TA and pH for blackberry must

[Earldw]

I crushed up some fresh blackberries, squeezed the juice out, then ran TA, pH and Brie level tests. Results were 9.0 g/l acid, 3.3pH and 9% brix. I also tasted the juice and it is tart. If you had this juice to work with, would you add anything to adjust TA or pH? Thanks in advance.

 

[Ohio Bob]

The year I had a huge haul of blackberries from my wood line I made 3g of wine and 3g of port. The port I sweetened with chocolate powder to the point it was barely detectable.

My wine is tart, I should have back sweetened it a month or so before bottling. A few glasses with some sweetening might convince you that back sweetening is needed. I did not know back sweetening was a thing until I joined this forum.

My advice, ferment it dry and then sweeten in secondary. Let the final sweetening bulk age a month or so to insure no further fermentation takes place.

 

[Earldw]

Thanks Bob. I will likely front and back sweeten.

 

[Scooter68]

I would not make any adjustment to the pH. At 3.3 you are at the low end of the pH range most folks like for fruit wines*, but not really that far at all. Making adjustments from where you are at is not that critical.


*[ The typical range folks normally work for is between 3.4 to 3.6]

 

[Earldw]

I would not make any adjustment to the pH. At 3.3 you are at the low end of the pH range most folks like for fruit wines*, but not really that far at all. Making adjustments from where you are at is not that critical.


*[ The typical range folks normally work for is between 3.4 to 3.6]

Thanks Scooter..

 

[Artie66]

I would not make any adjustment to the pH. At 3.3 you are at the low end of the pH range most folks like for fruit wines*, but not really that far at all. Making adjustments from where you are at is not that critical.


*[ The typical range folks normally work for is between 3.4 to 3.6]

Well last year made a few gallons tasted it before bottling not great after a year in bottles would say some of my best like new world Hardy's..

 

[Raptor99]

I would not make any adjustment to the pH. At 3.3 you are at the low end of the pH range most folks like for fruit wines*, but not really that far at all.

I agree. Blackberry wine needs to be on the tart side to taste like blackberries. With my cranberry wine, the initial pH before fermentation was 2.8, so I added Potassium Bicarbonate to bring that up to 3.1.

A Brix of 9 = SG 1.036, which gives a potential ABV of 4.7%. So you definitely need to add some sugar before fermentation. As to how much to add, if you know the Brix/SG and the volume, you can calculate how many grams of sugar to add to bring it up to the desired Brix/SG.

 

[Earldw]

Well last year made a few gallons tasted it before bottling not great after a year in bottles would say some of my best like new world Hardy's..

Aging the wine for a year or two becomes possible when supply is greater than demand

 

[Earldw]

I agree. Blackberry wine needs to be on the tart side to taste like blackberries. With my cranberry wine, the initial pH before fermentation was 2.8, so I added Potassium Bicarbonate to bring that up to 3.1.

A Brix of 9 = SG 1.036, which gives a potential ABV of 4.7%. So you definitely need to add some sugar before fermentation. As to how much to add, if you know the Brix/SG and the volume, you can calculate how many grams of sugar to add to bring it up to the desired Brix/SG.

Wonderful! I spent my whole life in engineering and love to quantify that which I can change.

 

[Raptor99]

There are a lot of useful calculators here: FermCalc JS

 

[Earldw]

There are a lot of useful calculators here: FermCalc JS

Nice set of calculators.

 

[Artie66]

Aging the wine for a year or two becomes possible when supply is greater than demand

Yes easy to drink some of not so good wine when stock is low!