Would an acid rest be benificial?

[Zambi]

Just thinking out loud.
Would an acid rest help in increasing my mash efficiency and decreasing haze in the final product?

My set up/process:
Home milled grain, quite fine, put in a biab bag
I heat 7.5 ltr water on the stove (very little nutrients in the water).
Then add bag with grains. Stir a bit and move kettle into a cooler box, lined with a duvet for the mash.
It's not the most accurate method to get to the required mash temp, but it is not far off.

Idea is to maybe soak the grains in 35-40 oC water before adding them to the mash water (reducing water volume on the stove to get to my "standard" volume).
It would be easy to do, but could I expect any effect?

Generally, grainfather gives an expected mash pH of just below 6

 

[dmtaylor]

I haven't played with acid rests enough to understand what it does, if anything. My guess is that it's a wasted effort.

If you want to acidify, add acid.

If you want less haze, and I can't believe I'm saying this, you could try a protein rest at 122 F (50 C) for 5 minutes. But this can also harm body and head retention if done for any longer time than that, and must quickly exit that temperature step. Personally I have vowed to never do a protein rest again after a few bad experiences. However it is still a tool in the toolbox that you could try experimenting with.

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Just thinking out loud.
Would an acid rest help in increasing my mash efficiency and decreasing haze in the final product?

My set up/process:
Home milled grain, quite fine, put in a biab bag
I heat 7.5 ltr water on the stove (very little nutrients in the water).
Then add bag with grains. Stir a bit and move kettle into a cooler box, lined with a duvet for the mash.
It's not the most accurate method to get to the required mash temp, but it is not far off.

Idea is to maybe soak the grains in 35-40 oC water before adding them to the mash water (reducing water volume on the stove to get to my "standard" volume).
It would be easy to do, but could I expect any effect?

Generally, grainfather gives an expected mash pH of just below 6

Do you have a way of measuring your PH level?
Even the cheap test strips will get you close if you don't have a pH meter.
I wouldn't suggest doing an acid rest until you actually know what pH you're achieving.
That being said, if you can source a pH reading of your water to get a close starting point, you can then rely somewhat on the water calculator that is linked through the recipe builder.
If you pre boil your water, you can precipitate out some hardnesses which can also drop your pH a bit.
Cheers
Brian

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

Would an acid rest help in increasing my mash efficiency and decreasing haze in the final product?

Not really and not really. As mentioned above, if you want to acidify, than add acid and you need measure to verify you acid rest or addition has landed you on the right pH. pH ranges from 5.3-5.8 (at room temperatures) will give the enzymes the proper pH to function. I have found that a pH of 5.5-5.6 can squeeze a little more out of the mash as far as efficiency, but overall there isn't much movement.

pH can have an effect on haze because of protein coagulation during boil and overall yeast health, but again, it needs to fall out of a range of pH. pH at pitch should be between 5.1-5.3 for light beers and 5.2-5.4 for darker beers.

So many things can affect mash efficiency and beer clarity. pH is one of them, but there many more parts to this puzzle.

 

[Minbari]

I haven't played with acid rests enough to understand what it does, if anything. My guess is that it's a wasted effort.

If you want to acidify, add acid.

If you want less haze, and I can't believe I'm saying this, you could try a protein rest at 122 F (50 C) for 5 minutes. But this can also harm body and head retention if done for any longer time than that, and must quickly exit that temperature step. Personally I have vowed to never do a protein rest again after a few bad experiences. However it is still a tool in the toolbox that you could try experimenting with.

I do protein rests regularly. 5-10 minutes@122F. Reduction in haze might be effected, but never noticed the other side effects

 

[Zambi]

Thanks!
Just reading a new book that was mentioning this.

My water is soft. No to hardly any bicarbonates in it.

I should still have some pH strips, just wish I could remember where.
I'll have to do a search
So resolution for my next brew is to start doing some pH checks

 

[dmtaylor]

I do protein rests regularly. 5-10 minutes@122F. Reduction in haze might be effected, but never noticed the other side effects

I'm glad you keep it less than 10 minutes then. When I experimented I believe I was shooting for 10 minutes or maybe 15. Just a wee bit too long for a protein rest so that I am fully aware of how it makes a beer lifeless and watery, and can turn a witbier clear as crystal with no head.

 

[MaxStout]

I've thought of doing acid rests, then I think about it some more, then chicken out. Many brewers have had good results, but I don't want to try it and screw things up. Guess I'd rather have hazy beer with good foam and body, than a clear one without.

 

[Zambi]

I've thought of doing acid rests, then I think about it some more, then chicken out. Many brewers have had good results, but I don't want to try it and screw things up. Guess I'd rather have hazy beer with good foam and body, than a clear one without.

I so agree with you!

NB: I found my pH paper

 

[Sandy Feet]

If a hazy beer if bothering you, you can strain some of the crap out inside a funnel when you drain into the fermenter. They make small strainers. My beers are usually hazy on purpose. When I attempt a lager, I'm going to try Carapils instead of wheat for the head retention.

 

[MaxStout]

There are also finings that can be added to the fermenter, like Polyclar, though I've never tried it.

 

[HighVoltageMan!]

When I attempt a lager, I'm going to try Carapils instead of wheat for the head retention.

I actually stopped using anything to increase head retention, mostly because it didn't seem to help. I think a really good fermentation will likely have a bigger impact, my lagers are just fine and the lacing is solid as well. Don't sweat it too much, a good tasting beer will help you forget your head didn't last more than an hour. Some people get a little crazy about a head that last forever. If the beer taste bad and has an amazing head, the beer still sucks.

 

[Zambi]

Hazy doesn't bother me.
Only the taste does and to a certain extent the efficiency. And only because ingredients are difficult to get.
Foam is nice though, sort of fits the Belgians. Looks a bit daft, pouring into a nice Duvel glass, and only half filling it.

Anyway, going to take some pH readings and see what I am actually sitting at before changing anything.
In good Dutch: meten is weten
(to measure is to know)

 

[Ward Chillington]

Is your haze ever present? IOW.. is it hazy in the bottle at bottling or is it a chill haze?
How clean/clear is what's going into your kettle and fermenter or do you dump it all?
How good is your Vorlaufing? Are you resting your whirlpool? Plus one on the findings as there are all kinds...I do only Irish Moss because I try to steer clear of chemicals...no pun in tended there...I just can't help myself!

 

[The Brew Mentor]

Is your haze ever present? IOW.. is it hazy in the bottle at bottling or is it a chill haze?
How clean/clear is what's going into your kettle and fermenter or do you dump it all?
How good is your Vorlaufing? Are you resting your whirlpool? Plus one on the findings as there are all kinds...I do only Irish Moss because I try to steer clear of chemicals...no pun in tended there...I just can't help myself!

Took me a minute t I get that one! Haha

 

[Minbari]

I use Irish moss in the kettle, and biofin clear in the fermenter but i don't find those really do anything for chill Haze. That is more of a protein issue than"gunk" clouding the mix. The biofin works wonders at getting solids to drop out

 

[Sandy Feet]

I actually stopped using anything to increase head retention, mostly because it didn't seem to help. I think a really good fermentation will likely have a bigger impact, my lagers are just fine and the lacing is solid as well. Don't sweat it too much, a good tasting beer will help you forget your head didn't last more than an hour. Some people get a little crazy about a head that last forever. If the beer taste bad and has an amazing head, the beer still sucks.

I appreciate that. I do add a little bit of wheat to almost all my ales. It seems to work and has become habit and almost a security blanket for me. One of our professional brewers in town did suggest Carapils as it does add a little head retention without impacting flavor too much.

 

[Zambi]

I do biab, so no vorlauf or anything.
I used to dump everything in the fermenter, but now I got a hop spider (well sort of), so hop and spices (when using) stay behind.
All else goes into the fermenter.

Some beers get a bit of wheat, others none at all. Sofar only 1 brew had a problem with head retention. No idea why as process and ingredients were pretty much used before (unless kaffir lime leaves had an effect, but that seems very unlikely).

Remember, my set up is real rudimentary and access to ingredients is very limited

 

[Ward Chillington]

Brew more dark stuff and you won't see it! I know...not the best solution...or the one you are looking for Z. So it sounds like you're starting clean...is it a protein haze that you get on chilling the brew? Howz you're boil...that's supposed to help but seems to elude me!

 

[Minbari]

I appreciate that. I do add a little bit of wheat to almost all my ales. It seems to work and has become habit and almost a security blanket for me. One of our professional brewers in town did suggest Carapils as it does add a little head retention without impacting flavor too much.

I put carapils in allot of brews for that reason