ColorPHast Test Strips

I use the ColorPHast strips, they work great. I started using them after throwing out my Ph meter. The meter's don't last forever, they go bad over time and it does take work to maintain them. One trick I use to extend the life of the strips is to cut them in half lengthwise with a pair of scissors, two strips for the price of one.

I don't check my mash Ph anymore so I don't know how they work with very dark beers. After many years of checking mash pH and realizing that it is always in check, I stopped. I'll only check it now if I'm doing something unusual.

 

So what I'm hearing is that if I send you a check for like 10 bucks, and a return address, I'll have a handful of ph strips in the mail by next week?

 

I'm all for supporting your homebrew stores, but in this case, not only should you cut them in half or thirds, but you should buy them elsewhere for significantly less. Last place I bought them was $19 shipped, and I see them on Amazon right now for $20. 300 strips will last a while...

cheers--
--Michael

P.S. - YMMV but I wouldn't bother ordering them from VWRLabshop even if they appear the cheapest. They'll tell you they can't ship these restricted chemicals to you without setting up an account and getting all the necessary documentation...

 

Read the Special Note under section 2.1.

https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/water-knowledge

 

I appreciate your trepidation.

I have been using http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...9eda06f020e43594a9c230972d/i/m/image_2771.jpg

I buy "great value" spring water, add the 5.2 buffer, and burtonizing salts to appropriate degrees. Water chemistry will be my next big area to tackle, but it is difficult for me to get motivated without a real need.

 

5.2? Read the Special Note in section 2.1. I bought some and then threw most of it away.
https://sites.google.com/site/brunwater/water-knowledge

 

Well I'll be. I guess the absence of issue doesn't mean there isn't one. Thanks for triggering a new chapter in my home brewing hobbie (obsession).

Also thanks for the link.

 

Get the strips, at least. You can hit your target pH to <=0.1 if you know your water, grist, and have the proper water salt additions. Have fun learning water chemistry in brewing.

 

I never had fun in chemistry, but i never had beer in chemistry.

 

test strips are easy to use but there are some disadvantages you should remember too.
a pH meter is a modest investment, and the maintenance is really not hard. i would not automatically default to test strips because they are less hassle.

strips must be kept dry. not hard to do, but you can ruin every last one if you leave them in a damp basement for example. strips also fairly accurate, but to get within a specific range you will need to bracket your readings. depending on your requirements this can require more than a few strips each time. some people have difficulty matching the colors.

a meter bulb needs to be kept damp, and occasionally requires calibration. a decent $40 meter can be calibrated with the push of a button. you can break the bulb if you are a ****z. it will wear out in a few years of constant use. that's just about it. plus the machine will tell you accurately the pH.

most of the world uses a meter. test strips are hard to reccomend unless you don't have $40 or so today.
that is my two cents.
Cheers.