Questions about taking PH Readings for the first time and other questions about water

[pshankstar]

I've used Bru'n Water spreadsheet in the past (3-4 brews) to get an idea of what additions to add to my mash (full volume BIAB) and where my PH level should be. Now I have a PH meter and would like to use it to make sure I'm where I should be. With that being said, do I take the readings a few minutes into the mash and then again towards the end of the mash? Do I take a sample reading after the mash and before the boil? Do I take another reading after the boil (after the wort is chilled)?

When I take these samples, should I use a turkey baster to pull the sample? Or can I use my drain valve at the bottom of my brew pot? Or does it not make a difference?

I have Calcium Chloride, Campden Tablets, Gypsum and Lactic Acid to help raise or lower the PH level as needed. Is there a good guide/reference to use if I need to adjust the PH level? i.e. add 0.5 grams or 1ml per gallon depending on if it needs to be raised or lowered?

Lastly, I have been using RO water and building my water profile based off that. Monday I plan to mail out a sample of my tap water to Wards Lab to get a report. So I send in a sample from my sink? Or should I send in a sample from my water dispenser in my fridge that has a charcoal filter? I assume the sink, since it is faster and easier to refill my water jugs. This way I don't have to keep running out to the store to refill my water jugs and save me the headache of always running out and dealing with the crowds (especially this time of year).

Thank you all in advance! I really hope by doing this I can step up my brews to the next level.

 

[crane]

If you are using the bru'n water spreadsheet then you are on right track. You don't really want to be adjusting the pH after you mash in. The idea is to use the spreadsheet to calculate your water additions before brewing and only use the pH meter to verify that you did indeed hit your desired number.

You want to take the pH reading at room temperature so you need to cool it down. I take a shot glass and dip it into the mash tun to fill it half full then put it in the freezer for a few minutes to cool down. With that small amount of liquid it cools down quickly.

As for when to take a reading I usually do it 15 to 30 minutes into the mash. You want to wait a bit for the water to absorb all the minerals, enzymes, etc from the grain which needs to happen before the pH stabilizes.

I fly sparge so I will occasionally take another reading at the end of the sparge to make sure the pH of the final runnings stayed below 6. If it goes above that you risk extracting tannins from the grain. Again this is to verify and not to make adjustments.

I use RO water and build up my water profile from Calcium chloride, gypsum, Epsom salt and lactic or Phosphoric acid. Which ones I use and how much depends on my grain bill and the desired water profile. Since I started doing this I have found that I am hitting my ph numbers dead on and my final runnings are always below 6.

If you don't make sour beers then that's really all you need a pH meter for. When kettle souring I will use lactic acid to drop the pH to 4.5 in the boil kettle prior to pitching the lacto to prevent other bacteria from growing during the souring process. This is the only time that I need to measure, adjust, measure again and repeat if I didn't drop it far enough.

Campden tablets are used to remove chlorine from your water, not for salt additions. If you are using RO water then you don't need them. If you are using tap water from a municipal source then you absolutely need to remove the chlorine. You can use a carbon filter or Campden tablets. Carbon filters require a slow flow to facilitate enough contact time with the water to actually remove the chlorine/chloramine.

 

[pshankstar]

Thanks for the info Crane. This leads me to some additional questions. If I am using the charcoal filter, do people still use Campden tablets since the charcoal filters can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, plus they degrade over time?

What happens if I take a PH reading and I am way off from Bru'n Water's spreadsheet? Assuming the PH tester is calibrated and confirmed to be accurate? Is it ok to add small mineral additions to the mash or just before the boil if needed? If so, what are the small increments one typically uses to raise or lower the PH level (grams, ml, etc...)? I figure this may happen occasionally to newbies, right?

Thanks again for the info! I hope to take this knowledge and do a "Black Friday" brew early in the morning before the kids are up. Well do the mashing the night before and let the bag drain into the kettle while I sleep.

 

[GotPushrods]

s it ok to add small mineral additions to the mash or just before the boil if needed? If so, what are the small increments one typically uses to raise or lower the PH level (grams, ml, etc...)? I figure this may happen occasionally to newbies, right?

I think it's important to understand that while some mineral additions (anything with Ca, Mg, or a source of alkalinity, bicarbonate or not) will affect pH, that is not their purpose. In some cases you may be adding exorbitant amounts to lower pH with potentially larger flavor implications than letting 'high' pH ride out. Get your Ca/Cl/SO4 where you want... THEN look at pH. Add acid with the anion in mind, or alkalinity with the cation in mind.

This may not have been exactly what you were asking but I do see this a lot. And if you do choose to chase pH during the mash, don't dump in gypsum until you hit a target. Use acid, and incrementally in amounts smaller than what you think you might need. Ultimately taking notes for next time!

 

[crane]

I've never used campden tablets other than for making wine. I've always used a filter to remove chlorine or chloramine. The manufacturer of the filter should list a flow rate to stay under to effectively remove the chlorine. Additionally they should list a life time (total gallons filtered before replacing). If you stay within these then you shouldn't have to worry.

As far as adjusting the mash pH after mashing in, I would only add Phosphoric or lactic acid to lower the pH. I was doing this before I started using the bru'n water spreadsheet and was not very successful.

 

[pshankstar]

If you are using the bru'n water spreadsheet then you are on right track. You don't really want to be adjusting the pH after you mash in. The idea is to use the spreadsheet to calculate your water additions before brewing and only use the pH meter to verify that you did indeed hit your desired number.

You want to take the pH reading at room temperature so you need to cool it down. I take a shot glass and dip it into the mash tun to fill it half full then put it in the freezer for a few minutes to cool down. With that small amount of liquid it cools down quickly.

As for when to take a reading I usually do it 15 to 30 minutes into the mash. You want to wait a bit for the water to absorb all the minerals, enzymes, etc from the grain which needs to happen before the pH stabilizes.

Crane thanks for the input. Bru'n water profile I configured said my ph should be at 5.2. I took my ph reading and it came in at 5.2!!!

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