Checking mash Ph

[bert7cosby]

Hi, I have been getting my head around water additions since receiving my local water report. I have ordered some mash ph strips with the intention of checking my mash ph.
When should you check the mash ?? At the beginning, middle or end ?
Also if you find that the mash is to high is it to late at this point to make additions or crs to correct it?
Thanks

[BrannigansLove]

I don't bother measuring pH, I request fresh figures from Severn Trent every 3-6 months, and put my faith in Bru'n Water. Unless your supply fluctuates wildly (mine doesn't), I don't think there is any great benefit in wasting money on pH strips, as IMO they are not terribly accurate.

[f00b4r]

I don't bother measuring pH, I request fresh figures from Severn Trent every 3-6 months, and put my faith in Bru'n Water. Unless your supply fluctuates wildly (mine doesn't), I don't think there is any great benefit in wasting money on pH strips, as IMO they are not terribly accurate.

My alkalinity can double/halve depending on how much rain there has been so I would always check this.

[Eric]

Some strips are useless in a coloured wort. The plastic ones I previously used were very good but seem hard to find and those I have make a meter possibly as economical, so choose carefully.
The object is to get pH quickly into the acceptable range, so an early reading is what you want. That said, I've not full confidence in my early readings having found cooled samples have a rising pH which makes me wonder if I've been quick enough to get an accurate reading. The consequence is that I'm now taking measurements at several stages to investigate the influence of different levels of calcium salts during the mash.
You can drop mash pH, but maybe only slightly, by adding calcium salts and recycling wort. pH will normally rise when sparging, but adding acid to reduce alkalinity in the sparge liquor or adding more calcium can minimise this.
I'd never be keen to add acid directly to the mash for fear of its effect on the grist.

[Aleman]

Hi, I have been getting my head around water additions since receiving my local water report. I have ordered some mash ph strips with the intention of checking my mash ph.

Strips are a waste of time, A good meter (Cracking meter for the price - Around £35) is the Voltcraft pH100 from Rapid Online, well worth the money.

When should you check the mash ?? At the beginning, middle or end ?

I check between 10 and 15 minutes from the start of the mash

Also if you find that the mash is to high is it to late at this point to make additions or crs to correct it?

If you get your alkalinity right, the mash pH will be in the correct range (5.3 to 5.8, ideally paler beers 53. to 5.5, darker beers 5.5 to 5. it might be outside of the 'ideal' figures but all you need to do is remember for the next time you brew a similar grist and reduce or increase the alkalinity. Adding acid or chalk is a waste of time, you will end up chasing your tail, too high, too low, mixing it in is a PITA.

Just measure the alkalinity, get it correct to start, and the pH will be good enough for great beer. if you want exceptional beer then take notes and work out the trends.

[Goulders]

The cheap yellow pH meters are fine. I always calibrate with buffer solution

[BrannigansLove]

I don't bother measuring pH, I request fresh figures from Severn Trent every 3-6 months, and put my faith in Bru'n Water. Unless your supply fluctuates wildly (mine doesn't), I don't think there is any great benefit in wasting money on pH strips, as IMO they are not terribly accurate.

My alkalinity can double/halve depending on how much rain there has been so I would always check this.

Do you use Salifert kits to test alkalinity? Once you have your alkalinity level, how would you plug that into something like Bru'n Water?

[Aleman]

Do you use Salifert kits to test alkalinity? Once you have your alkalinity level, how would you plug that into something like Bru'n Water?

I wouldn't

In the past I have done a series of test mashes with 'standard' grists and different alkalinities, the results from these allow me to gauge what the mash pH of any given grist will be, given the alkalinity level, if I deem it's not where I want it to be I adjust the alkalinity and calcium levels. I have my own spreadsheet to tell me how much of what acids I need to add to give me my desired alkalinity. I don't need Bru'nwater to guess what my mash pH is going to be, if I lived where the water was more stable then I might be more tempted to invest in it, but I don't like fighting against it's recommendations.

[BrannigansLove]

Bru'n Water is a free download, there is a pay what you like version that has additional features, but the basic one doesn't cost anything. I've found it very helpful in understanding how water composition affects the resultant beer