Some information about PH!

[M54B22]

Good morning everyone.
I am new to the forum and I am just now about to start making mead.

However, I am struggling to find a clear answer on one issue: the pH.
In a book I read, it talks about techniques to raise it (calcium carbonate), because the risk is that it may be too low. In some recipes, lemon juice or citric acid is suggested, while others recommend using an 'acid blend'—a mixture of citric, malic, and tartaric acid—and some even suggest adding citric acid at the end of fermentation...

Does anyone know how I should approach this?
Can I 'ignore' the pH during the initial stages of fermentation and worry about it later, acidifying to improve the final product's taste?
Or is it essential to measure it from the start and adjust it as necessary?
I wonder, since honey is acidic, why would I need to lower it further with acids, if the yeast's tolerance range fits well with the water + honey mixture, considering that fermentation also lowers pH.

Can anyone offer me some advice? I'm a beginner, with mostly theoretical knowledge and little practical experience, but I’d like to start off on the right foot and avoid major mistakes from the get-go!

Thank you to anyone who contributes below!

 

[MightyMosin]

With a basic mead, I almost never check pH.

Once I start doing stuff like adding citrus, using a tea, or an ingredient or honey I am unfamiliar with I am much more likely to check pH.

Generally, you worry about your starting pH being too low and not trying to lower the pH. In those cases, I will raise the pH a bit to add some buffering capability so that they yeast don't stress with sudden quick pH changes.

I almost always do any acid adjustments after fermentation is finished and I have given the mead some time for the flavors to all integrate. The higher the ABV, the longer I wait; typically doing those adjustments prior to bottling.

 

[M54B22]

With a basic mead, I almost never check pH.

Once I start doing stuff like adding citrus, using a tea, or an ingredient or honey I am unfamiliar with I am much more likely to check pH.

Generally, you worry about your starting pH being too low and not trying to lower the pH. In those cases, I will raise the pH a bit to add some buffering capability so that they yeast don't stress with sudden quick pH changes.

I almost always do any acid adjustments after fermentation is finished and I have given the mead some time for the flavors to all integrate. The higher the ABV, the longer I wait; typically doing those adjustments prior to bottling

Thank you for the information, so it is more likely that the pH will be too low rather than too high at the start of fermentation.

Do you think that with a traditional mead made from acacia honey, the pH might risk being too low? At this point, should I test it at the start of fermentation or can I just let it go on its own?

Also, do you have any advice on how to adjust the acidity at the end of fermentation? Does it help improve the taste of the mead?

For what type of mead is acidification necessary? Or is it done for both sweet and dry meads? Do you use citric acid? If so, in what quantities?

Thank you for your help!

 

[Maylar]

I've never paid attention to pH during fermentation. Even with low pH musts I've never had a stall. Acid adjustments after fermentation prior to bottling can really improve a mead, but only you can tell. There's no magic formula of X grams per gallon, every mead is different.

It's done by adjusting samples TO TASTE. Typically tartaric acid is used except for fruit meads (melomels or cysers) which benefit from malic acid. For your first few meads I'd not mess with them.

 

[MightyMosin]

Do you think that with a traditional mead made from acacia honey, the pH might risk being too low? At this point, should I test it at the start of fermentation or can I just let it go on its own?

You probably don't need to, but in the spirit of learning what is typical I would say to go ahead and learn... I have heard that paper test strips aren't really accurate enough and you should have a meter for testing. I generally only raise the pH if I'm in the area of ~3.0 and then I don't add enough Carbonate to actually raise the pH but to provide some buffering to hopefully prevent it sliding below 3.0.

Most meads I am OK with how they are and don't do too much or any acid adjustment. Sweeter meads can sometimes use an acid adjustment to make the overall drink balanced.

In some low ABV stuff, I will use some malic acid to trick the tongue into thinking there is apple in there and a bit of citric to give a pop to the flavor. I almost never use citric on anything that is a higher ABV and I am usually wanting to highlight the honey character and citric is just too different IMO. @Maylar summed it up pretty well, but you will eventually have to do small measured amounts with weighted acid adjustments to try and determine your sweet spot of addition or if you will even benefit from it..

 

[M54B22]

@Maylar @MightyMosin
Thank you both for your responses. I think for my first meads I won’t make any acidity adjustments. As I continue experimenting and see what works better or worse, I will try adding acids in some samples to see how the taste changes.

I’d like to take advantage of your availability to ask for further advice. Without equipment for forced carbonation, how can I make a sweet mead, after exceeding the yeast’s alcohol tolerance, that is slightly sparkling? My intention is to carry out two fermentations, and one of them includes a sweet mead, which I would like to be slightly sparkling. Is it foolish to think about adding a small amount of yeast to the must at the end of fermentation and then bottling it? Obviously, using a yeast with a higher alcohol tolerance than the one initially used. Could you explain how I could achieve a similar result?

Thanks for your help!

 

[MightyMosin]

In my specific experience I have determined that it is a fools errand to try and game a fermentation with it ending where you want it. Let it go dry and then carbonate either via kegs or bottle conditioning.

You will sweeten with a non fermentable sugar and then add a fermentable sugar as you go into bottling for that carbonation... I'd go into more detail but I am out the door in a minute.

 

[M54B22]

@MightyMosin
Hi, and thank you for your input. My idea was to try making a sweet and slightly sparkling mead. Do you think it’s possible to achieve a result like that?

I was thinking of using a yeast with 10% tolerance (Safale S04) and then, after fermentation is finished, using a very small amount of Mangrove Jack’s M05 before bottling. By doing so, I would have a fermentation with a yeast around 10% tolerance that would stop, starting from an OG of around 1100, leaving some residual sugar. Adding a little M05 should lead to a slight fermentation in the bottle, resulting in a sweet mead (less sweet after the bottle fermentation and probably a bit more alcoholic) and sparkling.

Do you think this is possible? Would you suggest adding more sugar or leaving the residual sugar unfermented by the Safale S04?

Thanks!

 

[MightyMosin]

I was thinking of using a yeast with 10% tolerance (Safale S04) and then, after fermentation is finished, using a very small amount of Mangrove Jack’s M05 before bottling. By doing so, I would have a fermentation with a yeast around 10% tolerance that would stop, starting from an OG of around 1100, leaving some residual sugar. Adding a little M05 should lead to a slight fermentation in the bottle, resulting in a sweet mead (less sweet after the bottle fermentation and probably a bit more alcoholic) and sparkling.

I have taken that specific yeast to 14% ABV. Do not expect it to stop at 10%.

In my specific experience I have determined that it is a fools errand to try and game a fermentation with it ending where you want it.

If you try... plan your OG for at least 12%