PH and TA question

[silverbullet07]

My ph of my blackberry wine is 3.11 and 3.14 corrected for temperature. my TA is 5.5.

Should I do any thing to bring my PH up before pitching my yeast tomorrow?

Tested with a Dr meter upgrade PH838 and it was calibrate.

Thanks

 

[cmason1957]

My ph of my blackberry wine is 3.11 and 3.14 corrected for temperature. my TA is 5.5.

Should I do any thing to bring my PH up before pitching my yeast tomorrow?

Tested with a Dr meter upgrade PH838 and it was calibrate.

Thanks

That seems a bit low to me for a blackberry wine. I think raising it to neaer 3.4 or 3.5 MIGHT be a good idea. But here's how I would really check, does it taste super tart, does it make you pucker when you drink it?? If not, maybe I wouldn't do anything.

 

[silverbullet07]

No it is nice and taste great. Not tart at all, maybe a little sweet but not much. Taste great.

i have already added the Camden tablets. Don’t know if that plays a roll or not. But I added 3 Last night. I have 4 gallons of juice. OG is 1.092 corrected for temps.

 

[Johnd]

No it is nice and taste great. Not tart at all, maybe a little sweet but not much. Taste great.

i have already added the Camden tablets. Don’t know if that plays a roll or not. But I added 3 Last night. I have 4 gallons of juice. OG is 1.092 corrected for temps.

Go easy on the pH raising if you do it, since it tastes pretty good. 3.3 would get you to a spot where your yeast should be pretty happy. In the end, even if the wine pH is a little low, or it’s a little tart, you’ll most likely be sweetening it anyway, which will overcome the tartness.

 

[Scooter68]

IF you want to raise it. Figure out how much Calcium Carbonate it will take to get it to a pH of 3.4 and then add about 1/4th or 1/3rd of that amount .

Doing that should keep you from overshooting. I'd personally prefer to have the pH starting out no lower than 3.25 at the lowest.

 

[silverbullet07]

I guess I should raise a little.

To raise from ph 3.1 to 3.3 it would take 34g for my 17 l juice.
I would first do a test with 15ml. 15ml is 1.5% of 1l. adding .015 g to 15ml to see how that corrects it.

I’ll have to go out and purchase some Calcium Carbonate in the morning. I did not have any.

 

[silverbullet07]

Did another test this morning after squeezing the blackberries more and adding the pectin enzymes yesterday. The juice is at 76.4F

PH 3.08
TA 6.25

I will add some Calcium Carbonate. Should I rack 1/3 juice off and mix the calcium Carbonate in it and then add back to primary, or just mix it right in primary?

I will do a rate of 2.5g/g start slow bringing it up .1 ph at a time. I should be around 33g for for a 3.38-3.4 I would like to see 3.4.

 

[CoteRotie]

I'd consider using potassium bicarbonate instead of calcium carbonate. See here. I wouldn't push it too far either as previously noted. Either carbonate can affect flavor at the upper end of the reduction range.

 

[Johnd]

Did another test this morning after squeezing the blackberries more and adding the pectin enzymes yesterday. The juice is at 76.4F

PH 3.08
TA 6.25

I will add some Calcium Carbonate. Should I rack 1/3 juice off and mix the calcium Carbonate in it and then add back to primary, or just mix it right in primary?

I will do a rate of 2.5g/g start slow bringing it up .1 ph at a time. I should be around 33g for for a 3.38-3.4 I would like to see 3.4.

I second what @CoteRotie said, bicarbonate is a better product. As far as HOW to do it, I suggest the following:

1. Calculate how much you need to raise the pH to your target, in g/L, and divide that number in half. You can add less and go at it slowly, but don't add any more than that initially.
2. In my experience doing this, you'll get more of a pH raise than you anticipate, but see where you are after your first addition, and sneak up on your target very slowly.
3. Make sure you are mixing very well and giving the must some time to adjust to the changes you've made, like and hour or two between additions with lots of stirring.
4. If you can hit 3.3 without too much trouble, and you should be able to, that's a pretty decent, safe spot for most yeast to do their thing.
5. Monitor your fermentation, keep the temps in range and make sure you are keeping the yeast fed properly with something like Fermaid K

Keep us posted on your progress, someone will help out if needed.

 

[silverbullet07]

Thanks for the great information.

Everything I have read suggested to use calcium carbonate for Pre fermentation and potassium bicarbonate after fermentation before you bottle. So I went out this morning and purchased the calcium carbonate this morning. I needed to get the PH up but TD really was not that high. Tasted good anyway.

It was rated to add 1/2 tsp per gallon to drop acid .1. I think PH raises faster then the acid drops. So I added 1/4 tsp at a time checking ph as I went. Watching it go up, little by little. I am at PH 3.5 now. With a TD 5.75. I'm going to let it sit for a couple hours now and check it again. Hopefully I will be ready to pitch the yeast soon.

Thanks Everyone!

 

[silverbullet07]

That seems a bit low to me for a blackberry wine. I think raising it to neaer 3.4 or 3.5 MIGHT be a good idea. But here's how I would really check, does it taste super tart, does it make you pucker when you drink it?? If not, maybe I wouldn't do anything.

@cmason1957
When you ask me if it was tart, should I have tasted the juice prior to adding the sugar water to gain a sense of the acid content? Or should I taste the tartness even after the sugar is added?

Just wondering what should have happened since I'm new. I did not start testing the PH until the OG was right.

 

[cmason1957]

For me, the tartness still comes through, even though it may be very sweet. I usually taste both before and after I get the SG to the level I want it to be around. It can be sweet, but still have a real edge to it.

 

[silverbullet07]

Thanks. I re-tasted it and the tingle on your Tongue, is that the acid?i seem to feel that. Sort of feel it after wards to. Taste sweet a little thick and tingle on the tongue. Would the ta 5.75 Be high for this style? I know after fermentation and age changes it a lot.

 

[cmason1957]

Thanks. I re-tasted it and the tingle on your Tongue, is that the acid?i seem to feel that. Sort of feel it after wards to. Taste sweet a little thick and tingle on the tongue. Would the ta 5.75 Be high for this style? I know after fermentation and age changes it a lot.

I can't tell you if TA is to high or to low, I'm a bad boy and don't often measure it. I do check the ph every batch I do from fruit, but TA to me is more of a taste thing than a measurement thing. Numbers and measurements are good and all, but taste trumps all.