Starting PH?

[B_rad1969]

I am brewing a Pilsner. Do you guys adjust your PH any before you add the grain? It's hard to tell with the strips exactly what the PH is due to the color of the water. I'm trying to figure out what my starting mash ph should be. I know that the grain to water ratio will affect PH as will alcalinity. If you guys could give me some examples it would help.

Thanks!

[Mad Scientist]

Desired is 5.1 to 5.5, but a little on either side will be okay.

Your pH adjustments should come before the mash, except if you arre using chalk, which has very low water solubility, and has to be added to the mash.

If you are brewing a pilsner, you should have either: 1. Naturally soft water, or 2. R.O. water from the store.

I have to use #2, My tap water is like 1500 mg/L TDS....

Part of this has to do with the taste of the final product, and the other (main) part is the fact that all those pale malts need the low dissolved minerals (I.E. lack of alkaline HCO3 buffering power) in the soft water to be able to get to the desired mash pH naturally.

The simple method is to go to the store, and get R.O. water...espicially if you already have the carboy to get it in bulk for a machine.

[B_rad1969]

I use tap water. The bottled water I have used but I want to get used to tap water for when I brew LARGE batches.

[Mad Scientist]

Do you have your water report?

[B_rad1969]

Yup here ya go...

Water Quality

Calcium 38.7
Carbonate-bicarbonate 181
Chloride 2
Magnesium 20.4
Nitrate-1
Nitrite -1
Potassium 2.86
Sodium 40.2
Sulfate 10.5
Chloroform 0
Chlorophenols
Copper 1
Iron .1-.2
Lead 0
Manganese .016
Nickel .1
Tin 0
PH 7.6
Total Alkalinity 138

[Mad Scientist]

I hate to tell you this, but you have waaaay to many minerals in your water to even consider adding any minerals to help adjust pH....for a plisner water profile. The mash pH will be a function of your water chemistry and the types of malt that you use. Your water chemistry says to me that it probably tastes pretty good, if a little minerally (I like that though). As far as brewing, your water is pretty much suited to all styles, best for amber and brown ales, and low on sulfates if you are brewing an IPA or something hoppy.

If you want to remove some of these minerals, you can boil the brewing water, and that will remove some of the carbonate, calcium, and magnesium, but it maybe a waste of energy to do this.

If memeory serves the more water you use in the mash, the higher the pH will be. I'd go with about quart per lb and see how you do.

If nothing else, you can just get 5 star 5.2 pH mash stabilizer......

[B_rad1969]

I use the 5 star but it doesn't seem to drop the PH very much. I boil my water for about 45 min. to get rid of some of the carbonate. I'll try to cut some water out. I've been using 1.5qt. per lb. However, won't that affect the flavor? Meaning leaving too much flavor in the grain? Not sure if I'm explaining that right.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by B_rad1969
...I'll try to cut some water out.....However, won't that affect the flavor? Meaning leaving too much flavor in the grain? Not sure if I'm explaining that right.

No, should not affect the flavor any, as you still have to sparge the mash as you run it off into the kettle....

[NzDan]

I would have thought your starting liquor ph to be around 6.1-6.6, when the grain is added this should bring it down roughly one point! am I wrong?

[Mad Scientist]

No, most water pH starts about 7-8. I use a pretty balanced mineral mix for my brewing liquor, I'll test the pH when I brew again in a couple of weeks.