ph level

[Aleman]

pH 7 is neutral, a pH value of less than 7 is acidic, a measure (count) of free hydrogen ions, while one of more than 7 is basic and measures free hydroxile ions.

No it isn't! The pH (pondus hydrogenii)is defined as the log (base 10) of the hydrogen ion concentration . . . . it is NOT a measure of the 0H- hydroxyl ion concentration!!

[neil smith]

so i can use my tap water of 7.4 and adjust in the wort if needed,cheers neil

[Eric]

so i can use my tap water of 7.4 and adjust in the wort if needed,cheers neil

Hi Neil,
Most tap waters are suitable for brewing. It would be highly unusual if your water wasn't. Most waters can be bettered with treatment.
Individual waters will be suited to brew a particular style of beer, the biggest reason why, over time, we have so many styles.
By chemical analysis, it is possible to determine which style of beer your water is most suited or what might be done to make it more suitable for brewing other styles.
As well as having essential elements/ingredients present at all stages of brewing, it helps if other conditions be correct too, for example temperature. Another is one we today measure in pH, a concept introduced by a Dane called Sorensen.
Aleman is no doubt correct in his dispute of my assertion, my school chemistry books were published when Sorensen was only part way into his research (he died in 1939). Many years later (1990) having read some brewing books, I bought two that introduced pH to homebrewing and it took me nearly another 20 years to get to grips with the concept in this environment.

Don't waste your time or money measuring the pH of your water, it is totally irrelevant if you intend to make beer rather than being a student or researcher of chemistry. BREW! Brew and a minutes or so after you are happy that your mash is gorgeously mixed, measure it's pH and keep a record. It should be around 5.3, that is the first time pH is important and generally speaking, it is at this stage too late to make any practical change. Tell us what you find.

[Rick_UK]

Neil

Have you found a water report for your tap water and put the numbers into the water treatment calculator in the calculators section? Do this if you can then you don't have to lose sleep trying to understand the fecking chemistry!

Rick

[neil smith]

ok thanks i will do that,cheers Neil

[Aleman]

so i can use my tap water of 7.4 and adjust in the wort if needed,cheers neil

Aleman is no doubt correct in his dispute of my assertion

Actually I missed one important factor . . .

pH is the Negative log (10) of the hydrogen ion concentration

Don't waste your time or money measuring the pH of your water, it is totally irrelevant if you intend to make beer rather than being a student or researcher of chemistry.

Totally correct

BREW! Brew and a minutes or so after you are happy that your mash is gorgeously mixed, measure it's pH and keep a record. It should be around 5.3, that is the first time pH is important and generally speaking, it is at this stage too late to make any practical change. Tell us what you find.

Eric is correct, it's much better to take a trial and error approach, you can get a 'ball park' by measuring the alkalinity of you liquor and adjusting that accordingly. and then fine tune things over subsequent brewings.

If you do decide to measure you mash pH though give it Ten minutes from mixing, as the phytase reaction takes a few minutes to work

[Capped]

Ions, hydroxyls,anions, onions,hydrogen donors,phytase,logarithms,buffering potential, aargh! This makes trying to work out my second state pension entitlement easy - and that's impossible. I'll just stick to me Campden and gypsum, I'm thinking....