# PH & Acid on Blueberry Wine



## ajclay (Dec 10, 2005)

I'm looking for some suggestions on my blueberry wine. I have 6 gals that has a 3.4ph value. It seems to be a little flat. I want to add a little acid and tannin to the wine but I can't make up my mind on how much to add.

What do you guys think? Your best guess have to be better than mine.

It's fermination is finished and it's clear. It's about 7 weeks old.

My original recepie was:
•25lbs of blueberries
•5 gals of water
•16lbs of sugar (SP 1.098)
•5 campden tablets
•1 ¼ tsp of grape tannin
•3 tsp of yeast nutrient
•3 tsp of yeast enzyme
•1 tsp of acid blend
•4 oz of wood chips

Thanks, Aj


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## bilbo-in-maine (Dec 10, 2005)

1 1/4 tsp tannin seems enough for 5 gallons. The acid, though, is low. 
Jack Keller has several recipes for blueberry wine in one gallon batches, 
and typically uses 1 1/2 tsp per gallon of acid blend. The acid in 
blueberries is predominantly citric, so tartaric would be best to add. You 
might do well to do a little bench testing, adding incremental doses to a 
small portion, say one quart, and add acid until you find a comfortable 
taste - if 1/2 tsp adjusts 1 quart (just an example) to your liking, add 
accordingly for the other 5 1/2 gallons. Your pH value is good, so recheck 
if you add acid to see that pH doesn't climb much above 3.6 or so.

Another thing to experiment with is adding Welch's white grape juice. 
Being a grape product, it provides typical qualities we associate with 
grape wines in terms of mouth feel. MedPretzel swears by its addition to 
non-grape fruit and flower wines. She recommends one can per 5 
gallons. Again, you could do a bench test with a smaller amount. if you 
do choose to use Welch's juice, be sure to stabilize the wine first with 
appropriate doses of metabisulfite and potassium sorbate, then let sit for 
several weeks to make sure fermentation doesn't start again. Best of luck.

Bill*Edited by: bilbo-in-maine *


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## ajclay (Dec 11, 2005)

Bill,

Thanks for the reply. I'm going to "fuge" on it a little, stabilize and bottle it. A little acid by taste as you suggested seems to be the best approch, and a touch of tannin I think will do it good too. I'm going to pass on the grape juice.

To much of blending/tasting makes me a little silly!






The wine has a good flavor, color, and aroma, just the finish if off, so it's got to be close.

Have a good holiday! AJ


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## masta (Dec 11, 2005)

AJ,


After you adjust the acid by taste you should measurethe TA (titratable acidity) with an test kit if you have one. Then you can record the amount of acid for your records in case you want to make this again.


Adding more acid blend will actually lowered the pH not increase it and pH is not a measure of the amount of acid just the strength.


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## MedPretzel (Dec 11, 2005)

It might just need more aging. 


I have made a blueberry wine and it also tastes that way. I left it dry, but it's getting better with age, that's for sure.


The tannin seems fine to me for that recipe.You're pH seems to be ideal for wines. I wish mine would all end up like that. I'm not a pH genious, but I have read somewhere that 3.5 is pretty optimal. You hit that right on the head. That's why I might not add acid at all. You'd be changing it.


But, it's all in the taste. If you don't like it, change it. This is where your wines stop being "just a recipe" and start becoming "your wine."






If it were mine, I would leave half of it untouched, the other tweak it the way you see fit. Mark the bottles of the tweaked or untweaked so you know later on which is which, and then compare in 6 months or so. I think you'd be surprised as the change of the untweaked one.


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## ajclay (Dec 11, 2005)

Masta, I have a test kit to measure the TA, but I can't seem to figure it out. I don't have anyone in my area that uses one to talk with. Testing PH and acid is the next step I have to learn. I'm just stuck in the "must". Do you know of a "link" that gets into deal on the subject??

MedPretzel, adjusting 1/2 of the wine is a darn good idea. If I mess it up, it will only be a halfway screw-up.

Thanks, Aj


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## MedPretzel (Dec 11, 2005)

ajclay said:


> MedPretzel, adjusting 1/2 of the wine is a darn good idea. If I mess it up, it will only be a halfway screw-up.




Well, that's another way to look at it.


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## Joseph1 (Dec 11, 2005)

AJ, You may want to check out the “white tile” method at this site:
<?amespace prefix = o ns = "urnchemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />
http://www.vawa.net/winemaking-articles/acid1.html


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## MedPretzel (Dec 11, 2005)

That is wonderful, Joseph!





Thanks for the link!


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## ajclay (Dec 11, 2005)

Wow... Just printed that so I can give it a good study.

Thanks for the help!

Aj


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## ajclay (Dec 12, 2005)

I just ordered an electronic PH tester after reading the article. I'm making George Happy.





Now knowing that my batch was low on acid, I wonder if that was the reason it was so slow in firmenting?? It was always active, but very slow...

Thanks guys for the help!

Aj


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