pH of mash when doing BIAB

[Myndflyte]

I've done a few all grain batches the traditional way with a mash tun but I'd like to try BIAB. With the thinner mash, is mash pH something I need to take into account? Do you usually add acid malt or just make acid additions during the mash? Or, since I'm aiming for about 6.5 gallons to boil, is that not something I'll have to worry about?

I tried doing some searching and some mention taking it into consideration but others make no mention of mash pH.

 

[jeffpn]

I make no water adjustments for my BIAB. I don't know if I start with good water, but in my opinion, my beers turn out fine. I filter with a 2 stage charcoal filter system. That's all I do for water treatment. I know my water has a 29 grain hardness, but I haven't looked deeply into the report to see what's in it.

 

[KC]

I've done a few all grain batches the traditional way with a mash tun but I'd like to try BIAB. With the thinner mash, is mash pH something I need to take into account? Do you usually add acid malt or just make acid additions during the mash? Or, since I'm aiming for about 6.5 gallons to boil, is that not something I'll have to worry about?

I tried doing some searching and some mention taking it into consideration but others make no mention of mash pH.

pH does have an impact. BIAB is not inherently thinner, but that doesn't matter much for acidity. Do you know where you're starting from? For a while I had trouble getting mine below 6.0, even with distilled water. Now I soak my grains overnight at room temperature and it drops consistently between 5.2-5.4. If it goes too low, I'll add more water at mash. No other additions. That change also boosted my conversion efficiency from 65% to 85%.

 

[Ozarks Mountain Brewery]

just buy a cheap Chinese ph meter and use an acid like phosphoric, its cheap and so easy, putting any beer around the 5.5 ph range only make it taste better

 

[GFHomebrew]

I second that having the right mash PH is good for a lot of reasons increased efficiency is one of them. I BIAB and have a really thin mash ratio of 6lt/kg ph of mash depends on what your grist is what your water ph is . check out www.braukaiser.com and look at his 3 part PH series.

 

[Myndflyte]

pH does have an impact. BIAB is not inherently thinner, but that doesn't matter much for acidity. Do you know where you're starting from? For a while I had trouble getting mine below 6.0, even with distilled water. Now I soak my grains overnight at room temperature and it drops consistently between 5.2-5.4. If it goes too low, I'll add more water at mash. No other additions. That change also boosted my conversion efficiency from 65% to 85%.

I don't know at what pH I'm starting from. I'm thinking from now on, I'm going to start with RO water and add the appropriate salts instead of relying on my tap water. I think that'll give me a little more control and that, along with controlling the pH, will help to make my beers turn out better.

 

[Head First]

I don't know at what pH I'm starting from. I'm thinking from now on, I'm going to start with RO water and add the appropriate salts instead of relying on my tap water. I think that'll give me a little more control and that, along with controlling the pH, will help to make my beers turn out better.

If you have done a few all grain batches you might look into your water. But I wouldn't get to carried away right off. A PH meter is a good way to start controlling your water. You can get cheap test strips but not very many people like them. If you don't have access to a water profile for the water you use then just a simple PH test will tell you a lot. How to Brew by John Palmer online book will point you in the right direction. A google search will put you on it.

There is a listing of water reports on this site. You might check there to see if your water is on there. Then you would know where you are starting from.
On search bar under tools click Water Profiles.