Home Distiller

I've been doing a lot of reading to learn more about the whole process during fermentation. I know all yeasts have their place, temps and times. I know Ph drops significantly throughout fermentation. What I haven't found, let's say for bakers yeast, what is the best PH to start the ferment? I just tested my well water and it's roughly at 6.5.

I've had ferment drop to low during the process and have had to amend the ph to get things rolling again. I'm just trying to make sure I do the best I can to give the yeast a happy start.

Mine is 6.8
My sugar washes stall without oyster shell at the start. They ginish at 4.6 in three to five days.

BoisBlancBoy wrote: I know Ph drops significantly throughout fermentation. What I haven't found, let's say for bakers yeast, what is the best PH to start the ferment

Are we talking about a sugar wash, all grain mash or fruit ferment or some variation of all the above

shadylane wrote:

BoisBlancBoy wrote: I know Ph drops significantly throughout fermentation. What I haven't found, let's say for bakers yeast, what is the best PH to start the ferment

Are we talking about a sugar wash, all grain mash or fruit ferment or some variation of all the above

Hahaha, good call. Forgot to specify that. For now I'm just worried about sugar washes.

Since a sugar wash doesn't have anything to buffer it, the pH will fall fast.

shadylane wrote:Since a sugar wash doesn't have anything to buffer it, the pH will fall fast.

How does malt in an all grain buffer?

I have read that high malt bills are not as subseptible to ph crashes, but why? I'm trying to get deeper into ph these days.

shadylane wrote:Since a sugar wash doesn't have anything to buffer it, the pH will fall fast.

Correct my question was, what is the best ph to start out with that makes the yeast happy?

BoisBlancBoy wrote:...my question was, what is the best ph to start out with that makes the yeast happy?

They'll be "happy" if you start out neutral (pH 7.0). But they will tolerate a slight acidic (or basic) environment. But yeast nutrients can often adjust the pH downward. Plus, the grain mash pH can be acidic as well.

Shoot for 7.0 pH and your yeast will be elated. But it may mean that you have to add a bunch of stuff to get it there. So, if your wash/mash it 5.5 pH or higher, you should be OK. With a sugar wash, which has a tendancy to lower the pH as it ferments, it is wise to add some calcium carbonate to help buffer it (keep it from crashing).
ss

Thanks. That brings the question, for birdwatchers, why would I want to add the lemon juice effectively dropping the ph even before the fermenting starts?

Actually I found this article just now: http://www.clawhammersupply.com/blogs/m ... -and-yeast" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" rel="nofollow

BoisBlancBoy wrote:

shadylane wrote:Since a sugar wash doesn't have anything to buffer it, the pH will fall fast.

Correct my question was, what is the best ph to start out with that makes the yeast happy?

7 down to 5.0
Too high of a pH and bacteria isn't inhibited.
Too low and the yeast is also
I don't adjust the pH down for the yeasts sake, only for the needs of enzymes
I think the recipes that use lemon juice do so to invert the sucrose sugar.

BoisBlancBoy wrote:Thanks. That brings the question, for birdwatchers, why would I want to add the lemon juice effectively dropping the ph even before the fermenting starts?

Good question. IMO the recipe is wrong here. Only if you have very hard water you should add acid at the beginning. Or better: This recipe needs an update, adding at least optional calcium carbonate. To add citric acid AND calcium carb at the beginning is the best version IMO. 1tsp citric acid and 1tbsp calcium carb per 10-20l.

The PH of your water is meaningless. It's all about the alkalinity, its buffering capabilities. You can have DI (deionized water) with a ph of 7 and a hard mineral water, laden with
calcium that will have a ph of 7. A sugar wash made with the DI water will crash horribly because it has no buffering capabilities, where the hard mineral water may hold up because of
its buffering capabilities. Soft water is better for making beer (malt mashes) because the malt provides most nutrients and buffers, it's also easier to add salts to water than it is to remove them.
I make alot of beer, so I occasionally send my water out to be tested and know exactly what's in it and make fairly accurate ph predictions.

ShineonCrazyDiamond wrote:I have read that high malt bills are not as subseptible to ph crashes, but why? I'm trying to get deeper into ph these days.

HERE is a homebrew thread briefly explaining.

So really any sugar wash is not going to be hurt only possibly helped if you were to added "oyster shells" to help buffer the ph? Since they are so cheap why not add them is my thinking.

BoisBlancBoy wrote:...Since they are so cheap why not add them is my thinking.

+1.
Many here add a handful of oyster shells to sugar washes routinely...me included. When mashing grains, I don't.

I have the same opinion as SS
Also don't forget a yeast bomb and careful temp control