Creator: Jordan Of us
There are numerous factors all through the brewing course of the place pH is claimed to be essential, and whereas mash pH is essentially the most mentioned, many brewers thoughts the pH of the wort post-boil as effectively. When making paler types absent of notably acidic roasted grains, reminiscent of Pilsner, acidification of the wort after the boil may help to expedite the pH discount that happens throughout fermentation, which some imagine has a qualitatively constructive affect on the completed product.
Whereas decreasing that pH is usually performed with exogenous acids reminiscent of phosphoric or lactic, adherents of the German Purity Regulation don’t have this selection, as they’ll solely use water, malt, hops, and yeast to make beer. A Reinheitsgebot-approved different for acid discount is sauergut, which is actually wort that has been soured by using the lactobacillus naturally current on brewing grains.
With one previous xBmt suggesting post-boil wort acidification with lactic acid has a perceptible affect, and one other exhibiting tasters may distinguish beers the place the mash pH was adjusted with both sauergut or lactic acid, I puzzled if my customary follow of including sauergut to German lagers at flameout was having a noticeable affect and designed an xBmt to try it out!
| PURPOSE |
To judge the variations between a German Pilsner the place the post-boil pH was lowered with Sauergut and one the place the post-boil pH was not adjusted.
| METHODS |
I brewed a easy German Pilsner recipe that I believed would enable any affect of the variable to point out by. Large due to F.H. Steinbart for hooking me up with the malt for this batch!
Mit Pils
Recipe Particulars
| Batch Dimension | Boil Time | IBU | SRM | Est. OG | Est. FG | ABV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 gal | 60 min | 38.7 | 3.3 SRM | 1.054 | 1.007 | 6.17 % |
| Actuals | 1.054 | 1.007 | 6.17 % | |||
Fermentables
| Title | Quantity | % |
|---|---|---|
| Barke Pilsner | 12 lbs | 98.46 |
| Carahell | 3 oz | 1.54 |
Hops
| Title | Quantity | Time | Use | Kind | Alpha % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hallertauer Mittelfrueh | 60 g | 60 min | First Wort | Pellet | 2.5 |
| Hallertauer Mittelfrueh | 60 g | 60 min | Boil | Pellet | 2.5 |
| Hallertauer Mittelfrueh | 69 g | 10 min | Boil | Pellet | 2.5 |
| Hallertauer Mittelfrueh | 50 g | 5 min | Boil | Pellet | 2.5 |
| Hallertauer Mittelfrueh | 50 g | 10 min | Aroma | Pellet | 2.5 |
Yeast
| Title | Lab | Attenuation | Temperature |
|---|---|---|---|
| International (L13) | Imperial Yeast | 77% | 46°F – 55.9°F |
Notes
| Water Profile: Ca 100 | Mg 4 | Na 10 | SO4 146 | Cl 66 |
After gathering the total quantity of filtered faucet water for a ten gallon/38 liter batch and adjusted it to my desired profile, which included acidification with sauergut to attain the right mash pH. Whereas the water was heating up, I milled the grain.
Since this was a traditional German lager, I made a decision to carry out a step mash.
In the course of the mash relaxation, I weighed out the kettle hop additions.
As soon as the mash was completed, I collected the wort and proceeded to boil it 60 minutes, including hops on the instances listed within the recipe. When the boil was full, I ran roughly 2 liters/0.5 gallons of scorching wort into fermentation kegs earlier than including sufficient sauergut to acidify one in all them to five.1 pH.
I then used my plate chiller to relax the remainder of the wort throughout switch to a chilly break settling tank, which was positioned in my chamber to complete chilling to my desired pitching temperature. A refractometer studying indicated I’d exceeded my goal OG by 0.005 SG factors. Meh.
1.054 OG
With the wort chilled and away from trub, I cut up it evenly between the 2 fermentation kegs, one in all which contained sauergut, earlier than taking pH measurements.
Left: sauergut 5.12 pH | Proper: no acidification 5.39 pH
I then pitched two packs of Imperial Yeast L13 International into every batch of wort.
The beers have been left to ferment at 48°F/9°C for every week earlier than I started very progressively elevating the temperature to 60°F/16°C over the next 2 weeks, at which level I took hydrometer measurements the beers have been on the similar FG.
Left: sauergut 1.007 FG | Proper: no acidification 1.007 FG
Subsequent pH measurements confirmed the batch dosed with sauergut post-boil ended with a barely decrease pH.
Left: sauergut 4.35 pH | Proper: no acidification 4.44 pH
At this level, I progressively lowered the temperature of the beers to 32°F/0°C over the course of some days, at which level they have been pressure-transferred to CO2 purged serving kegs that have been have been positioned in my keezer. After a 2 week lagering interval, the beers have been carbonated and prepared for analysis.
Left: sauergut | Proper: no acidification
| RESULTS |
A complete of 20 folks of various ranges of expertise participated on this xBmt. Every participant was served 1 pattern of beer that was acidified with sauergut post-boil and a pair of samples of the beer that was not acidified in several coloured opaque cups then requested to determine the distinctive pattern. Whereas 11 tasters (p<0.05) would have needed to precisely determine the distinctive pattern with the intention to attain statistical significance, solely 8 did (p=0.34), indicating contributors on this xBmt have been unable to reliably distinguish a German Pilsner that was dosed with sauergut post-boil for pH discount from one which was not acidified.
My Impressions: Out of the 5 semi-blind triangle checks I tried, I accurately recognized the odd-beer-out 2 out 5 instances. To my palate, each beers had the identical grainy and doughy malt notes with supporting hop bitterness and clear fermentation character. I detected no off-flavors in both of those beers, each have been equally pleasant.
| DISCUSSION |
Whereas guaranteeing mash pH is inside the purportedly ideally suited vary has been proven to have a questionable perceptible impact on beer, some brewers have begun acidifying their wort post-boil as a manner to enhance the general high quality by reducing “flabbiness.” Apparently, tasters on this xBmt have been unable to reliably distinguish a German Pilsner that was dosed with sauergut post-boil for pH discount from one which was not acidified.
Contemplating the outcomes from a previous xBmt the place tasters may reliably inform aside an American IPA that was acidified with lactic acid post-boil and one which was not, it’s doable the sauergut didn’t have the identical taste affect because the lactic acid. One other believable rationalization is that pale lagers don’t reply to post-boil acidification the identical manner American IPA does. Lastly, whereas I make mash pH changes as a matter in fact, and each beers have been handled identically seeing as this was a post-boil cut up batch, I do marvel if the boil pH distinction would have been extra perceptible had I not acidified the mash.
As a rule of thumb, I all the time acidify my wort previous to yeast pitch, because it’s mentioned to supply quite a lot of advantages reminiscent of decreasing whole fermentation time and inspiring full attenuation, in addition to offering taste advantages. Whereas the outcomes of this xBmt didn’t essentially assist these claims, I’ll proceed acidifying my lagers post-boil, even when only for insurance coverage functions, although I received’t stress if I neglect this step sooner or later.
When you have any ideas about this xBmt, please don’t hesitate to share within the feedback part beneath!
Help Brülosophy In Model!
All designs can be found in varied colours and sizes on Amazon!
Observe Brülosophy on:
FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
In the event you get pleasure from these items and really feel compelled to assist Brulosophy.com, please take a look at the Help web page for particulars on how one can very simply accomplish that. Thanks!
Associated
