[mainebrewer]

I can't get Weyermann's around here.
Anyone have experience with either:
Gambrinus or Franco Belges Pils malt?

[brewinhard]

I bet if you took a later pH reading from the mash (say closer to the end of your rest) that it probably crept up closer to 5.2. I have been noticing that with my mash pH's. Sometimes you just can't sweat it if your close enough, although I fully understand the need and desire to nail those numbers.

Cheers,

From one anal brewer to another.

[Invertalon]

Hey everyone! Just wanted to update my findings on my water pH issue…

So I brewed a cream ale following the pilsner I posted this about…  It, too, came up with a pH .15 lower than expected (about 5.15) with target of 5.3… Same exact spread. I double checked to make sure everything was filled out properly in Bru’n Water and it was.  Again, these two times have been the only time I have ever been off out of 20+ brews or so.

I did not use the same pilsner malt… The grist was comprised of Briess 2-row, Rahr 6-row and flaked corn dominantly with a little caramel and acid malt.  So there goes that theory!

Because it has been off, I decided to send my water to Ward for testing to confirm nothing has changed. I never did send my water out for testing before, instead, developed my Bru’n Water profile from various water analysis I found online around my area and averaged the data. The results came in yesterday and it appears my “estimate” was close, but not exact of course. Here is the report I got in:

pH – 7.6
TDS, ppm – 175
Cations/Anions, me/L – 2.9, 2.9

Sodium (Na) – 12
Potassium (K) – 2
Calcium (Ca) – 32
Magnesium (Mg) – 8
Total Hardness (CaCO3) – 113
Nitrate (NO3-N) – 0.1
Sulfate, (SO4-S) – 9
Chloride (Cl) – 17
Carbonate (CO3) - <1.0
BiCarbonate (HCO3) – 112
Total Alkalinity (CaCO3)  - 93
Total Phosphorus (P) – 0.55
Total Iron (Fe) - <0.01


Once I popped this new info in, my mash pH reduced on my pilsner sheet from 5.3 to 5.18... Practically right where I was per the actual pH reading.

So it appears it was my water after all and not the pils malt... So I am glad I had it checked to solve my issue once and for all. I plan to resend my water in mid-summer (June/July) to see how much it changes summer/winter.

Anyway, thanks for the help and input to troubleshoot this!

[macbrews]

I have had similar issues which I chalked up to my acid malt being stronger than calculated on BW. Don't know if acid malt does vary that much but adjusting it down corrected the problem (which would likely correct it regardless of the cause)


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