StillSmart

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-06-02T23:15:12+00:00

I have to report that having just dissolved 5kg of Lidl's Belbake refined sugar in 23 litres of water and 5Kg of Aldi's Pantry brand refined in another 23,there is still a colour difference,but negligible Ph difference,a consistent point 1,ie,6.3 and 6.4.
Nothing to write home about,So the colour difference,and any ferment difference is not due to Ph.
What a waste of a good theory...
I intend to feed them the same amount of goodies and look for ferment differences.
If it's not Ph or heat then it must be............?

Robert

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Tue Jun 02, 2015 11:15 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-28T04:40:42+00:00

If my case it is not the refiner, there is only one aside from speciality sugars. You have a choice between Rogers, Rogers, and for a change of pace, Rogers. Though they may have multiple refineries.

With the correct pH, this wash has really taken off. Now I am wondering if this is the cause of many odd ferments that I have had over the year or so.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Thu May 28, 2015 4:40 am

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-27T23:44:49+00:00

Chuck,have you read my bonkers post in the S.L.O.W. lentils thread?
You are saying that your water or sugar has changed,I'm starting to think that different sugar refineries produce sugar of different qualities,at the level that matters to yeast,could even be the packaging...
I could just be bonkers...
But if a refinery uses local water to dissolve/extract sugar from cane or beet,and then dries the resulting syrup,maybe a more acidic local water source would result in a more acidic refined sugar?
Maybe adding acid in the process strips out more sugar?
Is there an industry Standard for sugar Ph?
Next wash I will test various sugars for Ph,and see what results.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Wed May 27, 2015 11:44 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-27T03:56:57+00:00

Well, isn't that interesting. Made up a fresh lentil wash tonight with fresh pH buffer (e.g. I am sure I followed the correct formula). I checked the pH before pitching the yeast. It was a bit over 7. So something has changed in my water or sugar (I checked before adding the lentils) and the pH buffer is not bringing it to 5 like it used to. My tap water is about 6.5 or a bit higher.

So it was not rising pH but the pH not falling as the yeast was not very active after the initial spurt. I added some extra citric acid to bring it to 5 (4 tsp so far) and will monitor it. Time to recalculate the buffer formula.

Chuck

Statistics: Posted by chill — Wed May 27, 2015 3:56 am

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-19T18:16:25+00:00

chill wrote:
I would not say well. I sprinkled it on top and gave it a couple of stirs with a small spoon. A couple hours laters it was fizzing again.

I was wondering if you had inadvertently given it a good beating. That well know cure for stuck ferments. Maybe not

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Tue May 19, 2015 6:16 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-19T16:00:30+00:00

Baking soda. Start slow with around 2-3 tsp. Measure and adjust. It will likely dive again. There are some threads on here about pH buffers which I find needed for my local conditions.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Tue May 19, 2015 4:00 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-19T14:32:58+00:00

if the PH is around 3 what can we use to bring it back upto 5.2 ?

Statistics: Posted by Jaggie — Tue May 19, 2015 2:32 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-17T17:16:25+00:00

I would not say well. I sprinkled it on top and gave it a couple of stirs with a small spoon. A couple hours laters it was fizzing again.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Sun May 17, 2015 5:16 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-19T18:14:18+00:00

Ph will swing in a wash. PH is a complex subject and certainly not linear. This is more likely to be the symptom and not the cause. Did you stir in the citric acid well?

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Sun May 17, 2015 4:30 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-17T16:13:26+00:00

It started with a good, bubbling crust on it. I don't think that was just the initial multiplication phase, but I could be wrong.

Statistics: Posted by chill — Sun May 17, 2015 4:13 pm

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-17T08:16:42+00:00

I've been thinking about this also,

Is it possible the PH was 7 in the first place and the yeast you added just didn't get going?

Maybe you got some action as the yeast was initially multiying but the ph being to high stopped it in its tracks until you dropped it to 5 with some citric acid.

Statistics: Posted by Anavrin — Sun May 17, 2015 8:16 am

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-17T01:16:17+00:00

Last week,I had two buckets of the same wash,started as three,in an effort to control the yeast monster.After initial vigorous ferment I recombined to two buckets as usual,so some commonality there.
One I racked off,left a day and then racked to still,two days ago,at.990 and stripped.
The other,three days later,I have given up on at 1.000,and racked off.
The OP of this topic,drove me to check pH on it- 3.1.
The temperature of the wash when checked agreed with the aquarium heater too.
Yeast Gremlins me thinks.

Robert.

Statistics: Posted by Easydrinker — Sun May 17, 2015 1:16 am

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-16T07:45:21+00:00

Given this dose the yeast is probably just exiting the lag stage. I have never seen it - but I have not been looking. How many of us just make sure it is started and then just keep an eye on the temps.??

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Sat May 16, 2015 7:45 am

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-16T06:58:07+00:00

I've been pondering this prob over the last few days because I've had lots of time waiting around with nothing else to do. I've racked through the few remaining brain cells I have and haven't come up with any experience that might help with this.

I have never come across a rising pH in a wash - ever! The only thing I can think might create such a phenomenon is some kind of infection but I'm clutching at straws

AidanMac

Statistics: Posted by Almanac — Sat May 16, 2015 6:58 am

Re: Rising pH WTF?!!?

2015-05-16T06:42:45+00:00

given the acuracy of the stat,is probably 2 degrees is it worth setting it a bit lower.

Also we are coming into summer and the ambient air temp in rising.

Statistics: Posted by Mash — Sat May 16, 2015 6:42 am