Why pH Is Important In Beer Brewing & How To Measure It

This week, the awesome people at Hanna Instruments let us try out a great pH Meter to help us discuss beer and pH relationships.

We address some questions about pH. Specifically, we've been asked "Why is pH important and when or where would I measure it?"

We talk mostly about mash pH in this video and, as a lab based scientist, Mike discusses the importance of using a pH meter if you really want to accurately manage the pH of your mash. There is no other way without a good meter.

We don't necessarily advocate for measuring pH in places like: pre-boil, post-boil or post-ferment. If you focus on good mash pH, then the rest of the steps should naturally work themselves out. You can always experiment with adding acid in finished beer if you think it needs to be brightened up.

Post your further questions about making pH measurements in the comments section.

And don't forget to check out Hanna Instruments for 10% off any purchase.
Discount Code: Brewdudes10

#phmeter #beerscience #brewdudes

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[moedogger]

If you put shot glasses in the freezer, it will cool the wort/mash to a temp you can check in a few seconds, so that you can make an adjustment much faster.

[kobrewing]

Thanks for the great post guys.

In my area water sources fluctuate during the time of the season and can throw estimates of source water off big time. I do RO water now and can get a really accurate mash pH. A calibrated pH meter is the way to go so you know your source water and whatever program or recipe is actually accurate. Sometimes something in your software or malt bill is not right and you can make the necessary adjustments for next time. I've had major misses in mash from as low as 4.7 to as high as 6.2. Both extremes cause problems and I probably would've been wondering what went wrong with both of those extremes if I had never checked the pH.

While mash pH is the main thing to focus on I still like to do finish too. Different yeast finish different and things like dry hops can change your finish pH. The mash pH can really affect finish pH and make for a perceptible difference. For example NEIPA often target a finish of 4.2-4.6 to bring out fruit flavors. I don't think I could tell a difference of say 4.2 versus 4.5, but I can totally pick up a twang from a 4.0 per say. In stouts dark malts can drop your pH way too low so I like to compensate to make the flavor less acrid with a higher pH, which is noticeable to me.

Besides that having a pH meter is a lot of fun if you're a dork like me. It comes in handy for other things say if you're fermenting hot sauce or simply wondering what you coffee pH is black vs. adding your favorite creamer! The possibilities are endless lol! Cheers

[chrisnewman]

In the recent times of Kveik yeast, perhaps measuring the pH of the final beer is relevant.
The Apartment Brewer did a recent video brewing a Marzen split batch with Diamond lager yeast and Lutra Kveik. The beers were quite similar but the Lutra had a citrus/tart flavour (and a lower final pH). He suggested if he brewed it again, he'd perhaps aim for a higher mash pH in regard to using Kveik to avoid this outcome.

[felipesparks]

Thanks for this video! I just got one off Amazon a couple days ago. So this is timely!

[mmmhsweetlemonade]

I have this exact phMeter and I'm very happy with it. Since my water is very hard (mainly due to bicarbonates) I always use lactic acid. As the amount needed depends on the malts it's a great way to add drops of acid until the wort is in the mentioned range. As far as I understand it, the bicarbonates and the acid form CO2 which evaporates while Ca and Mg salts remain in the wort.

[peterswatton]

Good video Guys. Thanks for information with out a lot flannel.

[JohnL]

Thank you for the informative video, guys. I didn't know BF had two different ways of calculating pH, but either way, this video motivated me to finally just buy a pH meter so I know exactly what I am doing (I'm an analytical chemist too so I should know better). I just ordered a Hanna HI98100 off Amazon, appears to be a cheaper version of what Hanna sent you. It was cheaper to buy it on Amazon than from Hanna strangely.

[irrlicht]

Nobel price to the one that creates a pH meter that doesn't need calibration

[exceldude]

Bru’n Water gets you calculate your ph. I have same ph meter, but hardly use it (except for testing wort for sours) because bru'n water estimates ph

[paulbilodeau]

Great video thank you. So would you say more important to check PH for ending flavor and Chris knows other than conversion give him the way the new grains are being produced?

[Margarinetaylorgrease]

60 minuet mash? I brought a refractometer and found that for full conversion 60 to 75 mins (maybe a bit more as the memory is weak) is needed depending on mash temp. The last few points are the slowest.

[campfiretunes]

As always, great informative video dudes. I do have a quick question if you dont mind. Since starting brewing, pH seems to be the most murky subject. I always hear 5.2 is what you want to strive for. Yet John Palmer says at room temp, you should be in the 5.4~5.6 range. Which is correct? Judging by this video, I guess in your opinion, 5.2~5.6 is fine?

[FermentationAdventures]

Good video! But with a ph meter, it all seems like a crap shoot… the meter description says an accuracy of plus or minus .2. So if the measurement is 5.3, it could really be 5.1 or 5.5? Seems like a big potential range. Unless I’m misunderstanding the accuracy figure.

[gileus]

I have noticed that if you enter all the information correctly into brewfather software. It has always gotten me to within .5 of measured ph. After about 10 brews is when I got this average so I aim for 5.4 ph in software and I'm always golden when I measure it. I use kroger ro water for brewing or a local spring called cave springs in North East GA. The spring water is very soft and I would use it always if it wasn't 40 min away.

[matthewbrown]

BYO magazine....(imported from the US to UK) .... Quote sample (20 degree, s ) should be around 5.60 pH because at wort temperature the MASH PH is supposed to be 0.35 lower true mash Ph is in this 5.25 PH.

Can someone in Pro brewery confirm !!!.?

[gerardnatale]

The water chem calc always wants me to add a few grams of baking soda to my mash water. After I take a mash PH reading I have to add lactic acid to counter act it. Should I just skip adding Baking Soda?

[roydaniel]

On brewing software, they give you a number for HCO3 per beer style. Do you actually need to try and hit that number? How would you hit that number for darker beers with adding a lot of PH raising salts like baking soda?

[timwood]

One area not discussed is the PH of final beer in relation to the shelf life of beer. Food standards generally requires commercial beer final PH to be below 4.6 or else pasteurization or chemical stabilizers need to be added. There is also discussion to achieve this & good fermentation that post boil wort should be below 5.2 & preferably below 5 PH on entering fermenter ??.

[scottbenson]

I sell things to people! C’mon man…. Just kidding. I guess helping to cure cancer is better that that for sure! You guys do a great job in making “scary” things seem much simpler. Once you’re solid in your process and fundamentals, water, ph, and the science side can put your beer over the top. It’s not really hard to do and kind of fun to learn about. Of course nothing wrong with just brewing with regular water either. I think we all did that for years and still do from time to time. Thanks for helping the people that sell things to people become pseudo scientists! Enough of my rambling. Cheers from Uxbridge!!

[Soupy_loopy]

I bought one and used it for the first time couple weeks ago. I think maybe I pulled the sample too soon. Initially it was a little high, then I added about 4 oz of acid, this was a 10 gallon batch, the second reading was almost too low. I don't remember the numbers off the top of my head, but I was surprised how much it changed. I'm wondering if it's better to wait at least 5 minutes or so after mixing the mash before you take the reading?