Acidulated Malt advice please

[Nosybear]

Do you get weird looks from the pharmacist when you get a bunch of little syringes too?

Nope, I have grandkids in the house. Lots of them work their way into the house for free! And if I happen to run out, I just go and explain to the pharmacist why I need them and walk out with a handfull.

 

[Hawkbox]

Ah, I got very weird looks the first couple times.

 

[GFHomebrew]

I picked mine up from the chemist as well I find the little rubber spacer can get stuck a bit which can make measuring the Mls a bit glitchy. I recon the acid must eat away at the rubber? I use it for measuring phosphoric Acid to.

 

[Mark D Pirate]

I got loads of syringes and sample tubes from a friends wife who works in a hospital .
I have got strange looks while looking for specific lacto strains in pro biotics but ended up finding the right strain in a women's health for ummm fungal infections

 

[Mark D Pirate]

Back to OP question though , I do use acidulated malt to help correct mash pH although sparingly (>2% of grist )
With more delicate beers like pils or helles id be using phosphoric acid since it has a higher taste threshold .

What water are you starting with ?
What are you brewing ?

 

[Nosybear]

I got loads of syringes and sample tubes from a friends wife who works in a hospital .
I have got strange looks while looking for specific lacto strains in pro biotics but ended up finding the right strain in a women's health for ummm fungal infections

Try cheese cultures....

 

[Nosybear]

Back to OP question though , I do use acidulated malt to help correct mash pH although sparingly (>2% of grist )
With more delicate beers like pils or helles id be using phosphoric acid since it has a higher taste threshold .

What water are you starting with ?
What are you brewing ?

I'm largely using our tap water, which is very good, dechlorinated as a starting point. Using acidulated malt or lactic acid gives the same result, with lactic acid being a bit more predictable. Both reduce the alkalinity of the mash. For very light beers I shoot for the low end of the mash pH scale, 5.2. The bit of tartness seems to make them more lively, more refreshing to drink. Lactic is more true to form - sauermalz or acidulated malt is malt sprayed with lactic acid. Which acid you use doesn't really matter since you're not using much: 4 ml in 10 gallons of water for lactic acid. As mentioned above, water becomes difficult quickly. Ultimately, as far as alkalinity goes, it's your mash pH that matters.

 

[dankbrewing@gmail.com]

You can use acid malt, usually .5 lb to 1 lb in most recipes (9-18 lbs of total grain bill). However, if you ever invest in a good pH meter, I bet you will find that most water/grain combos drop into the acceptable range without acid malt. You are trying to get the mash under 5.5.

 

[dankbrewing@gmail.com]

Generally you want less than 4% of your grain bill as acid malt. The water calculator on this site works well for water adjustments.