Mash pH adjustment calculator

[GF Brews]

Hi. Don't think this feature exists yet on Brewer'sFriend, but one I use regularly on brew day. Input variables would be measured pH, target mash pH, amount of grain, volume of mash and sparge water, type of acid used for adjustment (e.g. lactic or phosphoric) and its concentration.Output would be amount of acid to add to achieve target pH.

 

[Yooper]

Yes, we have that in the advanced water calculator. You add the desired mash pH and click the acid you wish to use and it will calculate it for you.

 

[GF Brews]

Thanks, probably skimmed over the acid section when making my water chemistry adjustments for recipe planning. But I don't think this addresses the on-the-fly adjustments I'd make during the brew day based on actual pH readings. I typically don't add acid proactively to the mash, and as a gluten free brewer I don't have access to acidulated malt to include in a grain bill.

Playing around with the advanced water chemistry calculator, I'm still not quite clear what the minimum variables are that I need to enter to get the amount of acid I need to add to bring pH down to my target. There's a pretty simple (but in my experience accurate) calculator in Beersmith that is my point of reference.

 

[GFHomebrew]

Thanks, probably skimmed over the acid section when making my water chemistry adjustments for recipe planning. But I don't think this addresses the on-the-fly adjustments I'd make during the brew day based on actual pH readings. I typically don't add acid proactively to the mash, and as a gluten free brewer I don't have access to acidulated malt to include in a grain bill.

Playing around with the advanced water chemistry calculator, I'm still not quite clear what the minimum variables are that I need to enter to get the amount of acid I need to add to bring pH down to my target. There's a pretty simple (but in my experience accurate) calculator in Beersmith that is my point of reference.

The screenshot Yooper linked has it there plug in your desired PH eg 5.4 ph list your acid type eg Acidulated Malt and it should give you a percentage or weight.
Using Lactic acid or phosphoric acid is the way to go if you want to adjust your PH once mashed in.

 

[Nosybear]

The screenshot Yooper linked has it there plug in your desired PH eg 5.4 ph list your acid type eg Acidulated Malt and it should give you a percentage or weight.
Using Lactic acid or phosphoric acid is the way to go if you want to adjust your PH once mashed in.

I think what he's asking is a calculator to adjust once the mash has started. Say you wound up with a mash pH of 5.6 and you wanted 5.3, how much acid to add.

 

[GF Brews]

I think what he's asking is a calculator to adjust once the mash has started. Say you wound up with a mash pH of 5.6 and you wanted 5.3, how much acid to add.

Yes, thanks. That's what I'm looking for -- an adjustment after mashing has begun, not an adjustment to a calculated value in a recipe.

I can now see how the advanced water chemistry calculator can sort of get the output I'm looking for, but it's way more convoluted than what I'm trying to describe (perhaps not well?). Looks like minimum entry variables in the adv water calculator are water volume, acid additions, and grist info (malt bill). That checks out, but here are the obstacles:
- you have to scroll through a lot of screen real estate to enter those basic variables needed for a pH adjustment
- I still don't see any way to update the measured pH of the mash that you're trying to adjust (the mash pH in the report section is still a calculated value based on the other variables). Am I missing a way of entering the measured pH or do you have to adjust the grain bill or source water details to approximate the measurement?

Why not have a simple calculator with the relevant fields
Inputs:
- Mash water volume
- Total grain weight
- Bicarbonate or alkalinity (pH buffer)
- Measured mash pH
- Target mash pH
- Type and concentration of acid

Output
- Amount of acid to add

 

[Yooper]

Yes, thanks. That's what I'm looking for -- an adjustment after mashing has begun, not an adjustment to a calculated value in a recipe.

I can now see how the advanced water chemistry calculator can sort of get the output I'm looking for, but it's way more convoluted than what I'm trying to describe (perhaps not well?). Looks like minimum entry variables in the adv water calculator are water volume, acid additions, and grist info (malt bill). That checks out, but here are the obstacles:
- you have to scroll through a lot of screen real estate to enter those basic variables needed for a pH adjustment
- I still don't see any way to update the measured pH of the mash that you're trying to adjust (the mash pH in the report section is still a calculated value based on the other variables). Am I missing a way of entering the measured pH or do you have to adjust the grain bill or source water details to approximate the measurement?

Why not have a simple calculator with the relevant fields
Inputs:
- Mash water volume
- Total grain weight
- Bicarbonate or alkalinity (pH buffer)
- Measured mash pH
- Target mash pH
- Type and concentration of acid

Output
- Amount of acid to add

We have the simple calculator, and the advanced. I’m not sure how to add additional acid on the fly without bugging up the whole works but I’m definitely open to suggestions!

For now, I’d just suggest a workaround (start at 5.6 and reduce to 5.2 for example), but remember that any additions after about 15 minutes into the mash aren’t really going to work well anyway.