Acidification for pH adjustment

[beerisyummy]

Lactic acid, Phosphoric acid, or something else? Opinions?

 

[Kickass]

I’ve only ever used LA, seems to work just fine.

 

[IslandLizard]

Lactic Acid works well yes. If you use relatively larger amounts, it could cross the taste threshold, where Phosphoric Acid won't quite as soon or as much. But if you'd need to use that much LA, you'd probably be better off diluting your brewing water with distilled or RO water, first.

A 4 oz bottle of 88% Lactic Acid also lasts 8.8 times longer than a 4 oz bottle filled with a paltry 10% Phosphoric Acid, for roughly the same price, or even less.

 

[dmtaylor]

People will shoot me, but... I use vinegar. Yes, seriously. The finished beers do NOT taste like vinegar at all. I mean, add a tablespoon of vinegar to your swimming pool, and see if you can taste it!

 

[balrog]

I use this.
Then this showed the math on making 30% concentration, in order to use more easily measurable amounts (a few ml rather than a few tenths of ml per brew).

 

[IslandLizard]

People will shoot me, but... I use vinegar. Yes, seriously. The finished beers do NOT taste like vinegar at all.

If used in small quantities it would indeed be hard or impossible to detect, given everything else that goes on flavor/aroma-wise in a beer.
Have you tried adding a proportionally same amount to a pint of water to see if you can taste/smell it in there?

I mean, add a tablespoon of vinegar to your swimming pool, and see if you can taste it!

That's not an equivalent dilution, though...

 

[dmtaylor]

If used in small quantities it would indeed be hard or impossible to detect, given everything else that goes on flavor/aroma-wise in a beer.
Have you tried adding a proportionally same amount to a pint of water to see if you can taste/smell it in there?

No I have not.

That's not an equivalent dilution, though...

Definitely a bit of exaggeration, but still makes the same point.

 

[TBA]

@dmtaylor vinegar, interesting. How do you calculate the amount needed?

 

[dmtaylor]

@dmtaylor vinegar, interesting. How do you calculate the amount needed?

Measure pH ahead and only add acid if the pH is too high. Add one glug for a small batch, two glugs for a big batch. Then stir well, and measure pH again. I've rarely had to add more than one or two glugs.

 

[Kickass]

If you use relatively larger amounts, it could cross the taste threshold,

I get this will likely be an “it depends” answer but, all things relative, how much would you expect to cross that in a 5 gallon batch?

 

[IslandLizard]

I get this will likely be an “it depends” answer but, all things relative, how much would you expect to cross that in a 5 gallon batch?

I don't know when you would start to taste vinegar in beer. It could be tested empirically, just add it dropwise to a pint of beer until you can just taste or smell it. That would be the threshold for you and that (kind of) beer.

There are taste/smell thresholds for each chemical (ions usually), and they can be quite individual.

Lactic Acid (or Acidulated Malt) being used for acidifying brewing water is a good example. The Lactate ion can enhance the beer, but also become intrusive.* when used in "higher" amounts (ppm = mg/liter). Same will hold true for vinegar, being diluted Acetic Acid.

https://braukaiser.com/wiki/index.php/Lactate_Taste_Threshold_experiment
* If larger amounts of acidification are needed, switching to a different acid or a blend may prevent that. Say, using Phosphoric Acid instead, having a much lower taste threshold, and is therefore used in many sodas, also for being pretty cheap.

Vinegar also has a much stronger smell than Lactic or Phosphoric Acid, so one may pick it up (detect it) faster.