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Scaling Down Change pH?

bobo1898

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Decided to make a smaller batch of a beer that I've brewed in the past to go into a 3 gallon keg.

If you scale down or scale up, would your mash pH change? I'm using the same equipment, same ingredients and same water source. With my typical 5.5 gallon batch, my pH is around 5.32 but at this 3 gallon batch, it was 4.92.

Mashing at the same temp for the same amount of time @ 152.

 
When all water and ingredients are simply scaled, the chemistry will act the same, regardless of batch size.

What's more likely is that with the batch size change came rounding errors. Rounding up (or down) to the nearest ounce or half ounce, instead of meticulously measuring to the nearest ten thousandth. Round the grain up a bit and the water down and the ratio can change enough that the swing you described can happen. Add a couple grams more or less water minerals or acid, and the error is compounded.

I predict that the beer will look and taste the same, though. Even though precise measurements can show some errors, usually the broader flavor is still intact.
 
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