Brewing Techniques - BIAB etc.

[Crusader-Rob]

http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/forum/topics/recipe-advice-thread?c...

As an interesting discussion broke out regarding Mashing Techniques, I figured this could make a good separate thread.

My process is BIAB, no sparging, making the day of brewing that bit shorter. I use a 50 Litre pot, to mash, and boil in. for standard 20L batches.

I keep the temp consistent by using 2x Camping mats from Kmart at $10 each, and wrap up using bungy cords. normally lose maybe 2 degrees C after an hour mash time. (I brew in the morning too, so its cooler.)

[Ralph]

Dark malts basically will acidify the mash... taking the pH lower. So making a darker beer with Gladfields base malt may get the pH correct for the mash.

[Crusader-Rob]

Exactly, would Acidulated malt have a similar effect?

[Peter Smith]

I have been adding 100g acid malt to about 5.8kg of grains,  I need a decent ph meter to confirm I am getting into the correct range, anyopne tried the pen type ph meters cheap from china?

[Hamish Jones]

What are you using to test PH, it is something I have meant to do but never got around to?

[Peter Smith]

crappy little dip things I had from a spa test kit  <Blush>

the little pen things seem like an "investment" to be made.

[Crusader-Rob]

Peter, what part of the country are you in? I'm in christchurch, so I'm beginning to wonder if adding acidulated malt may be beneficial? but it depends on whether other chch brewers use it with good results.?

[Ralph]

Auckland http://www.forum.realbeer.co.nz/profile/PeterSmith

[Hamish Jones]

Being that I am so busy today I got to doing some reading, how's this for a sales pitch for acidulated malt, once you get through that there is some stuff of interest in it

http://www.weyermann.de/downloads/pdf/Weyermann_TKW_Mash-pH_2010.pdf 

[Ralph]

Gawd. Here - read something that is more informative http://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/How_pH_affects_brewing

[Peter Smith]

taste it you will know why its called acid malt

[Hamish Jones]

I have chucked acidulated in a couple of wheat's and they actually turned out to be glorious beers, it was about 600grams in a 50 Litre batch, good summer drinking, sadly the kegs evaporated

[Peter Smith]

mmm   so you did that to get some tart sourness?   or control ph thats a lot of acid