[brewinhard]

In light of the latest pH ideas regarding dropping it in kettle vs in the mash, what suggestions does everyone have for a classic munich helles mash pH?  I have seen some shooting for a 5.4-5.5 while others shoot directly for a 5.2.  Any thoughts fellow helles brewers?

[Kit B]

I would point you toward this graph.

[klickitat jim]

Things I consider are
Is my ph in range to get conversion?
Is my ph so high I might extract tannins?
Am I adding enough lactic for it to be detected in the flavor?

Boil ph, so I've read, plays into break, hop extraction and quality. But I think that if I've not seen a problem there, I'm not going to be a hypochondriac about it.

I feel ph is most important in the mash tun and then in the glass. So I can hit 5.5 in the mash tun with minimal acid. Then I can test final ph by meter and taste, and decide what to do about it then.

[brewinhard]

Things I consider are
Is my ph in range to get conversion?
Is my ph so high I might extract tannins?
Am I adding enough lactic for it to be detected in the flavor?

Boil ph, so I've read, plays into break, hop extraction and quality. But I think that if I've not seen a problem there, I'm not going to be a hypochondriac about it.

I feel ph is most important in the mash tun and then in the glass. So I can hit 5.5 in the mash tun with minimal acid. Then I can test final ph by meter and taste, and decide what to do about it then.

Thanks Jim for your insight in words.  I appreciate it and do others with the same questions. I hear what you are saying especially with regards to minimizing acid additions that might be noticeable in the glass.

Cheers-
Brewinhard

[klickitat jim]

On that note, one test is how much lactic before YOU taste it. But as I found, others might be able to detection even lower amounts. Kai has some numbers, can't think what they are right now, but good guidance if you are brewing for super tasters.

[Kit B]

If you are brewing a single-infusion helles with a typical, straight-forward malt bill, a pH of 5.2 will likely give you a bland, lifeless beer.

The less bottled acid you need to use, the better.

[klickitat jim]

Also consider phosphoric in these type beers that have such translucent flavors. Lactic shines through pretty easy, where a faint hint of sulfur (phosphoric) might be more fitting, if needed

My next Helles will have a limit of 3ml lactic (6 gallon batches)

[atodd]

The helles I mashed at 5.5 then added lactic in the kettle to do it to 5.2.  For the reasons listed above.

Sent from my XT1064 using Tapatalk

[beersk]

I shoot for 5.4 for pretty much every beer, sometimes higher for darker beers. My recent bland/lifeless Munich Helles could've been caused from too low of pH because it was all Best Malz and I targeted 5.3 I think. Very well could've been 5.1 or lower for all I know. Need to get a pH meter!

[erockrph]

A thought that I've started kicking around is how much carbonic acid contributes to the pH/acidity balance in the finished beer. For example, would you want a different acid adjustment in a Helles which is softer and has less carbonation than a German Pils? In other words, does the carbonation level make enough of a difference in the acidity of the finished beer where it is worthwhile to plan your acid additions around it?

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[narvin]

Here's a recipe that applies the kettle addition pH adjustment.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Edel_Hell

[brewinhard]

Here's a recipe that applies the kettle addition pH adjustment.

http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=Edel_Hell

Narvin-

Great link...pretty close to the recipe I was planning on using, surprisingly. Good to have a mineral estimation as well which I will fairly closely follow.  Looks like he only dropped the pH to 5.35 or so in the kettle, which is not that low.
I will shoot for a 5.4 in the mash and probably let it ride.  I can't imagine that much of a difference of hop tannins being extracted between 5.35 in the kettle and 5.4, but only trial and error will tell.