Mash PH

[the_great_okapi]

Jim said:

What I meant (and expressed badly Embarassed ) was, what salts might be naturally present in my water that would result in a low mash pH (since zero salts -distilled water - produces a higher pH than I seem to be getting). But you answered that with the peat thing; obviously we still don't know if that's it or not.

I guess it would be Humic acids, if peat has an effect. Do you know if you have high organic carbon in your water from the water board report?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humic_acid

[Martin the fish]

Jim's problem is one i feel i may suffer. Which is why i want to check my mash PH before i go adjusting it.
I find it excellent to have such guys as wallybrew and the like here. In my eyes there is nothing like gaining knowledge.
The main point i was trying to make was that as my water is PH neutral rainwater & is rich in acids not in alkalines. Adjusting it and then mashing would more than likely produce a PH crash. This i have experienced with RO water in discus breeding. I reckon my mash PH will be around the 6 mark. Possibly lower. If it is around 5.5-6 i'm not adjusting it as it would be a nightmare.
I know i don't have to measure the starting PH of my water just the mash but if i knew my starting point and my mash PH then i could adjust the starting water so the mash ended up at the right PH. Surely this is easier than adjusting the mash PH every time i brew? And adjusting 500 gallons is a damm sight easier than 5 gallons. Where a small drip may end up too much. A small drip in 500 gallons won't do anything.

[Aleman]

I know i don't have to measure the starting PH of my water just the mash but if i knew my starting point and my mash PH then i could adjust the starting water so the mash ended up at the right PH.

No you can't, the mash is a natural buffer, If you have a water pH of 7.0 and when you mash with it you measure the mash pH as 5.6, you cannot say that reducing the pH of the mash liquor to 6.6 will give you a mash pH of 5.2, it will still be 5.6.

You have a very similar situation to myself very soft water with little buffering capacity, all I need to do is as 10-15g of gypsum/calcium chloride to my grist with 35L of liquor and I'm getting in the region of 5.3 (as measured after 5 minutes.

Liquor pH is NOT related to mash pH (except when taken to extremes)

[Martin the fish]

Thanks Aleman.
Bit of extra fiddling. But now i know i can do something about it so i will. Better than finding the liquor mash makes no difference by trial and error