Lawrence Brewers Guild

So what is everyone using? I know some people use the 5.2 stuff, any comments on its effectiveness? Anybody prefer lactic or phosphoric acid? How much to use? Let's hear it folks.

5.2 seems to be effective. I use a Tablespoon/5 gallon on my stouts/porter, a little less on a lighter color and none on a Pils.

Haven't done a pH test in a long time but it seems to work out.

Pils and Golden Strong Ale are a pretty light straw color just with Lawrence water.

Lee,

I have some if you would like to try it before buying a batch.

Sounds like the simplest solution, I may have to take you up on a spoonful or two, I'll let you know. My main concerns are for my pale belgians and future plans for pilsners. If those two beers don't require a buffer with local water then maybe I can skip it all together?

I don't use 5.2 on the light beers, just the dark beers. I just let the light beers free range.

I have lactic acid if you would like to mess with it also.

klickcue wrote:I don't use 5.2 on the light beers, just the dark beers. I just let the light beers free range.

Shouldn't be the other way around? The darker grains should and does here at my house lower the PH into range without 5.2.

Blktre wrote:

klickcue wrote:I don't use 5.2 on the light beers, just the dark beers. I just let the light beers free range.

Shouldn't be the other way around? The darker grains should and does here at my house lower the PH into range without 5.2.

This is what I thought as well. Just concerned about my pales and I'd like to do some pilsners in the near future. These beers are almost 100% pils malt and I'm concerned about too high mash pH. I've read of several belgian brewers that use lactic acid to adjust mash pH, but I've read that it can be unstable at higher temps. Sounds like the 5.2 is the easiest route at this point.

meisel wrote:

Blktre wrote:

klickcue wrote:I don't use 5.2 on the light beers, just the dark beers. I just let the light beers free range.

Shouldn't be the other way around? The darker grains should and does here at my house lower the PH into range without 5.2.

This is what I thought as well. Just concerned about my pales and I'd like to do some pilsners in the near future. These beers are almost 100% pils malt and I'm concerned about too high mash pH. I've read of several belgian brewers that use lactic acid to adjust mash pH, but I've read that it can be unstable at higher temps. Sounds like the 5.2 is the easiest route at this point.

I haven't checked a mash PH using Clinton water since last summer. I check every now and again to keep myself honest. With that said, Porters, Stouts, Schwartzies, etc. using dark grains i do not treat at all. All other beers get a dose of 5.2.

I feel lucky that our water is very good here and the 5.2 puts the mash in range. I'm not a huge water style profile guy like some others in the club (Ive done it before and decided it wasn't for me and it wasn't worth the trouble and vs the ease of the 5.2 with negligible differences) but i do care about mash PH and adjust it accordingly. If you prefer to build your water, Jensen is the guy to talk to since they build water for every brew.

Hopefully Chris or others that use Lawrence water (key factor here) can add something useful.

Blktre wrote:
I haven't checked a mash PH using Clinton water since last summer. I check every now and again to keep myself honest. With that said, Porters, Stouts, Schwartzies, etc. using dark grains i do not treat at all. All other beers get a dose of 5.2.

I feel lucky that our water is very good here and the 5.2 puts the mash in range. I'm not a huge water style profile guy like some others in the club (Ive done it before and decided it wasn't for me and it wasn't worth the trouble and vs the ease of the 5.2 with negligible differences) but i do care about mash PH and adjust it accordingly. If you prefer to build your water, Jensen is the guy to talk to since they build water for every brew.

Hopefully Chris or others that use Lawrence water (key factor here) can add something useful.

Thanks for the input Andy. I don't think I'm ready to start building water cause I'm with you on this one, we are lucky to have good water to brew with here in Kansas. I filter and hit it with a campden tab, have had great results without any other adjustments. The mash pH thing has me interested lately because I've never monitored it, never adjusted, but it seems easy enough to give the 5.2 a shot. I'll be adding some to my NB order. Thanks again for the input guys!

Yep, I got the 5.2 treatment backwards I had a 50 percent chance of getting it wrong!

I grind my pils grain and put the 5.2 on top of the grain so that I don't forget. With the pH strips, the mash will buffer to 5.2. The 5.2 is easier than lactic acid for me.

For the campden tablet, I split it in two with a pair of wire cutters. Half goes into the strike water while it is warming up and the other half will go into the sparge water while it is warming up. Never tried the water without the campden tablet so it is just cheap insurance for me.

Tried to take a picture of one of the 100 percent pilsener beer but couldn't get the lighting right. It is truly a very light yellow and clear enough to see finger prints on the other side of the glass.