PH chart

[HerbMeowing]

More from Bru'n Water:
The sheet includes information on the total mineral and acid quantities needed for both the mashing and sparging water. The estimated mash pH is also shown. The mash pH cell changes color to signal how the estimated pH compares to the optimum range (5.3 to 5.5). The cell is GREEN when the estimated pH is within that range and ORANGE when just outside that range. The cell turns RED when the estimated pH falls outside the recommended range of 5.2 to 5.8.

[MadBrewer]

I have used what is mentioned in Bru'n Water in regards to ph.

For lighter beers or those that benefit from crispness 5.2-5.3
For lighter colored beers 5.3-5.4
For darker colored beer 5.4-5.5

I have heard many pro brewers talk about 5.3-5.4 for hoppy beers and at least 5.4 and often as high as 5.6 for dark beers. Going higher for darker beers seem to smooth out the roast character, making for good Stouts and Porters. Going too low with darker beers can make them thin and acidic. Going to high with lighter beers can make them taste dull and even harsh.

Those same ranges play a role in fermentability as well, maybe only slightly but they do. A lower mash temp will lend a more fermentable beer while a higher ph will help make it less fermentable. I target 5.3-5.4 for the most part unless doing a dark beer like Porter or Stout. On my next lager I will try targeting 5.2 or so.

[Beer-lord]

As I continue to OD on learning water as well as bugging the crap out of the Borg, I decided to put the same exact recipe and info into EZ water, Bru'n Water (not the free version, the donated version) and Brewer's Friend to see how they compare.
Brewer's Friend and EZ Water, after adding Lactic Acid, were 5.36 and 5.39 respectively and Bru'n Water was 5.5. A bigger difference than I expected. I double checked and I have the exact same info in all 3 so the variance is obviously in their parameters.
I think I'll stick with EZ Water as it's let me make some much better beers before I started with RO so I will continue with it on my next few RO recipes and maybe later, try some 50/50 water on brew days when I don't always have time to produce enough RO fast enough.
I have to say that as much as this bugs me that I'm making this harder than it needs to be, the nerd in me enjoys this crap!

[ScrewyBrewer]

I've been using the information below as a guide for the recommended pH range and then applying the theory to the style of beer that's being brewed. Increased pH improves mouthfeel and decreased pH provides less mouthfeel, up to a point. Of course, and on occasion, keeping the mash pH within the recommended range of 5.4 to 5.6 can be overruled at times and still make a good tasting beer.

"It all breaks down to this, with your mash pH staying nearer to the lower end of the recommended pH range, you'll get better conversion a more fermentable wort that's clear, colorful and flavorful with a very low risk of tannin extraction. Towards the upper end of the recommended pH range, you'll still get better conversion a slightly less fermentable wort that's clear, colorful and flavorful with a very low risk of tannin extraction."

[MadBrewer]

As I continue to OD on learning water as well as bugging the crap out of the Borg, I decided to put the same exact recipe and info into EZ water, Bru'n Water (not the free version, the donated version) and Brewer's Friend to see how they compare.
Brewer's Friend and EZ Water, after adding Lactic Acid, were 5.36 and 5.39 respectively and Bru'n Water was 5.5. A bigger difference than I expected. I double checked and I have the exact same info in all 3 so the variance is obviously in their parameters.
I think I'll stick with EZ Water as it's let me make some much better beers before I started with RO so I will continue with it on my next few RO recipes and maybe later, try some 50/50 water on brew days when I don't always have time to produce enough RO fast enough.
I have to say that as much as this bugs me that I'm making this harder than it needs to be, the nerd in me enjoys this crap!

I have also found variances in different water programs as far as ph estimation. Thing is, they are just estimates. Every program seems to calculate things just a bit differently. I have all 3 versions of EZ Water and 3 different versions of Bru'n Water including the version you get with a dontation. I no longer use version 1 or 2 of EZ water. As far as Bru'n Water, the pay version has some nice upgrades and seems to be the most accurate. To give an example, my last batch, an Altbier I brewed on Sunday morning was a basic recipe, no salt additions, only 2.5 ml of acid into the mash and my ph estimates where as follows and I'm only doing this to show that I have also seen what you mentioned:

EZ Water v 2.0 : ph 5.2
EZ Water v 3.0 : ph 5.46
Older Free version Bru'n Water : ph 5.2
New Free version Bru'n Water : ph 5.3
Pay Version Bru'n Water : 5.34

My actual room temp sample mash ph was 5.35. So the Pay version of Bru'n Water seems to take the cake. I only donated $10 to get it and I got an email from Martin thanking me and giving me my version which also gives me emails for upgrades in the future. Nothing wrong with EZ water, I used it for years but it doesn't do what Bru'n Water does, especially the pay version. If anyone is going to stick with EZ Water, personally I have not found it as accurate as I would like, results may vary and be better for those using RO water but I do not. What I have found with EZ water is it is typcially .1 higher on it's estimation than actual ph. Just like with my batch on Sunday, EZ water estimated 5.46 where my actual was 5.35.

[Beer-lord]

The next few times I'll make the first addition, see where I am and then make any tweaks then see which software works best for me. Personally, I'm not a fan of Brewer's Friend. Though a nice program, I think it requires more input than I care to do for what I get out of it.

[ScrewyBrewer]

Over the last year or more I've recorded the pH, salt and mineral additions for around a dozen or so different beer styles ranging from dark Stouts to light Kolsch beer. I do use RO water as a base for the water profiles I build and that does eliminate a lot of the guesswork associated with seasonal variations in well or tap water. Initially I used a pH meter to verify the actual pH readings of the brewing water, after adjusting the pH based on what was recommended by EZwater and Bru-n Water and yes there were some differences.

Now when brewing a beer style that I've brewed before I just look through my notes and add the same adjustments to the RO water that were used before, it saves me a lot of time. Taking pH readings of the mash and of the fermented beer as well as the brewing water are also good ways to determine how accurate the actual pH is for a particular style. If my memory is correct this morning, as I sip the first morning cup of coffee, my finished beer is typically in the 4.3 - 4.5 pH range which I believe is the sweet spot for most styles.