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	FORUM ON BEER, HOMEBREWING, AND RELATED ISSUES
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Contents:
  RE: pH adjustment with organic or inorganic acids (Fred L Johnson)
  Re: pH adjustment with organic or inorganic acids? (5839) (Gordon Strong)
  Re: pH adjustment with organic or inorganic acids? (mossview5)


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Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 06:23:44 -0400
From: Fred L Johnson <FLJohnson52 at nc.rr.com>
Subject: RE: pH adjustment with organic or inorganic acids

Richard (Curt) Bird asks about using organic versus inorganic acids for
adjusting the pH of sparge water. I think the primary reason for using a
mineral acid (e.g., phosphoric) rather than an organic acid (e.g., citric,
lactic, and acetic) is that the mineral acids are much stronger acids and
require much less mass to do the job. I also suspect that sulfuric acid and
hydrochloric acids--very strong acids--are not usually used only because they
are a little dangerous because of their strength, especially in high
concentrations. 

Does anyone know if it is more difficult/expensive to produce sulfuric and
hydrochloric acid in a food grade compared to phosphoric acid?

I suspect the flavor impact of the mineral acids is also much lower than for
organic acids. Most brewers are looking to NOT affect the flavor of the beer
at this point in the process. (Salt additions are a different story.)

Fred L Johnson

Apex, North Carolina, USA

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Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 06:45:50 -0400
From: Gordon Strong <strongg42 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: pH adjustment with organic or inorganic acids? (5839)

Richard Bird compliments my book and asks some questions about pH adjustment
with various acids.

Thanks, Richard, glad you're enjoying it, and yes, I'm here.

Certainly you can adjust pH with any acid; that part is simple chemistry. My
concern is any residual flavors that might come along as a side effect of
adjusting pH. I'm particularly concerned about using acids that will leave
an impression of typical brewing faults in the mind of the beer consumer,
lactic and acetic in particular. My opinion is that phosphoric gives the
most neutral profile for beer, so that's why I use it.

However, if you do want the flavor of other acids as part of the finished
beer, then by all means experiment with different acids. Sour beer styles
are a special case, so normal rules don't really apply there. In general, I
think the sourness developed from bacteria and yeast is more complex and
appealing in sour styles than the sourness you get from simple acid
additions, so I wouldn't look at adding acids as a substitute for the
traditional methods. But those acids could add an additional dimension that
you might like. Go for it. As always, let your palate be your guide and
select methods that give you the results that are most appealing to you. You
may discover some interesting combinations that haven't been tried before,
so I don't want to discourage experimentation. Just be sure you assess the
results of your experiments before deciding whether to add those methods to
your brewing repertoire.

Gordon Strong
Beavercreek, Ohio

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Date: Fri, 13 May 2011 09:05:13 -0400
From: mossview5 <mossview5 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: pH adjustment with organic or inorganic acids?

The flavor neutrality of phosphoric acid has long made it a favorite
of brewers.  The moderate flavor and ability to conform to the
Whiningheinygotsbutt requirements has made lactic acid nearly as
welcome.   I have toyed with the idea of using more flavorful acids in
my brewing and its not far-fetched in some styles.  Acids such as
Acetic, Citric, Malic, and Tartaric acids are not out of bounds in
brewing.

Acetic might be a stretch in many styles, but there are styles such as
Wood-aged and Sour Styles that this could be a good complexity-adding
ingredient that avoids the risk of acetobactor infection.

With the propensity of citrus-mimicking hops in American Ales, adding
an additional component via Citric acid is not outlandish.

Both Tartaric and Malic acids are typical in fruits and could be used
to add fruit nuances to a beer.  Malic acid is intensely sour tasting,
so it might not be ideal in brewing.  Both of these acids are present
in wine, so maybe adding these acids could help promote that
perception.  Acid Blend is a composition of Tartaric, Malic, and
Citric acids that could also find a place in beer.

The point I'm trying to make is that this is a component that could
expand our perceptions of beer flavor.  It seems we are quite focused
on minimizing acid flavor in most beer styles.  In many cases that is
desirable, but I'm hoping that other brewers will join me in exploring
the use of other acids in brewing.

Martin Brungard

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