biertourist
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- Apr 7, 2023
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This is one of those water subjects that I can't understand for the life of me...
In my way of thinking about water ions and their impact on mash pH, to me you have Bicarbonate (HCO3) on one side driving alkalinity up, and on the other, you have mostly Calcium fighting back to drive DOWN the Mash pH and Alkalinity (by reacting with malt phosphates) -yeah sometimes a few little Magnesium guys show up to help lower the pH / Alkalinity, too.
-If these are the driving forces of mash pH, then why are we always talking about Alkalinity in PPM of CaCO3 instead of ppm of Bicarbonate?!?
Even more confusing to me, why are we talking about both Alkalinity and Hardness (mortal enemies on either side of the pH "battle") using the same units of ppm of CaCO3?
Does it just make the math easier, or why on earth do we do this? Should I blame Paul Kolbach for this abomination or is someone else to blame? ;-)
Thanks to anyone who can make it even slightly less confusing...
Adam
In my way of thinking about water ions and their impact on mash pH, to me you have Bicarbonate (HCO3) on one side driving alkalinity up, and on the other, you have mostly Calcium fighting back to drive DOWN the Mash pH and Alkalinity (by reacting with malt phosphates) -yeah sometimes a few little Magnesium guys show up to help lower the pH / Alkalinity, too.
-If these are the driving forces of mash pH, then why are we always talking about Alkalinity in PPM of CaCO3 instead of ppm of Bicarbonate?!?
Even more confusing to me, why are we talking about both Alkalinity and Hardness (mortal enemies on either side of the pH "battle") using the same units of ppm of CaCO3?
Does it just make the math easier, or why on earth do we do this? Should I blame Paul Kolbach for this abomination or is someone else to blame? ;-)
Thanks to anyone who can make it even slightly less confusing...
Adam