The pH level of the mash affects the beer's final taste.
The pH level of your water can greatly affect the taste of the beer you brew. Although this is often negligible with beers brewed from only malt extract, it is still something a home brewer should at least consider. Once you progress to the point where you decide to make your first beer using actual grains, however, you need to start worrying about the acidity of the grain mash in addition to the water pH. Improper mash pH can ruin a beer very quickly. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
Water pH
1. Test the pH of the water you are using to brew your beer. It should be near seven.
2. Measure eight ounces of water into a cup. Add gypsum (or another type of calcium or magnesium salt) in order to lower the pH, or add sodium bicarbonate in order to raise the pH, one-quarter teaspoon at a time, until your water's pH is near 7. Keep track of the amount of adjusting agent required to change the pH to a reasonable level.
3. Multiply the amount of adjusting agent used to fix the pH level by 16 to get the amount you will need to add to a single gallon of water used to brew your beer. Add this amount of adjusting agent to every gallon of water you use. Test the pH with your digital tester as you are doing this to ensure accuracy.
Mash pH
4. Test the pH of the mixed mash as early as possible. The pH of the mash should be between 5.1 and 5.3. The longer you wait to test the pH, the more detrimental tannins may enter your wort.
5. Add small doses of the proper adjusting agent directly to the mash until the mash mixture is at the proper pH levels. Mix the adjusting agent into the mash thoroughly before taking another reading. Mash mixtures tend to be slightly alkaline, so in most cases, you will add gypsum and not sodium bicarbonate.
6. Adjust the pH reading relative to the temperature of the mash. Readings tend to be accurate only at certain temperature ranges. The instructions that came with your pH tester should explain to you adjust the reading.
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