1st allgrain questions

[KevinR]

Well, 2nd realy 1st didn't get to the fermenter.Anyway,I got a gravity reading before the boil of 1068,but a reading after the boil of 1035. Is this how it works or did i stuff up somewhere?
PH of the mash was between 6 & 7. I used 1 table spoon of 5.2 buffer,didn't help.Is this how to adjust mash ph. The packet states that it automatically sets the ph to 5.2.
Other than that i think it's ok.

 

[nosco]

For your first few brews id be steering away from water adjustments unless your water is really bad or your using distilled water or something. I think water adjustment needs to be tailored to what kind of beer you want ie malty/hoppy. Its more complicated than just Ph.

1.068 to 1.035 does sound wrong. Are you sure its not the other way around? You would have to be adding water to get that i think. Try and use some kind of software if you can to give you a ball park figure to aim for at least.

Are you using a BIAB system or a multi vessel setup?

 

[KevinR]

I was worried that 1068 was a little high . Didn't add any water.must have made a mistake on my first reading.I would hav expected the gravity to go up due to boil off.

 

[manticle]

Gravity does go up due to boiloff.
What temp was it measured at and what instrument was it measured with?

Water is not something I'd play with until you've done few more but something sounds odd for mas pH to be as high as 7.
How was pH measured and at what temp?

 

[KevinR]

I used a optical refraction thing at 65c
ph was measured with paper at 65c. Paper is probably 12 months old,if that makes a difference

 

[antiphile]

Hi Kevin

Starting AG can be a lot of fun and sometimes quite a learning curve. I'm in your vicinity at Charlestown and usually do one about once a week. If you're interested, you'd be more than welcome to come over during it, though bear in mind I'm no John Palmer. Drop me a PM if you'd like.

Cheers, Phil

 

[Danscraftbeer]

I use a refractometer. and I know how to use it, its an excellent handy piece of equipment.
I find it difficult to get a pre boil reading. Do 3 tests get 3 different readings and they are usually oddly high. :huh:
Its like the sugar doesnt mix evenly or is running around in currents or something at the start. :huh:
After boiling well for 15 minutes and stir well you can usually get 2 readings the same which should be the correct reading.

 

[beercus]

Aren't Refractometer readings temp dependent. Does your automatically adjust for temp?

What temp was your second reading?

No expert here, never used one....

Beercus

 

[manticle]

All gravity readings are temp dependent.

 

[beercus]

All gravity readings are temp dependent.

I think some refractometers automatically adjust for temp.

 

[KevinR]

It's supposed to temp compensate up to 70c.And by the time a 3 or 4 drop sample is taken in a room temp pipette then put onto a room temp refractometer i would think it would be cool.
If readings aren't consistent pre boil for whatever reason , would a hydrometer give a more accurate result being the sample is larger.

 

[Nizmoose]

It's supposed to temp compensate up to 70c.And by the time a 3 or 4 drop sample is taken in a room temp pipette then put onto a room temp refractometer i would think it would be cool.
If readings aren't consistent pre boil for whatever reason , would a hydrometer give a more accurate result being the sample is larger.

Every time I see people struggle with getting a reliable reading it seems that going back to the old hydrometer solves the issue for most not a shot at refractometers but I've never had any problems with a cooled sample for a hydrometer at any stage during a brew day

 

[dicko]

Every time I see people struggle with getting a reliable reading it seems that going back to the old hydrometer solves the issue for most not a shot at refractometers but I've never had any problems with a cooled sample for a hydrometer at any stage during a brew day

Got to agree with this.

Results of refractometers can be confusing at times.

For breboil gravity I chill a wort sample in a test tube and check it with the hydrometer. After getting and recording the reading I tip the sample back into the kettle and it gets boiled along with the rest of the wort.
In the time it takes for the wort to come to the boil from a 77 deg mash out I can have the sample chilled to 20 deg in the tube in the freezer.

For post boil I just check the gravity from the fermenter at pitching time. For an ale the result is pretty accurate, if it is a lager and it is chilled to lager ferment temps then it will be a point or two higher.
I dont tip the sample back onto the fermenter as this will more than likely contaminate your unfermented wort.
I take a drink of the sample, and in days gone by the boys at Grumpys said it should taste a lot like cold tea.
Depending on the hops used, it generally does.

Havent used my refractometer for about two years mainly due to the varying and at times, innacurate results.
My refractometer has joined a host of other useless brewing equipment items that I have bought over the years and which now lives in the back of a cupboard.

 

[Blind Dog]

Personally I only use a hydrometer as it's designed to measure the specific gravity of a liquid directly, rather than measure the specific gravity via the refraction of light through that liquid.

Plus you get to sample the beer as the yeast dies it's thing which can tell you a lot about how off flavours and aromas arise and dissipate (or don't), which helps with the never ending learning process

 

[yankinoz]

The pH of 6 to 7 also makes no sense. You'd have to add a load of chalk to get that. You would also get very little conversion to sugars, and those you did get would not be fermentable.

Most likely the buffer is working, and you are at 5.2.

Concentrate on getting an accurate startig gravity reading and go ahead. Maybe your beer is light, or maybe imperial. Ferment, find out, then work on your equipment. Check your use of the refractometer using known solutions prepared with sugar or, better, DME. You can use point charts for that.

pH paper isn't that accurate. Either buy a pH meter or trust the online calculators (but note EZ Brew reads a tenth or teo too high). If the mash temp is off by a fraction, the worst that can happen is the beer will be a little drier and have less body than planned, or else a little sweeter or fuller bodied. If you start believing pH paper a year old, a nervous breakdown could result.

 

[KevinR]

Thanks for the feedback, most welcome. Ph meter had flat batteries so i used paper. I replaced the batteries today and done some tests. The paper and the meter say the same in a ph 4 test solution,but differ in beer. I suspect the colour of the wort is causing the paper to show darker. The beer is fermenting strongly.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Paper PH tests are never good enough. They show 3 results. Heavily Alkaline. Heavily Acidic. Or Neutural give or take a shitload.
Trust that Grain has its own PH buffering using the correct amount of water.

 

[Danscraftbeer]

Yankinoz: If you start believing pH paper a year old, a nervous breakdown could result.

:lol:

 

[Brewman_]

Well, 2nd realy 1st didn't get to the fermenter.Anyway,I got a gravity reading before the boil of 1068,but a reading after the boil of 1035. Is this how it works or did i stuff up somewhere?
PH of the mash was between 6 & 7. I used 1 table spoon of 5.2 buffer,didn't help.Is this how to adjust mash ph. The packet states that it automatically sets the ph to 5.2.
Other than that i think it's ok.

Hi Kevin,
Welcome to AG brewing.

Not sure if you are aware or not there are many brewers in our area. Also a great club, Hunter United Brewers, that is a really good place to meet and talk brewing at all levels.

My advice is keep it really simple at the start. It will be fun and it will work.

Great offer from antiphile to get some coaching too.

Cheers Steve