So here's my issue. Last year I pressed my traminette grapes for the first time. I didn't have a TA kit so I didn't test for it. I just threw in a teaspoon for the one gallon that I had and called it a day. This year I bought a TA kit and made some gewurztraminer from concentrate and used the kit on it. Worked just fine and thought great, I'll used this kn my grapes. So today I tried to test my traminette juice and I never go the sample to turn color and I kept on adding acid blend. Ended up adding 16 teaspoons to 1.5 gal of juice at a OG of 1.085. So I'm thinking there's no way it needed that much acid blend. Did I just ruin this juice? My acid seemed to raise the TA in the gewurztraminer and I was able to get .7 in that. What the heck is with this juice. Worried that I was just making things worse I gave up.
TA help with traminette wine
- Thread starter PTS_35
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RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Why would you add a teaspoon to wine? Was it metal, plastic, or something else like ceramic?
Measuring TA requires raising the pH, which is done with a basic solution, sodium hydroxide.
If you added 16 teaspoonfuls of acid blend, yeah that's gonna be a problem.
I'm pretty sure the makers of the kits adjust the acidity of the must for you, so you actually don't need to do anything unless you prefer it more acidic.
Guess I'm not getting it. When I tested the gewurztraminer I took a sample right from the must. Following the directions and adding sodium hydroxide until sample has turned color completely, it wasn't until I added 10 teas of acid blend to the most that the samples changed color and again going off directions I calculated the most to be .7. SO I'm very confused with testing TA bc it sure doesn't seem to be working right or I thought I did it right but really haven't a clue.
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
You should not be using acid when measuring TA.
This is the basic process:
http://www.sachomewine.com/blog/win...ermining-titratable-acidity-sodium-hydroxide/
This is the basic process:
http://www.sachomewine.com/blog/win...ermining-titratable-acidity-sodium-hydroxide/
Maybe I'm not explaining it right. I am taking a must sample. Testing it using the test kit which includes activator and then the addition of sodium hydroxide. Not being able to get it to turn after adding the whole 3ml of sodium I toss it. Then add acid blend to must. Stirred it. Then took another sample. Test repeat
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
OK, it sounds like you're following the basic process. Obviously something is going wrong. Perhaps you could watch a YouTube video to see what you might be doing incorrectly.
Don't toss the sample. Keep adding sodium hydroxide and stirring until the indicator changes color.
Also, don't adjust the acidity of must based on the TA until you are sure you can accurately measure it. That's a quick way to ruin a wine.
Don't toss the sample. Keep adding sodium hydroxide and stirring until the indicator changes color.
Also, don't adjust the acidity of must based on the TA until you are sure you can accurately measure it. That's a quick way to ruin a wine.
Wow. Just realized last night before going to bed that I am doing it freaking backwards. I'm taking test sample and the more sodium hydroxide I add without it changing color I'm thinking I need to add acid to the must. When it's really telling me that's how acidic the must is! Adding all that base and it's not coming to neutral. I should have been adding sugar and water to lower acidity until the right amount of base brought it to neutral. So now the must is insanely acidic. Now what the heck do I do? I don't have calcium carbonate to add. Wow. I really messed this one up. Damn. It's only a gallon and a half. Probably toss it. Such a waste. I added yeast. Wonder if I could leave it and buy some calcium.
Blacksmith1
Captain Cheap
If you can figure out how acidic it is you can add small amounts to your other wines when they need acid. I do my additions by taste. Sugar, if it needs a little sweetness. Lemon juice if it needs a bit of tart. And very strong tea if it needs tannin. That's about all for me. ( not counting K-meta/K-sorbate )
This is not to say any other way is wrong, it's just my method.
This is not to say any other way is wrong, it's just my method.
Bubbles2
Well-Known Member
Although Science 101,201 with Rph Guy is always interesting, I sometimes get a bit lost myself when you get tossed into 301 from the start. Not an insult to Rph on the contrary. Rph guy is prob like having Mr.White around when you are stuck in the desert cooking Meth....LOL
I found this article pretty good for Acidic understanding 101. Not that you are Novice, but sometimes the basics remind us what we have forgotten. I just bought a PH meter to circumvent the colored strips (because science and red wine)
https://eckraus.com/wine-making-acidity/?_ga=2.255449035.259315275.1567737410-1401208096.1563308571
I found this article pretty good for Acidic understanding 101. Not that you are Novice, but sometimes the basics remind us what we have forgotten. I just bought a PH meter to circumvent the colored strips (because science and red wine)
https://eckraus.com/wine-making-acidity/?_ga=2.255449035.259315275.1567737410-1401208096.1563308571
Bubbles2
Well-Known Member
201 / entry to 301
https://winemakermag.com/technique/1650-monitoring-adjusting-ph
https://winemakermag.com/technique/1650-monitoring-adjusting-ph
RPh_Guy
Bringing Sour Back
Yes, a good pH meter is a highly recommended tool for wine making and takes the guesswork out of situations like this.
TA is a scientific way to measure how acidic the wine tastes, and make adjustments accordingly.
PH is useful for properly adjusting sulfite levels, thus avoiding oxidation, microbial contamination, and various off-flavors.
@PTS_35
You can probably still salvage it.
You should actually measure the TA before trying to lower the acidity with a base (I recommend potassium carbonate).
You can also balance acidity by sweetening and/or lower the acidity by dilution.
Or add some Chili P.
PH is an entirely different measurement than TA.
TA is a scientific way to measure how acidic the wine tastes, and make adjustments accordingly.
PH is useful for properly adjusting sulfite levels, thus avoiding oxidation, microbial contamination, and various off-flavors.
@PTS_35
You can probably still salvage it.
You should actually measure the TA before trying to lower the acidity with a base (I recommend potassium carbonate).
You can also balance acidity by sweetening and/or lower the acidity by dilution.
Or add some Chili P.
Seamonkey84
Well-Known Member
Calcium carbonate can leave a chalky taste, potassium carbonate leaves less flavor and dissolves more readily. Otherwise, cut it with a lot more juice. Then water it down with sugar and water.
If I could I would use juice and sugar but I only have s few vines and only got what I got, which is 1.5 gal. I'd add sugar but thinl that'll just make it hot tasting. Sugar and water and I may end with a diluted down wine. Potassium carbonate...never knew. I already order calcium and expedited shipping. So I guess that's what I'm going with. Must has already sat for a couple days. I plan on taking a good sample and see where my acid is at before adding calcium. If anything this will be a learning experience
can someone tell me why the sample isn't turning color completely?! i'll get to the point the sample is all pink except for the very bottom. i've tried several times and when i shake it, the dang color disappears completely. i've tried shaking the vial after i put the activator drops in; thinking they weren't mixed enough. i've tried shaking vial once the vial turns pink but the bottom is still clear. all that ever does is clear the whole vial. I've added three teaspoons of calcium to the 1.5 gal of must. I've read where you do not want to add any more than that per gallon. I'm not sure if that's correct or not. Do I have a bad or poor quality test kit? I'm ready to say F* it. I didn't seem to have this issue with the gewerztraminer. i tested it, adjusted it, and was satisfied. this thing i can't seem to get to work right. blacksmith, i ready to do it your way. by taste. only issue with home vine wine is the little crawlies with initial pressed juice. thinking i'll wait till after first and second ferment.
