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The buffering capacity of wort plays an important role in determining the pH of beer. The technological factors influencing buffering capacity of wort were investigated as the first steps toward the eventual goal of better controlling beer pH to a target range. The technological factors studied included the proportion of adjuncts, multistep infusion mashes, the dosage of calcium salt, and the type of acidifying reagent. Analysis of the regression between buffering capacity of wort and the proportion of rice adjuncts indicated that buffering capacity of wort linearly fell with the increase in the percentage of rice adjuncts, and the rice adjuncts contributed approximately half as much buffering substances as malt. The wort from multistep infusion mashes had a relatively high buffering capacity. Acid rest and protein rest were able to elevate the buffering capacity of wort. The buffering capacity tended to drop with the increase in the amount of addition of calcium salt. Phosphoric acid, lactic acid, and acetic acid can be used for acidifying mash to target pH. The buffering capacity of the wort with acetic acid as the acidifying reagent was the highest, and the buffering capacity of the wort with phosphoric acid as the acidifying reagent was the lowest. Organic acids such as lactic acid and acetic acid had stronger buffering capacity than phosphoric acid at the pH of wort. Keywords: Buffering capacity, Wort, pH, Buffer, Adjunct
