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Author Topic: Late mash pH adjustment effects?  (Read 1185 times)

Offline brewinhard

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Late mash pH adjustment effects?
« on: July 20, 2015, 08:29:48 am »
Got my mash rolling for my altbier this morning and according to Brunwater I was targeting a 5.4 mash pH with my salt adjustments and RO water.  I took a mash pH reading about 5-10 minutes into the mash with my just calibrated MW101 meter and was getting a 5.18-5.2 pH.  I added some pickling lime to the mash and was able to bring it up to about 5.41. 

Herein lies my question...my mash sat at the initial reading of 5.18-5.2 for about 30 minutes prior to adjusting it with pickling lime to a 5.4 where it then sat for the remainder of the mash (30 more minutes).

1.  What, if any, issues could arise from this late mash pH change?

2.  Since I seem to be having trouble "nailing" my last 4 brews with regards to mash pH, just how accurate do salt and water measurements have to be?  I use a postal scale for salts that measures to nearest .01 g (I may sometimes be off by .02-.03g at most with a measurement - does that really make a difference?).  And I measure my water fairly accurately (which I could probably look into a bit more closely).  Any suggestions?

Offline dmtaylor

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Re: Late mash pH adjustment effects?
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2015, 09:04:23 am »
Everything will be just fine.  It appears to me you are overthinking this.  If your pH is anywhere from like 5.1 to 5.5, everything will be great.
Dave

The world will become a much more pleasant place to live when each and every one of us realizes that we are all idiots.

Offline homebrewdad7

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Re: Late mash pH adjustment effects?
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2015, 12:04:00 pm »
A late mash adjustment isn't probably going to do much for you in terms of efficiency.  However, you will likely still impact your flavor profile a bit.

Offline brewinhard

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Re: Late mash pH adjustment effects?
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2015, 01:53:16 pm »
The FG came in at 1.051 (just shy of 1 gravity point) so I consider that a win.  The wort tasted great.  Still trying to get better at targeting my mash pH's though.  Practice, practice, practice.... = more beer!!  ;D