CHECK YOUR pH! Strips and Meters to make Mead and Wine
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- Testing pH of our brews is becoming part of our routine. We've used a basic pH meter for some time now, but many have asked about pH test strips. So, how do they compare? Which should YOU use for making homemade mead, wine, cider and beer?
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I actually ordered some more accurate pH strips since this was recorded. I'll keep you updated how they work!
I've used both a meter and strips at home and at work. At work we went away from the old Hach color wheels and PH test strips decades ago because, quite frankly most men are at least mildly color blind. Just ask our wives.
I am not at all colorblind. More men than women are, but, I wouldn't say most men are colorblnd.
Most men are certainly not colorblind...
The professional pH strips with multiple "spots" should be more than enough for brewery purposes. Problem could only be strongly colored brews. If I recall correctly you can get them for different pH ranges and they typically measure in 0.1 increments. But I agree with other comments, you shouldn't dip them. Rather drip some of the liquid on them to avoid leaking anything into your brew.
The problem with the meters is they can be finicky and are constantly questionable (especially the cheap ones). pH strips on the other hand are practically impossible to ruin at home as long as kept dry and dark. So certainly a better call for the majority of hobby brewers
Agreed :)
I think the pH paper works awesome if you get used to it. At the lab, I usually take a pipette and drizzle some over the pH paper to not contaminate the liquid with chemicals.
Also, water is hard to measure because you are not really measuring anything. It is a lot easier to measure the wind direction and speed then to measure the absence of wint.
If you want more accuracy with strips there are those with a limited range. For example only showing acidic pH 0-7 or only alkaline 7-14.
Oh, and you might not want to stick strips in your drink or sample you're going to throw back. They can, and probably will, leach out chemicals. But on the other hand it will only be a very small amount.
Good point.
THIS. So much this.
I grow plants hydroponically as a career and have a lot of experience with budget PH pens, expensive pens, and test strips. Word of caution on the cheap pens, they frequently fall out of calibration and have a tendency to fail quickly. At least in my experience. If you don't need super accurate readings I would suggest just going with strips. If you need or want more accurate readings then save time, headache, and money by going with a higher end PH meter. Apera PH60 is an excellent option, but it comes in at around $100. It has replaceable parts and comes with a warranty as well. Plenty of other reliable options out there but Ive had great results with the PH60. I use it almost daily.
Another great video as always!
I've actually worked in the waterworks industry for the last 30 years both in treatment and distribution.
Your water could very well be up around 8. That wouldnt be unusual at all. Our source water is 6.5 so we treat it to raise it to 7.5-7.6
If you're looking for a ph target for fermentation i would test the water after adding it to the fermentor and adjust it accordingly keeping in mind that the fruit will affect the ph.There are many different ways to treat water but too many to go into here.
If you have any questions you think i could help with, shoot me a message/comment.
-Peace
my tap water is between 8 and 9, their primary reason for this is acidic water corrodes pipes.
@@WorldofKlown Ph is highly influenced by the source water depending on the region you live in too. I'm guessing your source water is surface water. High ph can cause taste and odor, water deposits and suppress disinfectants. There are whole home treatment systems that can balance the ph but those can be cost prohibitive. I've heard some people use lemon juice to balance the water but I've never done it so I don't know how it affects the taste of their brews.
@@Aaron-hk6st I'm actually lucky in that Portland, OR tap water is pretty good, *Nearly distilled (from the Bull Run reservoir). My TDS meter usually sits around 6ppm. According to the water bureau here's a little chloramine, and the pH is from added sodium carbonate to protect the pipes. AFAIK most local breweries(and we have a LOT) just use straight tap water without treatment.
I ordered a PH meter awhile back and once I discovered they needed calibrated, I switched to PH strips. Thanks for proving both work well.
Yup, both work really well. We prefer the strips now though.
Thanks guys, im glad you did this video, I was torn between a ph meter and litmus paper, in the end I got some wine ph strips that range between 2.8 and 4.4, they seem to work really well.
Awesome. The ones we got are very basic... there are better ones like what you have.
The only issue with limited ranged litmus is if it is really high, you don't know if you need to add a tiny or small amount of acid to get within range.
When I was doing higher level science at college we had acidic, basic and general litmus papers, the colour differential gives for the acid or base more accuracy IF you know it is one or the other. Of course this was well before the digital readers😢
Thank you. I was debating which to get. I was leaning towards pH strips. I like the convenience, compact and no electronics involved with strips. Was not sure which pH testing to go with. You answered my question.
The strips may also have some disadvantage in heavily colored brews. That may skew the reading. I am little weak with colors and have a brew that uses molasses as fermentable and leaves dark stains even with small spills. I might go for the electronic pH meter. In many cases the strips seem to be valid though.
Like with other measurements good enough is good enough.
Yes. I’ve had this problem with blackberries and blueberries.
Thanks for this. I switched to strips after my meter decided to no longer give a reading (it always stayed on 4.5), and not needing to be precise I am glad to know that the strips basically work just as well.
I was surprised really. They seem to work just as well and some are even more closely calibrated so easier to get a good reading.
I have strips and for basic home brerwing levels for yeast functioning they are more than enough, BUT if you are developing perfect to reproduce recipies then I think the accuracy of the meter could be the way to go for commerial level brewing. I know Beer Makers test it often at certian stages and make adjustments so the end product is the same from batch to batch. I don't always use my strips but if I am going nuts with acidic fruit I need to know so the yeast will function well and are happy. The pH meters is and added cost for new brewers that is just not needed really.
I love when you two do this style videos, it is informative and broke down to basic common sense knowledge which is more useful to most. I have a meter coming but I am going to that commercial end for my recipies. Cheers from MT! Have a wonderful holiday season.
Thanks!
Maybe you could show how to calibrate the meter and see if it makes a difference afterwords.
We were planning something like that but, being they were so close... seems it's not out of calibration.
OMG! You guys really need to make my White Pyment! If you are interested, let me know, and I'll send you my recipe.
It is the first immediate 10 in my 4 years of brewing!
Thank you so much for providing me with the knowledge to create something so wonderful ❤
My only regret is that I only made a half gallon, because I wasn't sure whether it would work out, or even taste good 😢
Did you use white grape juice? If so, did it have potassium metabisulfite in it? I've been unable to find any white grape juice without K meta. (I did use it once, and it did ferment, but well short of the yeast's alcohol tolerance.)
@@julietardos5044 yes I used white grape juice. It was some kind of organic white grape from kroger. Fermented completely dry from 1.100 to 0.996.
And then back sweetened to 1.010
Absolutely no sulfates or anything. Ingredients were just water concentrated white grape juice and vitamin c
You can reuse the calibration liquid. Just keep it in small mason jars. It'll last for many calibrations. The ph doesn't change.
Good to know!
@@CitySteadingBrewsthe instructions on the sachets say the calibration liquid can be kept for up to 3 months. I had mine for over a year and it was still fine. Ditched it when I found mildew in the lid of the bottle.
Hey Brian and Derricka!!! Happy Holidays. I bottled 9 bottles 2 days ago.... Based on many of the lessons you have taught us per your awesome channel. It's all gone.....already .... It was that much of a smash to my family. Thank you. I'm a star now. The next batch will be epic. You two are the best! Merry Christmas!!! Thank you!!!!!
Happy to help :)
pH straps worked great for me as a beginner until I got a meter...
EXCEPT for colored meads.
Melomels, coffeemels, dark ingredients will change the color on the strip and can make identifying the actual reading difficult.
Yep, a dark red wine is impossible to test ph with a strip, I can’t tell what’s what!
In the uk you can buy test strips in a shorter range for wine, or beer, etc. so with 0.2ph increments. More useful thank 0-14ph strips.
One thing to remember, chlorine used to treat tap water is not removed through filtration and doesn't completely evaporate while sitting. Deionized water would, most likely, be used to calibrate the device, but using distilled water should be good enough to maintain calibration in a home brew setting.
From memory there is a ph buffer 7 solution that will immediately tell you if you've got it calibrated right, but by the K.I.S.S. theory, I would definitely go with keep it simple and use the strips. No battery , no buffer, no doubt. Very useful video. Thankyou and merry xmas champions.
The problem is that you need at least 3 point calibration (usually 2,7,12) or even 5 point calibration. 1 point calibration will give you offset but not the slope. Whit time the electrodes get worse and worse and slope gets smaller and smaller.
For heavy duty pH meter this might not be as important but than they are less accurate.
@@matejmacek5784 exactly my point. No buffer 4, 7, or 10. No cleaner, no battery (all the annoying stuff from my hydropo...pool maintenance days😉). We don't need a precise number, just a range. And if your water is always the same, and your brews are similar enough, ... yeah , I almost never check. They always ferment fast and dry, unless I want it sweet. Keeping it simple gets my vote. 😁
My wife uses a Berkey water filter at home. Just like you guys, standard filters. She can drink the water all day, but if I drink a glass of water from it. Within 15-20 min. I will have the worst heart burn of my life. It feels like a burning battery steaming up through my throat.
That filter makes the water PH more alkaline.
I use the same water she drinks in a standard water dispenser *before* going in the Berkey and have no stomach issues.
Perhaps you guys could do a test between your city tap water, filtered water, and the Berkey filter?
Either way I love your content and look forward to future content. I'm planning on making some Fruit cake mead soon.
Alkaline water won't give heartburn... it's actually the cure for it.
Hey guys. LOVE the channel. You inspired me and I just got into mead making about 4 weeks ago, have a few brews going already. Thank you so much for the info it's amazing. Quick question- I've been noticing on all of my brews that towards the end of primary fermentation I get what I believe are yeast rafts at the top of each of my brews, all of em. They're just small whispy clear gatherings sitting on the top, nothing crazy just a few here or there. No weird colors or nasty lookin stuff. Does this happen to you? Getting yeast rafts at the top of brews? Is it common, does it happen all the time? A vid showing "potential" oddities and what they look like would be so helpful especially for new brewers for ease of mind. Also, a specific vid for approaching stalls would be excellent as well! The wild west of the internet takes people so many directions. Thanks ao much for the content and inspiring an amazing new hobby!
It does happen and we have done videos on things like that :)
I haven't calibrated my cheap-o meter in about a year and it surprisingly still tests roughly as accurate as the .5 increment strips do
The meters sensor can be sensitive to high temperatures though, so I keep and use the strips for testing must/wort/mash while it's hot
And I usually end up using the meter on the same things once they've cooled, so I'm able to tell how well my meter is keeping calibration
I wouldn't advise anyone use their meter above 140°F as it can drastically reduce the lifespan of the meter
According to some manufacturers high temperatures can not only reduce lifespan, but can also affect the accuracy of the reading itself
--RuneShine, Michigan's Norse-Druid Alchemist✌💚🙃
Long live the algorithm 😉
Excellent vid, interesting conclusion
As you say anything that interferes with assessment of the coloring is worth considering
Colour-blindness, strongly coloured liquids etc.
Sure. For most uses though... seems about perfect.
Tap water even filtered is not usually going to be 7.0. If you use the meter with pure rainwater, you will find it is very close 7.0
Water usually isn't pH 7. Tap water often has alkaline minerals in it -- my local tap water is pH 8.5 or so. Distilled water can pick up acidic carbon dioxide from the air. If you want a liquid with a predictable pH, you have to make a buffer from weak acid and weak base so the trace components of your water get overwhelmed.
In Florida you should receive a water report from your utility every year. It will tell you all kinds of stuff. You should be able to call your water plant and get your pH. Bet they will be happy to talk to you. Or you could take a tour. Most will allow that.
Keep you pH probe damp. It will extend its life.
I just bought some ph strips from my local brew shop. The employee stated to take 3 strips and use the result of 2 out of 3. If all 3 are the same - great! The employee didn't state what to do if all 3 are different LOL. My spa strips state submerge for 2 seconds and shake strip to remove excess water, so I guess the ph test strips would be similar.
Doubtful you would get different results. They likely want to sell more strips:)
We have a ph meter. It needs calibration. But it's very useful for our hard cider dosing, making pickles, preserves, etc and if we had a fish tank, probably that too.. PH strips are not accurate enough for all that, especially the metabisulfate dosages for initial stabilization of the cider.
There are some very accurate test strips.
I've had this same issue with a pH meter and pH test strips. So out of curiosity I just now got out my test strips and tested my Well water (which has been tested in a Lab and has so many impurities/solids It should be filtered or treated) and also tested my store bought Distilled water. My well water tested at a pH of 9-10, the stbo D water tested at 6. The reason I gave up on the meters is because after my first one, which read perfectly every time, gave up the ghost and recalibration didn't fix the problem, I bought a new one and it never was accurate no matter what, so because of the cost, time and frustration, is when I gave up on pH meters. My last meter also said not to put it any deeper in the solution than just the first half of the bulb. Really? I don't know about you but to me that is just a little too 'fussy'. It is supposed to be for liquids and yet it isn't waterproof?
Because of the reading of your filtered water you know it still has some particulates in it and it still works just fine for your purpose.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Thx for doing this, filming it and sharing it with us. 👍👍👍👍👍
Please make cotton candy grape wine/mead !
If we can get them... they are seasonal.
The electrodes must always be wet and need to be calibrated from time to time . pH strips come with different pH ranges
Not all meters require wet electrodes. The one we have does not. Most of the better ones do though!
On a completely separate topic, have you ever tried washing and reusing the Lees instead of fresh yeast??
I added this to our list of projects to work on.
Bluelab ph pen is the best , expensive but worth it 😊
What about using the strips for kombucha? They seem to be calibrated in .5 increments.
That could work.
If you get good you can tell if its above or below target by the color
That's how pH strips work, yup.
@@CitySteadingBrews I mean you can tell if it's .5 off. The color won't be exact. It takes practice.
I got a pH meter and tried calibrating it. It got very funky readings, didn't fully calibrate, and the powder it came with wouldn't fully dissolve after several minutes of stirring, so I gave up. I may try recalibrating, or I may try the strips, despite being red/green color blind.
With respects to water PH a lot can impact the PH. Mine straight from the pipe cold water reads 6.9 but hot water reads 7.7. I dont use either for brewing though due to having both chlorine and chloramines in my tap though.
I believe Room Temp. liquid will give the best reading. I have to let my spring water warm up before testing it.
@redstone1999 depending on how you're measuring, that's probably true. Since I have multiple hobbies that involve ph reading I splurged for one that also measures and adjusts for temperature.
I am guessing the vinegar is Brags apple cider vinegar as it is on your shelf... Drinking that is fine, my father drinks a teaspoon each day...
I meant I am not knocking back the glass... yes, it's quite good for you.
@@CitySteadingBrews knocking back the whole glass would indeed be Eeeewwww 😀
This is a good day.
So... when we were testing the water in my high school it had a PH of 10, tested with strips.
I'm not surpised you were at an almost 8.
I did an initial calibration on my meter over a year ago and have not re-calibrated since. Do I know how far off I have been. Based on educated guesses (am I making a high citrus beverage) the readings have been close, and they stay close from primary all the way to bottling if I make additions the reader reflects the changes.
We just tested our Elderberry Mead with test strips (reads 5 ph). It is setting in secondary right now, we used fresh, then frozen, then juiced elderberries (no skins or seeds) along with a wildflower honey and red star premier classique yeast. Our reading when starting was: 1.145, it stopped at 0.998. We tasted it & decided that it needed backsweetening so we added 1/4 lb wildflower honey, reading up to 1.038, we let it set for 9 days, took a reading today, it did start back up fermenting as our reading was 1.028. But in tasting this mead, it has a watery mouth feeling to it and would like to add some complexity & mouth feel. Any suggestions for us to add to this brew?
Maybe oak it? I am also dubious about the readings... according to what you said, you have 22% abv... while possible... it's unlikely without some serious science being applied (or luck, lol).
I know you can add baking soda to a mash to lower the ph. Is it the same with wine? If you want to raise acidity for some reason, can the yeast handle citric acid/ sour salt? How would you lower it.
Baking soda works, but potassium bicarbonate is better as it doesn't alter flavor as much. Calcium bicarb works well too. As for acidity, yes, you can add lemon juice, or acids such as citric acid or tartaric acid.
Shouldn't you keep yours pH meter in storage solution (or if I remember correctly tap water).
Calibration solution is buffer solution (relative stable pH), but still this should be replaced at least in few years.
Also at least 3 points calibration should be made, as you need both slope and offset. With time slope get worse and worse.
You should always clean pH meter with tap water after measurements, otherwise I think it can still be affected by previous liquid.
PS: Water might not be good for stable pH measurements as the CO2 dissolve in it. It should get from 7 pH (for degassed deionized water) to about 6 pH due to CO2 dissolving in it.
I think
I have been told this type doesn't need ti be stored wet. But in the video we talked about that.
Water is fine for measuring, the actual pH mattered little, it was about the measuring devices.
How can you fix it when wine ends too acidic?
Ends acidic? Or just very dry?
Unrelated question. I bottled my cider with DME, and it's sitting in an ice chest until NYE. When I open the ice chest, there is a strong--yet not unpleasant--yeasty odor. All the bottles are sealed and intact. Is the yeasty odor normal?
That's new. Is there any possibility of a leak?
@@CitySteadingBrews There's no uncontained liquid in the ice chest. I guess it's just one of those weird things that happen sometimes.
royal jelly mead when?
Probably not.
Hello! just a quick question. I was following you recipe of Spiced Metheglin Mead and noticed something. you end up with a SG of 1.150 while I only got to 1.065. I ended up putting a substantial amount of honey extra to raise the SG to 1.100. do you think I should add to raise it a bit more or just leave it like this and back sweeten it after fermentation?
If yours is that low you may not have mixed enough or did not add the amount of honey we did. If I had this to do again, I would shoot for 1.100 ish and let it go dry.
I shot for 3.5 lbs which is 1.588 kg. however I do have 1.100 now so I can let it go dry. Does the flavor change with back sweetening compared to having a high SG already from the start? thx for the reply btw, you guys are an amazing help to me :)
@@CitySteadingBrews
Nope. Sweetening after or overshooting tastes the same.
Made the mistake of getting some pH strips from the pool supply because the pharmacy didn't have any. Lowest value on the strip was 5.5. Oh well. Live and learn.
Should still work actually. You really don't want above 5.5 anyway.
My cider finished at 7% alc...but the PH test strips says PH is 6 ...which is rather alkaline...Is my cider safe to drink ???
Yes, it is.
@@CitySteadingBrews awesome thank you! Learn alot from you guys....great channel
Good luck testing red wines - I'm a little dismayed that no test included that, which - as I read reviews on Amazon - consistently result in inaccurate or completely flawed readings.
We have tried ma y different brews and haven't experienced that.
Are you using distilled water?
No, that's why the pH isn't exactly 7
You're very cute together. (sorry, not trying to sound weird).
this could be why home brews cause me heart burn.
Not following... most commercial brews have more acidity than things we have made.
@@CitySteadingBrews acid reflux is not always caused by acid ... i know it kind of weird but for instance i can drink a whole bottle of orange juice and be fine. however, i can't drink alkaline water without taking a tums. something to do with the protective layer in my stomach detecting a lower acid content and forces it to go into overdrive. i never put the two together until this video. think I'm going to experiment by Rasing the acid content in my next attempt.
Acid reflux is actually caused by low stomach acid and the muscle that closes the esophagus not getting the signals correctly. More acid will definitely make it worse in most cases though. Alkaline things may keep it open longer so can also make for a less than fun time. I had it for years.
@@CitySteadingBrews most definitely i don't usually get acid reflux but my own home brews always seem to cause a bad reaction I'm going to test my next batch to see if the ph is the issue.
@jo_is it could be sulfites and additives and not the acid level.
I wouldn’t assume tap water is 7. In the UK the regulations say 6.5-9.5 … mine’s always North of 7.5
If you want a predictable pH, you buy a buffer solution for calibration
Just fellow the instruction on the meter and all will be fine. 👍
Err... you may have missed the point of this video :)