[TexasHumuluslupulushead]

I brewed with RO water today for the first time. I wanted to post my results for those thinking of using RO as well.

Grist (IPA)was:
13.5lbs 2row (Briess)
10oz C20 (Briess)
10oz carapils (Briess)

I used 4.6g of mash water and 4 gallons of sparge

I entered my numbers into brewers friend and EZwater calculators and both were +.2 high
Target was 5.35pH
Using 7g gypsom, 4g Calcium chloride, 2.5g epsom salt and 3ml lactic acid Brewers friend estimated 5.36, EZ estimated 5.39

After additions and doughing in. I stirred for 5 min the took a sample and started mash

Once sample came to room temp I, calibrated meter, then tested with Omega pH-7011. Reading stabalized at 5.15pH



Just wanted to share results. Brewing again in 2 weeks with a similar grain bill. Will reduce lactic acid by 1/2

[hopfenundmalz]

What was the 2-row? Rahr?

[TexasHumuluslupulushead]

Briess

[reverseapachemaster]

Can't speak to brewer's friend but I found EZwater was always significantly off.

[TexasHumuluslupulushead]

Can't speak to brewer's friend but I found EZwater was always significantly off.

It appears Brewers friend is the same...

[mchrispen]

I have some comparisons recently and found that for the most part, Bru'n Water (BWS) and Brewer's Friend is fairly close. If you know the DI Mash pH of a given malt - you can use that information in EZWater to get a closer agreement. Look for the distilled water column - you can edit it there. Otherwise, EZWater always seemed to estimate a higher mash pH than Bru'n.

For the most part - it seems that folks are using some generic numbers for malt Lovibond that might need to be adjusted to match reality. Then there are the outliers like Rahr 2-row (which you should set to 5L in BWS) that skew well away from many basemalts.

[HoosierBrew]

For the most part - it seems that folks are using some generic numbers for malt Lovibond that might need to be adjusted to match reality.

You just hit on something I've been meaning to bring up, Matt -  I've posted more than once that software is only as accurate as the accuracy of the info you put in. Except that can be pretty tricky with roasted malts in particular. I just brewed a stout with Muntons roasted barley which on their own site they give a range of 457-619L, and their chocolate malt which they give a range of 363-512L. In terms of trying to hit a target pH, those ranges are almost useless to us! Only through trial and error have I come up with numbers to enter into software that give me the end result I'm after - a smooth roastiness. And that changes maltster to maltster, even batch to batch sometimes. It definitely pays to try to get lovibonds that are as accurate as possible.