How much does your Mash PH impact your Original Gravity when brewing beer? 

Thanks for the interesting experiment. The outcome is what I would have expected. From what I have heard and read (probably Palmer), extract efficiency is favoured by PH of 5.6, we go for a lower PH of 5.2 because it has benefits for hot break(or cold, don't remember), hop extraction and final beer flavour, even if it is ever so slightly worse for efficiency.

Very interesting test! Thank you for sharing!

Not boring to me. Very informative!

Thanks for doing the work!! I found the vid informative. Idea: next time maybe do 4.4, 5.4, 6.4 ph. ,,?

I enjoyed watching the video, it was very good. The pH of malt is listed on the malt spec sheet that comes with malt, there's really no need to test malt. The data listed on a malt spec sheet came from the tests performed by the IOB, EBC and the MABC. Extract efficiency, saccharification time and gravity are listed on a malt spec sheet, which are good to know. The pH of ale malt is lower than the pH of lager malt. Crystal, Cara, and black malt reduce mash pH. With straight RO water at 7.2 pH, at one quart water to one pound of malt, and Weyermann floor malt, mash pH stabilizes at 5.7, 5.8. During the acid rest mash is rested at 95F until mash pH reduces. Mash pH is important in the decoction method because when mash is boiled tannin extraction occurs when mash pH is high. Mash pH affects gravity from the aspect that when mash pH is optimum for the activated enzyme, the enzyme works at its optimum efficiency based on the rest temperature. A thick mash and low temperature preserves Alpha. Alpha is responsible for OG, the enzyme releases from simple starch, amylose, sweet tasting, nonfermenting, types of sugar and simple sugar, glucose, which is responsible for primary fermentation and ABV. At 150F, Alpha releases the highest volume of glucose as possible from amylose within an hour. The more glucose, the more alcohol. So, when temperatures are 150F and above, mash pH should be optimum for Alpha. When a conversion rest is used mash pH should be optimum for Beta. Mash pH should be kept low during sparge to stop tannin extraction from occurring. When mash is rested at 140F conversion occurs, which increases alcohol content but the beer overly dries and thins during conditioning.

Excellent, thanks.

.2 points at pH7 doesn't mean .2pH at pH5. its a log scale

Single data point, but falls into the same data set I have established for my process. As long as your pH is within expected bounds (4.95 to 5.65 in my system) the expected gravity is pretty flat and I always end up within a point, sometimes 2, of my expected gravity. Once you get outside that range on the high side it falls off pretty fast.

Another great video. I’m just delving into water chemistry and at this a point have been using pH strips to check mash pH. I usually take a reading about 15 minutes in. Do you recommend doing sooner? And is it ok to add acid at that time of pH needs to be lowered?

I tried my first Brewferm kit this year after receiving a Triple Terror kit from my wife for Christmas. We watched your videos, followed the instructions, made sure everything was sanitized and the gravity meter wouldn't drop below red. Actually red was floating above the red and it needed to drop to 2. We used 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 regular white granulated sugar. It was supposed to be ready in 7-10 days to bottle, but wasn't, so we checked it again in 21 days, still no change, then we just checked it tonight after 5 weeks and it didn't change. I decided it was a fail and dumped the entire wart into the sink. Temps were a consistent 68 degrees, do you have any idea what went wrong? When looking at the "beer" in a glass, it looked hazy, like sugary. We weighed the sugar and ensured the proper amount was added with the right amounts of bottled water. No mold or infection, smelled like beer, but according to the instructions, we shouldn't bottle it until it reaches 2 on the gravity meter. Thanks and I'm totally bummed right now. First try was an epic fail. 😞

Beyond OG, I thought a significant benefit of working in the 5.2-5.6 range was to minimise tannin extraction during sparge?

what if the untreated wather got 20min extra mashtime and not the otherway around, could time help ppl whom arent using wather cemestry?

I think I may have finally ruined my first batch of beer! I made a cream ale that I was going to fruit in secondary. During the mash I added 2 ml of lactic acid stirred and waited a few minutes then checked the PH again, didn't seem to help so I then added 2 more ml. Again the PH was solid at around 6.2. I thought I would add 1 more ml and then the PH went down to 5.3 which I thought was a good number. After the boil I put the wurt into my fermzilla, pitched my yeast and pressurized to 15lb. After a week primary fermentation was done so I tossed in 3lb of smashed up strawberries (previously frozen whole). I left them in the fermenter for 3 days and then pulled them. I allowed the beer another day to clear up again from the fruit. I then made a really amateur move. I pulled my empty keg from inside my keezer and did a closed transfer of the beer from room temperature into a cold keg. SHM it took a while and it was foaming like crazy. I put the filled keg into the keezer and allowed it to get cold. I went for a taste test and found that the beer is really thin. I mean really thin. Kind of like a white claw, it appears to be VERY VERY crisp and too much for my liking. I think the acidity of the fruit made the beer even more acidic. I am wondering if you have any tricks that may fix this, if not I am going to attempt to drink it but it's not quite pleasant to drink, not because it is bad but just not my thing. A cream ale is supposed to have a full mouth feel and creamy but this is a very very light mouth feel like drinking sparkling stuff! this was my first attempt at a pressure fermentation and I am wondering if maybe putting the room temp beer (around 68 degrees) into the cold keg causing all the foaming could have caused my issues or if the 5ml of 88% lactic acid could have been the culprit. Either way the beer was under carbonated after all the foaming so I tossed it on 30psi for a day or two to get it back up to the proper carbonation.

Sorry I’m a little late to this party. Interesting experiment. Do you have any experience with a product called Five Star 5.2 ph stabilizer? I’ve always shied away from water chemistry and just use filtered water. I’ve had an “it is what it is” attitude about it, but now I think I should at least get the PH right. This product seems very simple…just throw it in and it gets you to the correct PH (maybe?). Also, do different styles of beer require a different mash PH? (Ex. IPA vs Stout).