Kumquat wine attempt by a Newbie

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Alabadyin

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1st batch ever.

With 2 Kqt trees in yard, one sweet the other sweet and sour, I decided to go ahead using 15 lb of the sweet on my 1st attempt at wine making.

Added to the above is 11 lb sugar plus various additives > KMeta, Peptic enzyme yeast nutrient and yeast.

SG is 1100 but ph (litmus paper test) was about 4.4, and after adding 56 g of acid blend ph is around 4.0.

I am reading that acid blend can have 40-50% citric content, so should I move in a different direction to achieve the 3.4-3.8 that seems desireable ? or just add more of the same?

All comments appreciated.

Thanks

Ron
 
Never made wine from kumquats but I think that you don't need to fine tune the acidity before the wine is quietly aging. Fermentation will result in a drop of the pH as the yeast create an environment that it prefers and which will inhibit other probable competing bacteria and mold and wild yeast. Moreover, as the yeast produce CO2 that too will increase the acidity as the carbon dioxide reacts with the H2O and produces a mild acid. The real issue of pH (I think) when it comes to fermentation is that it can be too low for the yeast - Too much acidity can stall the fermentation. When it comes to drinking then taste is by far the most important element and taste involves a balance between alcohol levels, the level of sweetness and the amount of acidity in the wine.. My suggestion is that at a nominal pH of 4 (and I would think that litmus paper is not very accurate (so 4.0 could be 3.5) and not very reliable (so you might get a reading of 4.5 the next time you tested even if you never touched the must between the two tests)) you let it go and pitch the yeast (while ensuring that the yeast have enough nutrients and nitrogen and the like)... and save your acid blend or citric acid until it comes time to bottle.
 
I agree with Bernard. And after fermentation if more acidity is needed, use straight citric.
 
Never made wine from kumquats but I think that you don't need to fine tune the acidity before the wine is quietly aging. Fermentation will result in a drop of the pH as the yeast create an environment that it prefers and which will inhibit other probable competing bacteria and mold and wild yeast. Moreover, as the yeast produce CO2 that too will increase the acidity as the carbon dioxide reacts with the H2O and produces a mild acid. The real issue of pH (I think) when it comes to fermentation is that it can be too low for the yeast - Too much acidity can stall the fermentation. When it comes to drinking then taste is by far the most important element and taste involves a balance between alcohol levels, the level of sweetness and the amount of acidity in the wine.. My suggestion is that at a nominal pH of 4 (and I would think that litmus paper is not very accurate (so 4.0 could be 3.5) and not very reliable (so you might get a reading of 4.5 the next time you tested even if you never touched the must between the two tests)) you let it go and pitch the yeast (while ensuring that the yeast have enough nutrients and nitrogen and the like)... and save your acid blend or citric acid until it comes time to bottle.

Thanks for your quick response, and I appreciate your helping me focus on what is most important. hopefully my litmus testing will come to an end when I find a suitable replacement.
 
1st Batch has now been flushed into oblivion. In my haste I over-dosed my KMeta to the tune of 1/4 tsp X 6 (gal) = 1 1/2 tsp TOTAL.

....but it did smell nice at the time...:(

Looking forward to a good crop this fall, when I'll try again.
 

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