First try at ph testing

[Teamsterjohn]

Today I tryed my phep5 ph meter, and this is the reading that I got from it.
I test RJS French Merlot.
PH 2.86
Acid% 6.8
The math 6.8 x .75 gives me 5.1% acid level
With the ph low, is it that low to worry or add anything?
Also is the acid to low?

 

[djrockinsteve]

John, first of all did you calibrate your meter. This is important. Second when checking the acid get as close to 10 ml in your test sample as possible and be as acurate as possible with the sodium Hydroxide. (presuming you used your ph meter to test for acid).

Depending upon where this grape was harvested from, eastern U.S. tends to be more acidic, western U>S. opposite. I would believe that they would have adjusted this before shipping/selling.

Let us know and we'll take it from there.

 

[robie]

Did you test before starting fermentation or after wine cleared?

For kits, you shouldn't be concerned about PH and Acid until after fermentation is all done. They do magical stuff to kits up front that makes testing unreliable and unnecessary.

 

[djrockinsteve]

Normally kits are meant to be unadjusted. These companies go thru alot to create a wine just as they want. With that being said if you have done this kit before you could make changes.

It doesn't hurt to take readings and learn.

 

[ibglowin]

That is an incredibly LOW pH for a wine! Did you calibrate with 4.01 first and get a stable reading? I am trying to think if I have seen anything lower than 3.2 in a wine I have tested.........

That's almost like drinking battery acid!

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Yes I did calibrate the meter.
The wine has cleared, its been ageing for 4 months now.
I calibrated 7.01 first, then 4.01 second, like the meter asked for.
I can see me messing up the acid test, but the ph test with the meter is just sticking the meter in the wine and reading the number that comes up.

 

[robie]

Yes I did calibrate the meter.
The wine has cleared, its been ageing for 4 months now.
I calibrated 7.01 first, then 4.01 second, like the meter asked for.
I can see me messing up the acid test, but the ph test with the meter is just sticking the meter in the wine and reading the number that comes up.

Your PH just doesn't sound right.
Hey Ibglowin, what else could he test his meter against around the typical household?

 

[djrockinsteve]

Test with the solution. 4.01 should read that. etc

 

[Teamsterjohn]

I will redo the test tomorrow and see what happenes. After the 7.01 and the 4.01 the meter read ok2 just like its suppose to do.

 

[robie]

I will redo the test tomorrow and see what happenes. After the 7.01 and the 4.01 the meter read ok2 just like its suppose to do.

Sounds like the meter is OK. Make sure you rinse off the 4.01 solution well before you test your wine.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Robie, I rinsed the 4.01 off in distilled water. What I am going to do is use a smaller cup that the meter just fits in.

 

[robie]

Robie, I rinsed the 4.01 off in distilled water. What I am going to do is use a smaller cup that the meter just fits in.

Yep, sounds like that reading you took is right. It would require a lot of adjusting to get the acid and PH combo where they logically should be. Not sure I would attempt it. Maybe that kit is where the manufacturer intends it to be, but I am surprised.

Maybe someone else might be able to give you better technical advice.

 

[ibglowin]

I just do the single point 4.01. Since your testing in the ~3.XX range normally the 7.0 really doesn't help you all that much.

I would try again tomorrow and see if you can duplicate it using just the 4.01 buffer and then try some more wines assuming you have some other bulk aging just to see what they show up at. Do you have a commercial Cali Cab on hand? That guy should be textbook pH in the ~ 3.6 range.

Perhaps that wine got out of hand somehow but thats a crazy low pH if correct.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Hi guys, and thanks for all the help. This morning I re-tested and almost the same readings.
PH 2.93
Acid 7.4
I did the testing with 10 mL of wine.
I will try testing another wine latter today.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Today I also tested a Robert Mondavi Woodbridge Merlot and the ph for that was 3.41
And I called up RJS and talked to them. They said that the kit is with in there specks.
So I tryed a MM Cab Sauv Alljuice, and the ph on that was 2.88 That also has been ageing about 14 weeks now.
Friday I will try just doing the single point 4.01 then test the wine again and see what happenes.

 

[joea132]

I curently am facing the same problem with a huge quanitity of Juice kits. The pH was 2.9 and tasted bitter and flat. I cold stabilized and brought it up to (I think it was) ~3.2. It still tastes pretty bitter and flat but I'm going to wait for warmer weather and for the sulfites to blow off and it to go through spontaneous MLF. From what I read, MLF can raise pH pretty significantly. Has yours been through MLF?

 

[Teamsterjohn]

Joe, no, have never done MLF.

 

[Lurker]

I have a Chilean Chablis from juice that I just finished. pH is 2.6. For me, it is not a problem. The wine tastes good. I get concerned when the pH is 6. Then I might add a little acid.

 

[Teamsterjohn]

I just read to use distilled water or reverse osmosis water. I have been using poland spring water for all of my kits.
2.6 now I dont feel that bad. But the MM alljuice kit has no water in it, so go figure!
Its enuff to drive you crazy...

 

[ibglowin]

Don't use distilled for kits. Yeast need the minerals in water for metabolism. Its OK to use R/O water from one of the machines at the grocery store etc. While they do clean up the water nicely and remove a lot of crap they don't remove the minerals that yeast need to thrive. Plus no Chlorine. Chlorine and wine do not mix well.