6 replies to this topic

[The Brew Dude]

I've been following HighTest for a while now. The meads I make always come out very good and I get requests all the time to sample my brews at my LHBS. So to that, I thank you, HT, for all you have done for my mead making! I noticed you moved over here (according to your website).Now to the question:I have been using potassium carbonate to adjust the pH of my batches. It got to the point where, as HT's FAQ suggests, I just put in 1g per gallon of mead must as a standard practice. However, I have been doing this prior to yeast pitch. As I have been thinking about it, it is conceivable that this would raise the pH of the must at yeast pitch high enough to risk favorable conditions for infection, and perhaps make it too high for favorable conditions of the yeast (if that's even a concept). It would certainly be easier just to add during mixing prior to yeast pitch, which is why I have been doing it this way, but I worry I'm unnecessarily opening a door to poor yeast health and infection. So the question becomes:Is it better to add the potassium carbonate prior to yeast pitch, or wait until after fermentation begins and the pH begins to drop?

[Hightest]

IMO, it is better to add the carbonate prior to the need to take corrective action - before the pH drops to a problematic value that stresses the yeast.If you measure the pH with a calibrated digital probe prior to, and shortly after, adding the carbonate (or bicarbonate), you will see that the amounts I suggest adding only change the pH by a few tenths (0.2-0.4). During the development of the basis for my FAQ, I added the chemicals both before and after yeast pitching without any adverse effects.

[The Brew Dude]

Good to know. Thanks as always!

[Hightest]

Good to know. Thanks as always!

And thank you for the kind words...

[The Brew Dude]

And thank you for the kind words...

You are most welcome. They are well deserved.

[strangebrewer]

On a separate note... Brew Dude good to see you again and welcome!

[The Brew Dude]

On a separate note... Brew Dude good to see you again and welcome!

Thank you. As you might imagine, the economy has played havoc with my job. Still at the same place, but I'm now working two roles as I transition into a job that focuses on a different area of technology. I now have travel restrictions (heh), so travel has cut down for me (but not eliminated). Now that I'm past the usual convention season, I can get back into brewing a few batches. It's good to be "back".