[Hokerer]

If I get lucky my mash with colorpHast at room temp reads 5.3.
Normally it reads 5.0

So, if I understand all this discussion, the strip reading 5.3 at room temp (means 5.0 at mash temp) is lower than you would want.  Have you ever experimented with adding chalk or baking soda (both of which I think would raise the ph) to get your reading into the 5.4 to 5.6 range at room temp?

[blatz]

If I get lucky my mash with colorpHast at room temp reads 5.3.
Normally it reads 5.0

So, if I understand all this discussion, the strip reading 5.3 at room temp (means 5.0 at mash temp) is lower than you would want.  Have you ever experimented with adding chalk or baking soda (both of which I think would raise the ph) to get your reading into the 5.4 to 5.6 range at room temp?

nope - what's being said is that the strips read the same at room and mash temp (no difference) and read 0.3 low, so the 5.3 likely is 5.6.

[tygo]

I'm going to take my cheap Milwaukee ph600 for a test run this weekend on a stout.  I think I'll make some light mineral additions to the mash right off the bat, 2g CaCl and 2g chalk, based on my home water profile and then see what the pH looks like.  I'll just shoot for the 5.5 room temperature reading and see where I end up.  If I need to raise the pH more I'm going to add equal proportions of both the salts in 2g increments until I get there.

[Hokerer]

Nope - what's being said is that the strips read the same at room and mash temp (no difference) and read 0.3 low, so the 5.3 likely is 5.6.

Dang, forgot the 0.3 low.  How's this?  The reading on the test strip, whether tested at room temp or mash temp, will correspond to the "mash temp ph" which should be targeted to be between 5.1 and 5.4.

Then his 5.3 is a good reading.

[Thirsty_Monk]

If I get lucky my mash with colorpHast at room temp reads 5.3.
Normally it reads 5.0

So, if I understand all this discussion, the strip reading 5.3 at room temp (means 5.0 at mash temp) is lower than you would want.  Have you ever experimented with adding chalk or baking soda (both of which I think would raise the ph) to get your reading into the 5.4 to 5.6 range at room temp?

Yes I am playing with salts.
I think I get good conversion (about 80% brewhouse eff).
I am still little bit confused what all that means.
I have been measuring pH for about of 1/2 year.