The measurement of pH during the beer making process is important due to the effect it has on enzymatic activity in the mash, yeast activity in fermentation and the incorporation of flavoring components. Monitoring and controlling the pH allows for a consistent flavor profile and ensure a stable product. The brewer is faced with a number of challenges when measuring pH. The mash has a high content of semi-solids and sugars are formed from the conversion of starch by enzymatic activity. Both can pose problems including coating the glass and clogging the junction. The mash and cooled wort after boiling are typically above room temperature, which leads to the degradation of the sensitive glass. To overcome these challenges the HI 98167 beer pH meter is supplied with a uniquely design titanium body pH electrode.
The FC2143 pH electrode is a flat tip pH sensor made with specialized glass to provide a long life when measuring temperatures up to 80 ℃. A built in temperature sensor compensates for temperature variations and the probe has a cloth renewable junction that can be extracted to expose a fresh clean surface when readings become sluggish due to clogging. The probe has a built in amplifier and the titanium body that acts as a matching pin to reduce noise as a result from the effect that humidity has on probe connection to the meter. The FC2143 connects to the HI98167 with a quick-connect, waterproof DIN connector, allowing for a secure, non-threaded attachment.
Besides being supplied with a unique pH electrode made for brewing, the HI98167 has the Hanna’s unique CAL Check™ feature that alerts the user to potential problems during the calibration process. This is a very important for the brewer since it is likely that the probe will be coated with the solids, starch and sugars. This coating can easily lead to errors in pH measurement. By comparing previous calibration data to the current calibration, the meter will inform the user, with display prompts, when the probe needs to be cleaned, replaced, or if the pH buffer might be contaminated. After calibration, the overall probe condition is displayed on screen as a percentage. The probe condition is affected by both the offset and slope characteristics of the pH electrode, both of which can be found in the GLP data including with the readings stored in the meter or transferred to a PC.
FC2143 pH ELECTRODE FEATURES/BENEFITS:
- Titanium Body – A pH measurement is a very sensitive voltage measurement that is susceptible to interference. To reduce this susceptibility the titanium body serves as a matching pin. A matching pin is a differential measurement technique used to eliminate electrical noise in the measurement system.
- Flat Tip pH Sensor – The flat tip sensor allows for easy cleaning of the pH sensing surface as solids from mash and cooled wort collect on the surface.
- Renewable Cloth Junction – The extractable cloth junction allows for the clearing any clogging from solids that would result in erratic readings. Simply pull 1/8″ (3 mm) to expose a fresh new surface of the junction resulting in fast and steady response.
- Quick Connect DIN Connector – This secure waterproof connector allows for a single cable to be used for both pH and temperature measurements.
The HI98167 Potable pH meter for beer has many other advanced features including automatic calibration, automatic buffer recognition, calibrated buffer tags, stability indicator, log on demand of readings, USB for PC connectivity, low battery indicator, and selectable automatic shut off. Other features include:
HI98167 pH METER FEATURES/BENEFITS:
- Waterproof – Ergonomic, rugged, waterproof (IP67) design that can withstand harsh environments.
- Automatic Calibration – The HI98167 can be up to five points including with custom buffers. The calibration buffers are automatically recognized and after calibration the buffer values used are shown on the display.
- Calibration Check
- Alerts user to potential problems during calibration including when to clean electrode and possible buffer contamination
- Displays overall condition of the pH electrode after calibration that is based on the offset and slope characteristics
- GLP Data: The GLP data can be reviewed at anytime including with logged reading. The calibration data includes date, time, pH calibration buffers, offset, and slope.
- Dot Matrix LCD: The high contrast, graphic LCD screen is easy to view outdoors in bright sunlight as well as in low-lit areas with the backlight. A combination of dedicated and virtual keys allows for easy, intuitive meter operation in a choice of languages.
