Taste Thresholds For Acids Used To Reduce Alkalinity

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Mr. Dripping

Taste Thresholds For Acids Used To Reduce Alkalinity

Post by Mr. Dripping » Mon Jun 30, 2014 2:24 pm

Having got to grips with Bru 'n Water, I've swapped over from CRS to phosphoric acid and I have seen a great increase in the quality of beers I am producing.....but I think they could be better and I want to try some different treatments to see if I can find some further improvement.
I'm looking really towards sulphuric acid 25% (although I understand the Murphys product is actually 35%) and lactic acid 80%.
My typical grists would lead to addition levels of between 0.18 and 0.22 ml/l of either acid to hit my mash pH.

Does anyone know at what sort of level the addition of lactic acid would start to present taste issues??

I'm guessing the sulphuric acid doesn't impact on flavour (as in an acidic taste)?? But there will be the addition of sulphate ions which needs to be accounted for.
Can someone back up my thinking on this?
Can anyone give me the amount of alkalinity that 1ml of 25% and 35% sulphuric will remove and the corresponding sulphate ion increase?? My searches are throwing up a wide range #-o

Anything else that may be of use would be appreciated.....TIA.

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Aleman
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Re: Taste Thresholds For Acids Used To Reduce Alkalinity

Post by Aleman » Mon Jun 30, 2014 3:52 pm

Mr. Dripping wrote:Does anyone know at what sort of level the addition of lactic acid would start to present taste issues??
In my case 6ml in 70 of liquor (50L of beer) in the FV so around 0.08ml per litre

Mr. Dripping

Re: Taste Thresholds For Acids Used To Reduce Alkalinity

Post by Mr. Dripping » Mon Jun 30, 2014 4:27 pm

Thanks for that information Aleman.
So at my proposed addition level it will be very noticeable.... and I'm therefore ruling the lactic out.
Glad I posted the question as some sources suggested additions as high as 2ml per US gallon would not be noticed in the finished beer.

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Eric
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Re: Taste Thresholds For Acids Used To Reduce Alkalinity

Post by Eric » Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:04 pm

A data sheet for Murphy's acid can be found here. It contains some contradictions and I found the table at the bottom wrong in all respects to the acid they supplied.
1ml was found to neutralise alkalinity equivalent to 440mg of CaCO3. Every 100mg CaCO3 neutralised using sulphuric acid will increase sulphates by 96mg.
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Mr. Dripping

Re: Taste Thresholds For Acids Used To Reduce Alkalinity

Post by Mr. Dripping » Mon Jun 30, 2014 5:08 pm

Much obliged Eric, thank you :)

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