Need help with an acid mistake

I started ginger-hibiscus mead today. I made just a 1 gal batch. After finding the pH in the primary 5.06, I made the mistake of adding acid blend...maybe way too much acid blend. When I rechecked, the pH was 3.32.

What, if any, corrective action can or should I take at this point?

Stressbaby said:

I started ginger-hibiscus mead today. I made just a 1 gal batch. After finding the pH in the primary 5.06, I made the mistake of adding acid blend...maybe way too much acid blend. When I rechecked, the pH was 3.32.

What, if any, corrective action can or should I take at this point?

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Nothing wrong with that pH. Leave it alone.

novalou said:

Nothing wrong with that pH. Leave it alone.

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Novalou, thanks for the very quick response. That is a relief.

After I did it, I thought I had screwed it up because I went to some mead forums and they all said that they avoided acid additions.

Thanks.

Yeah, not adding acid at the beginning of fermentation seems to be the current trend. The only explanation that I have come across so far for it is that if you add too much up front it is hard to correct later. That said, and without actually checking, I thought that your current pH level was in the normal range also.

botigol said:

Yeah, not adding acid at the beginning of fermentation seems to be the current trend. The only explanation that I have come across so far for it is that if you add too much up front it is hard to correct later. That said, and without actually checking, I thought that your current pH level was in the normal range also.

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I've added acid both before and after fermentation. I prefer to add prior fermentation, the taste smooths out sooner.

Thanks novalou, I added acid blend up-front on my traditional wildflower, so after your post I am hoping that I will be able to enjoy it sooner than I was previously expecting :0) That said, it will still be a while :0(

Not so much a "trend", more to do with the increased interest in meads with more understanding of whats going on.

Watered down honey still seems as sweet, which masks how acidic it can be i.e. low pH so the yeast would be fine and happy.

Because of whats happening in the ferment, the pH swings around sometimes quite wildly. So any extra acid can drop a batch to where the changes in pH can drop it below 3.0 pH and bingo.....

Stressed yeast, off flavours, stuck ferments etc etc.

Hence the thinking being that if the extra acid not being needed for yeast health, then why add it up front ? And leave it until the ferment is finished just for taste/flavour........

I have never added acid blend but I like to start mead at about 3.5 because yeast like it. Now I do adjust the acid using lemon or pineapple juice. Lemon if it need a big jump. Adding a lot of pineapple has a big effect on taste( not bad though)

mmadmikes1 said:

I have never added acid blend but I like to start mead at about 3.5 because yeast like it. Now I do adjust the acid using lemon or pineapple juice. Lemon if it need a big jump. Adding a lot of pineapple has a big effect on taste( not bad though)

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Which isn't a bad idea at all. Never thought of pineapple juice.

I blend my own acid with a mix of 2 parts malic to 1 part tartaric but its only added for taste at the end. I'm not a big fan of citric acid as it seems to give/leave too much of a lemony hint which I find too pronounced.

But pineapple? Now there's an idea........

if you add gallons it is good too

mmadmikes1 said:

if you add gallons it is good too

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yes, pineapple melomel is on the "todo" list as well......

I don't want to leave anyone hanging...this one is bubbling away in the secondary at pH 3.33 and SG 1.004.

Hmmm, just seing that color makes me think of sitting on a beach...very tropical!