Mash Acidification

[Sadfield]

Think some breweries use the HLT for all sorts of purposes like cleaning too. With the volumes of hot water they need for many purposes it’s easier to have it stored in bulk in a big tank that is topped up as you draw it off.

Yes, you can clean with treated water from the HLT. It doesn't work very well the opposite way around, brewing with water only suitable for cleaning.

Either way, when it comes to adding acid, it's still needs clarification of the objective for doing so. Acidify alone is too ambiguous.

Brewers add acid at mashing. Yet, strike water pH is irrelevant. The addition is either to the water to reduce alkalinity in the liqour or to directly lower the mash pH.

 

[foxy]

I think crescent city Mike covered it. Mash water should be in 5.2 to 5.6 pH range. The potential of excessive tannin extraction will be attributed to a higher pH in the sparge water. On a professional level the pH of sparge is 6.0 so the professional brewers will stop sparging when that figure is reached. If the mash pH was on the higher side then it would be wise to reduce the pH of the sparge water. There is no consideration of the buffering capacity of the grain so an addition of acid is all that is needed to drop the pH. (Briggs Brewing Science)

 

[Hazelwood Brewery]

I treat my full volume of water with both calcium salts and acid. I do this because it helps lower pH in the mash and of the sparge water, and precipitates proteins and oxylates in the boil helping to produce clear beer and reduce stalling.

Speaking of sparging I’ve also been gradually reducing the temperature of the sparge water and now sparge with water at about 40-45 degrees with no noticeable effect from the reduction. It’s kinder on my sparge pump, saves energy, and cools the grain bed so I can clean up sooner without scalding my hands.

 

[hoppyscotty]

The only rule about sparge temp (and mash out temp) as far as I can see is to not go above 85 degrees because the temp pulls astringency out of the husks.

Personally I tend to aim for a sparge temp of 75 degrees...the same as my mash out temp. I find on my 3v system where I can control the sparge rate that by the time the sparge has finished you're just about coming upto the boil so cancels out the additional time of the much longer sparge I can achieve vs my Brewzilla where the sparge can be done and dusted in a matter of a few minutes if its a loose grist and the sparge water just runs through so I've just effectively paralleled the sparge and kettle heating processes. Hot grain's not an issue as I use a little scoop to scoop into a large bucket then it can cool until I've finished the brewday when I then take it round to a local small holding for the pigs.

 

[Sadfield]

Edited due to bleary-eyed misread.

This is the best take in the subject. If you aren't getting astringency, then don't bother.

https://beerandgardeningjournal.com/acidify-sparge-water/