When to measure acid

[x_diver]

When should I measure and adjust acid? I've read a few posts indicating that this should be done prior to the start of primary fermentation. Yet I've seen recipes that indicate that this should be done after primary fermentation. Which is it? Or does it matter? Specifically, does sugar / alcohol content affect acid readings?

 

[Turock]

The best practice is to adjust PH pre-ferment because this is when it's the easiest to do and these adjustments incorporate into the wine the best. Also, if you're working with a very high acid must and you wait to adjust in the post ferment, sometimes you can't get it adjusted because you can't use that volume of potassium carbonate at that point. Then you end up with an acidic wine that you have to blend in order to make it acceptable.

When you are at the primary, THIS is where you're designing the wine. This is where you are attempting to begin creating a balanced wine and maybe adding what nature could not deliver to you in the fruit. So acid adjustments, additives for mouthfeel, tannins etc. are added in order to get that smoothly integrated into the resulting wine. If you do it this way, you have done 99% of the work involved in winemaking and you have an easy cruise to bottling time. I hate going back and working with the secondary. It seems to take more time that I don't want to put in. So spend an hour or so at the primary--get the work done there. When you taste your wine after bulk aging, you'll see how smooth, balanced, and flavorful they are.

 

[salcoco]

The best is to do it in the primary. however some touch up can also be done after fermentation is complete and wine is clear.

 

[x_diver]

Will do. Thank you.


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

 

[LoveTheWine]

Be careful when adding acid to do it in small increments and re-test.
If you add too much it may ruin the finished product.
Using a PH meter is more accurate then an acid test kit.