# Taste Threshold For Acidulated Malt?



## RobB (28/11/07)

I have just started drinking an all EKG ale which I made fairly pale, partly to avoid masking the EKG (first time used) and partly just to see if I could (all previous brews have been deep copper or darker).

I added 5% Weyermann Acidulated malt to make up for the lack of crystal malts in my fairly alkaline Perth water. The beer isn't bad, but there is a tang in the background like someone dropped a lime fruit tingle in the fermenter.

Have I overdone the acidulated malt? When do you start to taste it?

Of course, being my third AG, there could be plenty of other things to blame.

The specifics are:

85% Burston Barrett Ale
5% Weyermann Munich
5% BB Caramalt
5% Weyermann Acidulated
EKG plugs to 35 IBU
Nottingham Yeast
OG 1.052
FG 1.015

My lag time was unusually long but the fermentation eventually kicked into gear as normal. 

Cheers,

Rob


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## dr K (29/11/07)

5% Weyermann Acidulated

wow...way too high, no wonder you have a lactic bite, there is a formula around for reduction of mash pH with acid malt, cannot quite remeber so don't kill me but I thinks its 1:1 (shortcut) 1% acid malt reduces ph by 0.1 within range..sometimes the pH of Canberra water is increased (all sorts of reasons, and all controlled) by a few points and usually at the height of summer so if I were making a pale lager I might add 1% acid malt, this may not be enough but 5% is sotra getting into Berliner Weisse territory, except you are not making one.
Look at a combination of salts and perhaps a dash of acid malt if your water pH starts taking off for the moon!!

K


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## dr K (29/11/07)

dr K said:


> 5% Weyermann Acidulated
> 
> wow...way too high, no wonder you have a lactic bite, there is a formula around for reduction of mash pH with acid malt, cannot quite remeber so don't kill me but I thinks its 1:1 (shortcut) 1% acid malt reduces ph by 0.1 within range..sometimes the pH of Canberra water is increased (all sorts of reasons, and all controlled) by a few points and usually at the height of summer so if I were making a pale lager I might add 1% acid malt, this may not be enough but 5% is sotra getting into Berliner Weisse territory, except you are not making one.
> Look at a combination of salts and perhaps a dash of acid malt if your water pH starts taking off for the moon!!
> ...



Found it (remarkably quickly)

at http://www.weyermann.de/eng/faq.asp?umenue...2&sprache=2



> Berliner Weisse from Weyermann Acidulated Malt
> Question Hello, I have a couple of questions regarding usage of your acidulated malt.
> 
> I am planning on making a Berliner Weisse style beer at our brewpub. I am considering replacing the lactobacillus fermentation with acidulated malt...is this feasable? I am not too familiar with the product. I have read that usage should not exceed 10% of the malt bill. The Berliner Weisse typically has a pH of 3.2-3.4.
> ...


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## mika (29/11/07)

I tasted it at just 2.4%, but fortunately it mellowed out after a week in the keg.
I wouldn't bother with salts or any sort of water chemistry until after your 10th brew, especially in Perth. When I checked my PH I was like .3 pts over the magical 5.2, not enough to stuff a brew....unlike adding 5% of acidulated malt :huh:

Only thing I add to the water is some CaSO4 if I want to harden it up for a Euro beer, and I'm not convinced I can taste the difference.


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## dig (29/11/07)

Yeah, too much. 1% is as far as I'd go. If you can't get you pH down with 1% and plenty of divalent cations (Ca++, Mg++), use sulphuric or phosphoric acid in your mash liquor.


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## RobB (29/11/07)

Five percent.......it sounds like such a small number............damn. :angry: 

Ah well, live and learn. Like I said, it's fine to drink, but nothing like what I wanted.

On the plus side, most it will be consumed by my family over Christmas. I might just put a sombrero on the label and tell them it contains lime.  

Thanks for the replies,

Rob


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## Ross (29/11/07)

Wow, I've never looked at the figures before - I'm amazed anyone uses acidulated malt for mash ph adjustment if it only knocks off 0.1 per 1% & with such a low threshold of taste. :unsure: 

Cheers Ross


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## KoNG (29/11/07)

Has anyone used this avenue to get their Weiss right...???
if it turned out well, what % did you use..?

i might give this a go before chrissy.
maybe


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## warrenlw63 (29/11/07)

I've used a kilo of the stuff in 45 litres of Belgian Wit (around 10%) to try and get the sour thing happening. To tell you the truth I noticed bugger all difference and nothing in terms of perceived sourness. <_< 

Warren -


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## randyrob (29/11/07)

perhaps brew another batch without acidutated and blend?


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## Kai (29/11/07)

I frequently used up to 5% in my beers while brewing in Adelaide without noticing any increase in sourness. My sandgroper xmas case beer was brewed on mika's gear with 3.5% acid and I can't notice it in that either.


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