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Author Topic: Mash pH at room temp or mash temp?  (Read 10669 times)

Offline ne-brewer

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  • Aurora, NE
Mash pH at room temp or mash temp?
« on: December 13, 2009, 07:39:18 pm »
My notes show that I should have a mash pH between 5.1 and 5.5 at mash temp.

But, due to using a pH meter that is ATC (automatic temp correcting) that I need to subtract .3 from my readings to get to the mash temp readings. So a reading of 5.7 on my meter would be 5.4 at mash temp.

Is this correct?  ???

I don't remember where I got those notes. 

What should my mash pH reading (range) be on my ATC meter? 

Thanks
Roger
-------------------------------
Keg#1: Honey Blonde
Keg#2: Jamil's Mild (dark)
Keg#3: Jamil's Nut Brown
Keg#4: Hefeweizen
Keg#5: Amber-Simple-Malty
Keg#6: empty
Fermenting: Moose Drool
Next: Dunkelweizen?

Offline Kaiser

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Re: Mash pH at room temp or mash temp?
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2009, 09:44:08 am »
This is a favorite topic of mine since it is quite confusing and there are many different opinions. This article has some detail: http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=An_Overview_of_pH#pH_meters

In short:
- don’t test at mash temp since this shortens the life of your pH meter probe
- the room temp to mash temp pH shift is more like 0.2 than 0.35
- Mash pH optima are generally reported as room temp pH values and by comparing them to room temp measurements you remove the ambiguity.
- A correct room temp mash target range is 5.3 – 5.6 with the boundaries being quite fuzzy. I.e  5.2 and 5.7 should work too.
- Don’t worry what the actual mash temp pH values are.

Kai



Offline ne-brewer

  • 1st Kit
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  • Posts: 19
  • Aurora, NE
Re: Mash pH at room temp or mash temp?
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2009, 03:14:37 pm »
This is a favorite topic of mine since it is quite confusing and there are many different opinions. This article has some detail: http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php?title=An_Overview_of_pH#pH_meters

In short:
- don’t test at mash temp since this shortens the life of your pH meter probe
- the room temp to mash temp pH shift is more like 0.2 than 0.35
- Mash pH optima are generally reported as room temp pH values and by comparing them to room temp measurements you remove the ambiguity.
- A correct room temp mash target range is 5.3 – 5.6 with the boundaries being quite fuzzy. I.e  5.2 and 5.7 should work too.
- Don’t worry what the actual mash temp pH values are.

Kai

That is exactly what I was looking for.
I always take a few drops from the mash and test it and have been subtaracting .3 to get to the mash temp guidelines but wasn't sure if that was correct.

Thanks again Kai !!
Roger
-------------------------------
Keg#1: Honey Blonde
Keg#2: Jamil's Mild (dark)
Keg#3: Jamil's Nut Brown
Keg#4: Hefeweizen
Keg#5: Amber-Simple-Malty
Keg#6: empty
Fermenting: Moose Drool
Next: Dunkelweizen?