.

 

[brewbama]

The BS water calc is fairly good but the pH calc is not. I do not recommend using the pH calc in BS.

https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/water-knowledge

 

[doug293cz]

The best option for raising pH is pickling lime (Calcium Hydroxide, Ca(OH)2 ). Dissolves readily, unlike chalk, and does not add sodium like baking soda does.

Brew on

 

[Turfgrass]

I’m thinking of just dumping the 5 gallons out if I’m not going to get the correct flavor out of it and it officially stalled at 1.030.....

Here is my tap water chemistry profile in ppm

Ca-40, Mg-5, Cl- 87, So4- 4, Na- 57,

Total hardness CaCo3- 121
Carbonate <1
Bicarbonate HCO3- 107
Total alkalinity CaCO3- 88

 

[doug293cz]

I’m thinking of just dumping the 5 gallons out if I’m not going to get the correct flavor out of it and it officially stalled at 1.030.....

Here is my tap water chemistry profile in ppm

Ca-40, Mg-5, Cl- 87, So4- 4, Na- 57,

Total hardness CaCo3- 121
Carbonate <1
Bicarbonate HCO3- 107
Total alkalinity CaCO3- 88

You on a water softener? Na and Cl seem high otherwise, but then hardness should be less if softened. You definitely don't want to be adding any more sodium to adjust pH with this water.

Brew on

 

[Turfgrass]

You on a water softener? Na and Cl seem high otherwise, but then hardness should be less if softened. You definitely don't want to be adding any more sodium to adjust pH with this water.

Brew on

No, I don’t have a water softener. Forgot to mention the that the ph of the water is 7.7.

 

[Oginme]

High Sodium and Chloride values are not uncommon in New England.