Just racked apple wine high TA 1.20%?

[rshosted]

I just racked my apple chablis wine (2nd time) and decided to test it. I used 75 lbs of appples and have about 5 gals of wine. I added acid, tannin, raisens, and whatever else was within arms reach

.

I finally decided to test it. Okay, this is why we TEST things before adding acids......

Anywho, I poured a tall glass and sat down for some sippin' and testin'. Here's what I came up with.

Has a very apple-ey taste. It almost makes your mouth 'pucker' on tasting, but seems to go away pretty quick. Still a little to much pucker....

Here are the numbers.

35ppm free sulphites
1.20% TA (with an older acid testing kit) ANyone know if older makes the number higher or lower normally?

and a PH of 3.27

it is sitting at .998 SG.

Anyone know what would happen if I back sweeten it with apple juice? Will this make the acid less noticable? or should I just plan on adding calcuim cabonate? (or does that change PH not TA?)

Thanks,
Ryan

 

[pkcook]

rshosted,


I know sweetening a high acid wine will reduce the notable qualities of the acid. I found this article about Acidex Super-K that might be of some value to you:



<DIV =product_deion>Acidex Super-K is a brand new, simple-to-use tartaric acid reduction powder. It works by neutralizing, accelerating the formation, and precipitation of naturally occurring tartaric acid crystals, a.k.a. ''wine diamonds'' present in high acid wines. Acidex Super-K contains Potassium Bicarbonate and Potassium Bitartrate and is used after fermentation and does not alter the structure of the wine. It does however, slightly raise potassium levels and increases the pH of the wine to between 3.2-3.6. Available in two sizes, #6122A, 3 oz. and #6122B, 1 lb.. Both packages are labeled with complete directions, including usage amounts. Wine must be stabilized and fined before use. An acid test kit is always recommended. Please note that Acidex Super-K should not be confused with regular Acidex, a complicated to use Calcium Carbonate based reduction powder that is used to treat high tartaric and high malic acid wine before fermentation.
DIRECTIONS: Wine must be stabilized &amp; fined first. Add 1.2g/L directly to high acid/low pH wine (wine should be &gt;1.0 TA /&lt;3.0 pH). Stir vigorously for 1 minute. Reduces TA by .1g/L. CAUTION: DO NOT add more than 3 oz (83g) total to 6 US gallons (23L) of wine. Cold stabilize for 2 weeks before racking off of the tartrate precipitate. To reduce TA greater than .3g/L, use Calcium Carbonate USP.
<DIV =product_deion>
<DIV =product_deion>I looked in George's catalog and didn't see this stuff. Here is a link where I found it: http://www.homebrewit.com/aisle/1080. Runs $2.09 for 3 oz.
<DIV =product_deion>

 

[Steve]

If your kit is more than 6 months old, I would geta new bottle of sodium hydroxide. It gets weak over time and can really throw off your results.

 

[masta]

As suggested I would get a fresh acid test kit and recheck before taking any drastic measures like adding calcium carbonate (it does lower TA but works better on tartaric acid than malic acid).


The main acid in apples is malic which does have a harsh and very pronouncedbite and is a weaker acid than say tartaric so this is why the pH isn't lower than 3.27 if the TA check is correct.
Using MLF to convert harsh malic acid into more agreeable lactic acidis an option.


Some of the pucker could be the the result of the tannins from the raisins and what you added to the must and also that the wine needs to age.


Back sweetening will certainly reduce the acid bite and I have used liquid apple juice concentrate (not the frozen one) which sweetens and adds more apple flavor without adding lots of water like apple juice would.

 

[rshosted]

Those are all great options. Thanks for all the input. I was thinking of doing the Mal. Ferm. but read that one shouldn't add MLF after adding poassium Sorbate to a wine. And since I did back sweeten it just a bit with some of the left over raw applejuice that I froze, I needed to add it to prevent further yeast activity.

However, Adding the juice did make the wine much less tart. I am going to let it clear a little and add some oak. I think with a little more in flavor from the oak this wine will be one of my best country wines yet.

Edited by: rshosted

 

[masta]

Cool....yes definitely no MLF after adding sorbate. I made 10 gals of an apple cranberry last year and added oak to one half of the batch. After tasting the finished wine wished I would would have oaked all of it as the oak added much to the wine.


Just checked my records and I added 1/2 oz Heavy Toast French Oak cubes to 5 gals for 8 weeks.