MpH Water Calculator v4.2

Well, after a long hiatus a new -- and totally-redesigned-under-the-hood -- version of my brewing water calculator is now released:  MpH 4.2.

The equations used to calculate mash pH have been completely reworked.  The new equations are directly based on A.J. deLange's ideas regarding charge conservation when mixing different malts or adding acids to the mash.  The new calculator also leans heavily on experiments that Mick Spencer and I did on the grist pH and buffering capacity of a large number of malts (details of which can be found in the paper discussed in the previous post to this blog).  I must also give a shout out to all those homebrewers (on either the Beer Advocate Homebrewing Forum or HomeBrewTalk) who provided data so that I could nail down the last parameter that was required to make the whole thing go.

Has it really been nearly four years since I posted the last version?  I guess so.

Cheers!

A Homebrewing Perspective on Mash pH III: Distilled-Water pH and Buffering Capacity of the Grist

Yeah, it's about time for another post!

A colleague and I recently completed a study relevant to mash pH. Specifically, we have determined the distilled-water pH and buffering capacity of a number of grains used in brewing. We have not only collected new data -- mostly on noncrystal specialty malts and flaked grains -- but have also analyzed all the data that we could find in the literature and on the web.

Our results are in this paper:  A Homebrewing Perspective on Mash pH III:  Distilled-Water pH and Buffering Capacity of the Grist.

I hope you enjoy the read!  Cheers!

Brewing Water Calculator: MpH Water Calculator v3.0

Yes, here it is (drum roll, please), the long awaited update to my brewing-water calculator:  MpH Water Calculator v3.0.

The most significant changes are found on the Water Tab.  You can now enter ions for two water sources that you might mix for either mash or sparge water.  Typically one source is a municipal water supply while the other is RO or distilled, but the two sources can be from any two different water supplies.  In addition, the entries for the ions reflect the order that ions are reported in a typical water report from Ward Labs.  

I've also added BJCP 2015 style data, just for convenience.

The underlying model used to estimate mash pH is the same as previous versions of the calculator.  I'm currently working on a more fundamental (i.e., less phenomenological) model for the calculations.  With any luck this model will be implemented later this year.

As always, if you have any questions, use the comment section of this blog.  Cheers!

Brewing Water Calculator: MpH Water Calculator v2.0

So I have finally gotten around to updating my brewing water calculator; the current incarnation is MpH Water Calculator v2.0.  You may notice an increase in the number of sheets within the Excel workbook.  The goal of this increase is to make the calculator simpler to use.  Hopefully I've succeeded.  An instruction sheet leads things off.  You will likely find it helpful to refer to these instructions when first beginning to use the calculator.  Perhaps the biggest change is the water profiles sheet, which should be helpful as you design your water.  I've also added a sheet with BJCP style info, just for reference purposes.

As usual, feedback is welcome.  Cheers and Happy Brewing!

EDIT:  Here is a link to an .xls version for those using older versions of Excel:  MpH Water Calculator v2.0.xls.

Sparge Water Acidification

Interested in some of the science associated with reducing alkalinity in brewing liquor via the addition of acid? Then you may be interested in my latest homebrewing related article, Sparge Water Acidification. This article discusses why low alkalinity water is desirable for use in fly sparging, and how the addition of acid can be used to reduce the alkalinity to acceptable levels. Equations are provided that allow the homebrewer to calculate the amount of acid needed, although for the less adventurous, these equations are implemented in my brewing water workbook, MpH Water Calculator.

Happy brewing y'all, and cheers!

MpH Water Calculator v1.2

My brewing liquor workbook, MpH Water Calculator, is now updated to version 1.2.  (Note: the name has been expanded to make the purpose of the workbook more obvious.)  The new addition is a worksheet to calculate acid additions necessary to reduce carbonate alkalinity and bring the pH of the sparge water close to that of the mash.  Calculations for both lactic and phosphoric acid are provided.

Sparge water alkalinity reduction is desirable in order to help keep the mash pH from rising during the end of a fly sparge.  Such a rise is widely believed to be detrimental due to grain tannins being released into the liquor when the pH rises.  (This happens because the malt acidity becomes reduced towards the end of the sparge, allowing alkalinity in the sparge liquor to raise the pH in the grain bed.)

A companion paper, Sparge Water Acidification, describing the equations used in the worksheet, is in progress and will be posted here shortly.

Happy brewing y'all, and cheers!

Updated Brewing Water Spreadsheet

The ions in brewing water have two main effect with regards to the beer making process.  First, in conjunction with the grain bill, the ions determine the pH of the mash.  This is extensively discussed in earlier posts on this blog.  However, the overall ion content of the brewing water (used in the mash and for sparging) also affects the flavor of the final product.  It is thus desirable to keep track of the total ion content in one's brewing liquor.  The update to my brewing spreadsheet, MpH Calculator v1.1, now allows the homebrewer to easily keep track of the overall ion content of the water going into his/her beer.  Enjoy!