Beer color to mash pH (v2.0)

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Revision as of 03:29, 10 January 2012 by Kaiser (Talk | contribs) (How mash pH and beer color use similar formulas)

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This article outlines the derivation of two formulas that can be used to predict the grist pH (and with it the mash pH) based on the estimated color of the beer. It utilizes a correlation that exist between the color of a malt and its pH properties. While this correlation is rather loose in some cases it is sufficiently strong for specialty malts to allow the proposal of formulas that can predict the grist and mash pH from the beer's color.

When I talk about grist pH I mean the pH that is inherent to the grist and which can be measured when distilled (mineral free water) is used for mashing.

This article is rather heavy on math and formulas it is provided as a reference for brewers who want to know how mash pH and beer color can be connected on a mathematical level.

How mash pH and beer color use similar formulas

To estimate the grist (or distilled water mash) pH the following formula can be used:

SRM to mash pH formula 1.gif (1)

where

  * pHgrist: is the distilled water mash pH of the resulting grist
  * pHbi: is the distilled water mash pH of the base malt i


(1) is a revised version of the formula given in "The effect of brewing water and grist composition on the pH of the mash" [1]. It simply does the following. The weighted avar

References

  1. Kai Troester, The effect of brewing water and grist composition on the pH of the mash, 2009