Dutching Beer

Many of you have heard my recommendations to brew your darker beer styles at the high end of the typical mashing pH range. It turns out that this finding has been known by chocolate makers since the 1800's. Since the reasons to roast malt and grain for brewing are similar to the goals of cocoa and coffee roasting, its no surprise that their applications and treatments are also applicable in brewing.

Dutching is the process of alkalyzing cocoa in order to produce a smoother, milder taste and darken the color. This is the basis of the chocolate that many now enjoy. Prior to the invention of this process, cocoa was mainly consumed as a beverage. Dutching brings the pH of cocoa to between 7 and 8. Higher pH produces darker chocolate. Cocoa pH is typically raised using potassium carbonate.

If smoother, milder, less acrid roast flavors are what you would prefer in your dark beers, then targeting a mashing pH in the 5.4 to 5.6 range should help. Be aware that reserving your roast additions until late in the mashing process does not do the same thing as properly modifying your water for higher mashing pH. Those late roast additions can still leave you with less desirable roast flavors.

So now you know that higher mashing and wort pH is an important feature for smooth and delicious dark beers.