Testing...

I know you're going to cringe, but ... I can't read my PH strips: the color key is in greens and my sample is pink (red grapes) soo...then I pull out the acid test kit, follow the directions and, drop by drop, swirl, and look for a color change, and there never is one. I'm hoping for the red juice to go to grey but after 3cc's of drops I give up. So at this point I dump in sugar, pitch the yeast and move forward. I am on day 2 right now so may still benefit from advice.

Drop by drop ? Should be squirt by squirt.
You should be adding the sodium hydroxide solution for color change. Maybe I'm reading incorrectly, but it sounds like you might be adding the color change solution stuff (requires only 3 drops before adding hydroxide) and looking for a color change with that by accident.

Instructions are to put into the test tube 3cc must and 6cc water and 3 or 4 drops acid indicator solution. Then fill a clean 3cc syringe filled with the test reagent. "Slowly add" reagent to the tube and swirl watching for the color change. Then a calculation is done based on the amount of reagent used...but of course I don't ever get to that point. Oh well, it IS fermenting - at this point, what tests should I be doing?

get a ph meter and instead of color change, difficult with reds, look for a ph value of 8.2. way more accurate. should be measuring ph of your must anyway.

Just ordered the Hanna Checker Digital pH Meter from Kraus - looks like the best way to go as all my vines are reds and the color is a problem. What other testing equipment is critical to have?

I think that would work well, given it's the most popular ph meter in the world.
Just be sure to take proper care with use/storage/calibration and all that. I busted my 1st meter unaware of proper care. http://morewinemaking.com/public/pdf/wphmeter.pdf
Since it's fermenting don't test any acid until after- and just measure SG with hydrometer until it's done fermenting.

I think your good with the ph meter, acid test kit, and hydrometer. And That's it as far as "critical testing equipment" aside from your own taste buds.
I also love my cheap thermometer gun for fermentations and whenever specific temps are needed. Not exactly critical, but you should have some sort of way to check temps too.

I have a surface thermometer stuck on the bucket, and a heating band around it, but that's a fun toy! I have the hydrometer. So should stay out of trouble for a few days

Thank you for your quick help! The wasps got a big portion of my harvest this year as I was waiting for a better Brix reading. I'm within 1/4 mile of the Atlantic ocean so things happen really fast with the changeable weather this time of year.

Maine said:

still benefit from ad

Click to expand...

Order a Ph meter - its the only thing for red grapes.