• Welcome to the new forum! We upgraded our forum software with a host of new boards, capabilities and features. It is also more secure.
    Jump in and join the conversation! You can learn more about the upgrade and new features here.

final PH?

Russell

Brewer
Joined
Jul 19, 2014
Messages
33
Reaction score
1
I just bought a PH meter and calibrated it to where I think it is good. Now that I have one I found that my PH is high. I used some Gypsum about 10minutes in the mash. The reading at the mash was 5.7 and the final reading in the Carboy was 5.9.
I am doing a Munich Helles using Urquell lager 2001 on a yeast starter with a stir plate.
What is this going to do to my beer? and can I adjust it in the carboy?
 
Some people adjust in the carboy only to make a change in the flavor expression (malty vs hoppy), not for pH.  The only place that the pH means anything meaningful in brewing is during the mash step.  You should target the mash pH to between 5.2 and 5.8 to optimize the activity of the enzymes.  The pH should drop .1 or .2 units from mash in to boil kettle.  After that hops and other additives to the boil will affect the pH of the wort.

Mash pH over 6.0 produces a wort environment which promotes the extraction of husk tannins at higher temperatures (over 170 F).
 
Oginme said:
Some people adjust in the carboy only to make a change in the flavor expression (malty vs hoppy), not for pH.  The only place that the pH means anything meaningful in brewing is during the mash step.  You should target the mash pH to between 5.2 and 5.8 to optimize the activity of the enzymes.  The pH should drop .1 or .2 units from mash in to boil kettle.  After that hops and other additives to the boil will affect the pH of the wort.

Mash pH over 6.0 produces a wort environment which promotes the extraction of husk tannins at higher temperatures (over 170 F).

Except for sour beers.  :)

Mark
 
John Palmer spoke to our club last week, and brought up some points about pH and the ratios such as Cl:SO making some recipes 'pop' more than others. 

But, if you hit the correct pH in the mash, then the proper pH somewhat cascades where you want from there.  So the mash is critical as the starting point.
 
Back
Top