acidulated malt - sub for base malt?

[beltbuckle]

I am going to use some acidulated malt for the first time on my next brew. If I am brewing an existing recipe and I want to use 2% acidulated malt, would it be best to just sub out 2% of the base malt (domestic 2-row in this case) and sub in 2% acidulated malt?

This is probably a dumb question but I like the idea of using malt instead of acid and while I've done pH treatment with acid plenty of times I have never used this malt before.

[Elbone]

That's exactly how you do it. Just replace an equal percentage of base malt.

[beltbuckle]

excellent. thanks.

[ajdelange]

I generally just design the beer and then add 2% (if I want 0.2 pH drop) acid malt. IOW if I have a grist of 100 lbs I'd add 2 pounds of the acid malt. Now this isn't 2% - it's 1.96% but I think that's close enough for government work. I don't think it makes a great deal of difference either way but my reasoning is that if the stuff is made by innoculating normal malt with L. delbruckii and letting it ferment that some of the extract potential of the grain has been consumed in the lactic fermentation. I note that Weyermann does not give extract spec's for this malt. OTOH if the acidulated malt is made by spraying regualr malt with sauergut then there is no impact on the extract of the malt it's sprayed on and I get a little extrac extract (2%) which is potentially a little more beer.

[mabrungard]

Even though Weyermann indicates their malt has no extract potential, it does in fact have the same potential as typical Pils malt. This was recently discussed on ProBrewer.com in the following thread:

http://www.probrewer.com/vbulletin/show ... hp?t=19352

You'll notice that someone even had a response from Sabine Weyermann and she said there was no extract. Another brewer performed a test on the Weyermann Acid Malt and found that it did have extract potential. No telling why Weyermann insists on quoting that this malt has no extract.

[beltbuckle]

interesting and good to know, thanks AJ and mabrungard.

[ajdelange]

No telling why Weyermann insists on quoting that this malt has no extract.

They don't exactly say the stuff has no extract. They just don't list extract on their data sheet for this malt (at least not on the one I have).

It doesn't make sense that it would be 0. Just tasting a corn or 2 confirms that.

[beltbuckle]

well finally got some acidulated malt to try out. brewing a beer based on the Union Jack CYBI recipe. Used about 2% acidulated malt, pH at 10min into the mash was 5.15, at the end of the 60min mash it was 5.19 at room temp. pH meter was calibrated in 4.01 and 7.01 buffers immediately prior to brewing. Was a little lower than I was expecting but hopefully the beer will turn out well.