Acidulated malt advice, anyone?

[kunz.jamesj (kraftwerk)]

So next up is an Apricot American Wheat. I’ve heard good things about acidulated malt but have never used it. I have a bag of American pale on hand and want to keep this one on the cheap so I’m thinking something like this:

4.5 lb Pale malt
4.5 lb Wheat malt
1.5 lb Munich II
?    lb Acidulated malt

1.0 oz Columbus 60 min
1.0 oz Amarillo 60 min
0.5 oz Columbus 10 min
0.5 oz Amarillo 10 min

2.0 lb Apricot puree with stones in secondary
2.0 oz Amarillo dry hop in secondary

Thoughts on the acidulated malt? I really want to go nice and tart with this one to complement the fruity aroma and nice bitterness. Thanks for any and all advice!

[jmcamerlengo]

Acidulated malt should not account for more than 3% of your grist to avoid that heavy lactic twang.

Whats your water like? With a beer thats pale in color you may need some significant acidity.  I would use Bru’n water to calculate just how much acidulated malt you would need to get your ph around 5.2.

[majorvices]

Acidulated malt is only used to adjust the pH. I doubt you would want to use it to add any tartness. I would go with yeast selection for tartness.

For pH adjustment I actually find it easier to simply use lactic acid or salts. Acidulated malt was basically invented by German brewers to adjust pH while keeping in bounds of rhineheitsgebot, since they would  not be allowed to add acid.

[jmcamerlengo]

@majorvices

Acidulated malt is only used to adjust the pH. I doubt you would want to use it to add any tartness. I would go with yeast selection for tartness.

For pH adjustment I actually find it easier to simply use lactic acid or salts. Acid ulster malt was basically invented by German brewers to adjust pH while keeping in bounds of rhineheitsgebot, since they would  not be allowed to add acid.

THis. I prefer using lactic and phosphoric acid as well, however some have said the lactic taste is smoother with acidulated malt, I cannot attest to this however.

[kylekohlmorgen]

Buy over-ripe, almost rotten peaches. Rinse them in luke-warm water to get any dirt off.

The acid-producing bacteria on the skins of the fruit will give you a nice, lemony, tartness without the lactic “twang”.

DFH produces Festina Lente this way.

PS - i like that you’re adding the stone in the secondary. Hopefully that gives you some depth. I’ll probably steal that idea on my next peach wheat!

[kunz.jamesj (kraftwerk)]

@majorvices

Acidulated malt is only used to adjust the pH. I doubt you would want to use it to add any tartness. I would go with yeast selection for tartness.

Noted. Thanks! I’m still getting acquainted with pH. What should I shoot for with this mash?

[majorvices]

5.2-5.4 is the range you should shoot for for best conversion - note that this is assuming the mash is cooled to 60-70 degrees.

[pawtucket_patriot]

FWIW, I acidify my mash – when necessary – exclusively with Weyermann acid malt.  It yields a predictable result when you follow Weyermann’s suggested usage rate.  To lower pH by .1, use 1% acid malt.  I used to use lactic acid, but I could never seem to nail the pH with mL additions of LA88 as accurately as I seem to do with acid malt.

[majorvices]

Thanks, I’ll remember that. Never knew that was the key.

[hopfenundmalz]

FWIW, I acidify my mash – when necessary – exclusively with Weyermann acid malt.  It yields a predictable result when you follow Weyermann’s suggested usage rate.  To lower pH by .1, use 1% acid malt.  I used to use lactic acid, but I could never seem to nail the pH with mL additions of LA88 as accurately as I seem to do with acid malt.

That is the rule of thumb from Weyermann’s, but they say nothong about the water used in their experiments, or its buffering. There is a .pdf on their webpage that covers the 0.1 per 1% rule, with some data.

Edit - as always use you calibrated pH meter to see what value the mash is at.