I have been focusing on making NEIPAs for a year and a half now. I've recently been adjusting my final beer pH with acid, in order to achieve a final beer pH of about 4.2 -- 4.4. The beers are usually 4.8 -- 4.9 post ferm, which is mostly due to heavy dry hopping (3.5lb/BBL charge), which increases pH. As I am still a start-up, I operate out of 5gal corny kegs still. My process so far has been to crash the carboys, close-loop transfer into a purged keg, seal the keg, and take a pH reading. After this, my process is to unscrew the gas-IN port, put in whatever acid I determine it will need, seal it back up, take another pH reading, and rinse and repeat if it's still not within desired band. Recently, I have been using Phosphoric Acid 10%, at about 140mL quantity (which results in about 0.9% into finished beer, or 9,000 PPM). After carbonation and letting the beer condition for a few days, when the beer is "ready", I've noticed that the flavor and aroma are stunted and different. I can clearly taste the phosphoric acid, and on top of that, it seems to severely damage the flavor and aroma that was once there, leaving behind an NEIPA that is pretty weak.
I have been trying to get all beers within 4.2 -- 4.4 because of heavy research indicating that this pH band results in the most crisp / refreshing / flavorful drinking experience. Based on my experience, I agree - beer within this pH range tastes the best.
My question - isn't Phosphoric Acid supposed to be flavor/odor-less? If it is - with that being said - might it still have enough of an aroma that it conflicts with the volatile aroma oils from the hops? Am I using too much phosphoric, and need to switch to a different acid? Perhaps should I just aim to reduce the pH of my casting wort to 4.5 instead of 5.0 - which assumes that the fermentation process will take care of any flavor/aroma from the acid?
I am anxious for your help on this. Thanks and cheers.
I have been trying to get all beers within 4.2 -- 4.4 because of heavy research indicating that this pH band results in the most crisp / refreshing / flavorful drinking experience. Based on my experience, I agree - beer within this pH range tastes the best.
My question - isn't Phosphoric Acid supposed to be flavor/odor-less? If it is - with that being said - might it still have enough of an aroma that it conflicts with the volatile aroma oils from the hops? Am I using too much phosphoric, and need to switch to a different acid? Perhaps should I just aim to reduce the pH of my casting wort to 4.5 instead of 5.0 - which assumes that the fermentation process will take care of any flavor/aroma from the acid?
I am anxious for your help on this. Thanks and cheers.
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