quick drop in pH

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spinelli01

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I had to tell everyone, because I think all of you would be the only ones to get somewhat excited:) I received my buckets of frozen must from Midwest Supply, and they are fermenting perfectly (knock on wood). My entire house smells like a mix of baked bread and a wine cellar. Love it!! I've hopefully learned from my mishaps on my first batch.

So, the real reason I'm posting is to make sure I'm interpreting my observations correctly. The Brix on the frozen must (8 gallons total) stated 25, but when I tested it, it ended up being 27. pH was 3.92. Since it is a cab, I added water (2 L) and tartaric acid (50g) separately (I learned about the acidulated water after the fact). I think I added too much acid! I used a yeast starter with RP15 yeast, and added to the must. I tested the following morning, and I ended up with pH 3.18 and TA 18.75!! I didn't want to adjust again, and I had read this could be the skins breaking down and everything will adjust by day 2. I added more fermkaid. This morning fermentation is rocking. Temp at 80 degrees F and the cap almost lifted out of the bucket. I wasn't able to test this morning! Do you think this is a correct assumption about the high acid being the initial fermentation process? Has anyone seen this happen?
 
3g of tartaric acid will raise 1 L of wine .1%. How many buckets of frozen must did you start with? I can't tell if you have 3 buckets (for about 8-10 gal. of finished wine) or one and a half or something. If the 8 gal. is the finished wine amount, then you could only have raised TA by maybe .2%. So, something is off with an 18.75% reading. It is possible fermentation had started and their was carbonic acid in your sample (i.e. CO2). Did you boil the sample and cool it before reading?
 
3g of tartaric acid will raise 1 L of wine .1%. How many buckets of frozen must did you start with? I can't tell if you have 3 buckets (for about 8-10 gal. of finished wine) or one and a half or something. If the 8 gal. is the finished wine amount, then you could only have raised TA by maybe .2%. So, something is off with an 18.75% reading. It is possible fermentation had started and their was carbonic acid in your sample (i.e. CO2). Did you boil the sample and cool it before reading?

I have around 8 gallons of must. Maybe I didn't add too much acid? I completely forgot about the carbonic acid. Primary fermentation had started the day before I took the sample, and I didn't boil and cool the sample. Do you typically microwave the sample to a specific degree? Is there a reason I need to test TA during primary fermentation?
 
Do you typically microwave the sample to a specific degree? Is there a reason I need to test TA during primary fermentation?

I microwave it until it boils; I hope that is enough. Seems to work (have to cool the sample too). Another way is to boil distilled water and add that at a 10:1 ratio or something.

I was wrong, 1 g of tartaric acid raises 1 L by .1%. 8 gal. of must should make about 4 gal of wine or 15L at least. So, you would have raised TA at most .4%.

Not much reason to check TA until after fermentation. But, CO2 will be in solution then and you have to boil samples to get true readings.
 
Yep, you have to boil to get the C02 out when taking this reading. I always adjust before fermentation and then test again afterwards and adjust if needed.
 
Thanks. I think I will wait until fermentation is complete before checking the TA again. I'll boil and cool it this time. Thanks for the info
 

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