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Author Topic: I'm confused  (Read 1466 times)

Offline factory

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I'm confused
« on: December 28, 2015, 08:28:18 am »
Nothing new here....

Everytime I read about taking a mash pH reading I get more confused.  If I measure my mash pH at room temperature, and it is say, 5.2, that means the mash pH is actually 5.5ish?  So if I am targeting a mash pH of 5.2, the room temp reading should be 4.9, yes?

Using Bru'n water, are predicted mash readings of 5.2 to mean room temp, which would actually mean the mash pH is predicted to be 5.5, correct?

Offline Stevie

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Re: I'm confused
« Reply #1 on: December 28, 2015, 08:33:19 am »
You are targeting a ph at room temp, not mash temp. I don't know for certain, but I believe the standard of ph at room temp is in effort to have a standard.

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: I'm confused
« Reply #2 on: December 28, 2015, 08:33:58 am »
Avoid the confusion by not worrying about what the mash pH is at mash temp. All the literature, spreadsheets, calculators, are set up for room temp readings. It's an arbitrary choice to do so because it is useful to remove a layer of confusion. This is the point of standards.
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Offline factory

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Re: I'm confused
« Reply #3 on: December 28, 2015, 08:39:27 am »
Avoid the confusion by not worrying about what the mash pH is at mash temp. All the literature, spreadsheets, calculators, are set up for room temp readings. It's an arbitrary choice to do so because it is useful to remove a layer of confusion. This is the point of standards.

That is good news.  I thought that I had been doing it wrong all this time.

Offline PORTERHAUS

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Re: I'm confused
« Reply #4 on: December 28, 2015, 10:53:56 am »
If I measure my mash pH at room temperature, and it is say, 5.2, that means the mash pH is actually 5.5ish?  So if I am targeting a mash pH of 5.2, the room temp reading should be 4.9, yes?

Using Bru'n water, are predicted mash readings of 5.2 to mean room temp, which would actually mean the mash pH is predicted to be 5.5, correct?

I used to be confused by this as well. I was going about it all wrong for longer than I care to admit by factoring in that .3 difference for the cooled room temp sample. Don't do what I did, when Brun' Water or any other texts or reference indicate a mash ph range of say 5.2-5.6 think about it as exactly that. All the testing that has been done to indicate those ranges where standardized at room temperature. Yes, the actual mash ph at mash temps will be different, but that's not what was measured. The room temp ph sample is what it's all about. 

When Bru'n Water gives an estimate of 5.2...that estimate is 5.2 at room temp and that is what you want your meter to read. Now that I read back through articles and info on Bru'n Water Knowlege page I see it clear as day and fully understand it. It really sucks I was going about it all wrong for so long, I'm sure my beers suffered some. I have only brewed 1 batch since understanding I was doing this all wrong so I'm looking forward to my beers from this point on.

P.S...it's just not mash temps but any brewing related ph for that matter. Boil ph, sparge ph, finished beer ph...all referenced at room temp.
« Last Edit: December 28, 2015, 10:58:22 am by PORTERHAUS »

Offline brewinhard

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Re: I'm confused
« Reply #5 on: December 28, 2015, 01:03:00 pm »
I gave up trying to figure this one out too.  Just measure all pH measurements at room temps and call it good.