Malic vs citric acid

[Bender]

Are there any guidelines for malic vs citric acid, are they substituted 1:1?

 

[Totes]

That would depend on the concentrate of acids you are comparing. TA and PH are the only true guidelines for dosage. That and palate.

 

[Bender]

That would depend on the concentrate of acids you are comparing. TA and PH are the only true guidelines for dosage. That and palate.

What I have is powdered malic and citric acid from a HBS. Both are packaged by L. D. Carlson, neither package has any labeling regarding TA or pH. I guess I'll have to use the empirical method.

 

[gregbathurst]

The best way is to add some then test and keep adding till you get to the reading you want. Different juices have different buffer capacity so the effect on pH can vary. Sorry i don't know about using citric, malic is usually used for cider. If you get MLF malic will convert to lactic acid which reduces the acidity.

 

[Bender]

If you get MLF malic will convert to lactic acid which reduces the acidity.

Hmmm, I didn't know that. Thanks.

 

[bernardsmith]

I don't have any hard data but I find that I need to add more malic gm for gm than I need to add acid blend to achieve the same pH. But that may be because Tartaric is a stronger acid than malic and it is added in greater amounts in packaged acid blends

 

[shelly_belly]

Some types of lactic bacteria can ferment citric acid into acetic acid and this is why citric acid is seldom used to acidify juice before fermentation. It can be used after the cider has been clarified and stabilized.

 

[gregbathurst]

Tartaric is a safe acid to use, pretty much tasteless. Malic acid has a sour taste but that will go if it gets converted to Lactic. Most cidermakers prefer Malic because it is the natural acid in apple juice.