This morning with the grapes and juice combined I got 21.5 Brix and 3.67 Ph. Have to go buy a TA test kit. I'd like to get closer to 24 and 3.4. What do you think?
2017 Harford Vineyard Chilean Grape/Juice Pickup
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This morning with the grapes and juice combined I got 21.5 Brix and 3.67 Ph. Have to go buy a TA test kit. I'd like to get closer to 24 and 3.4. What do you think?
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
All 4 of mine from last year were around 21 brix - I did not adjust. pH ranged from 3.45 to 3.7 - again, I didn't adjust. I think your numbers are fine. Brix is a tad low, but I wouldn't lose much sleep over it.
Will it change much if I let it macerate for a few days?
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
It might. You're less than 24 hours on those skins, right? And only 1 lug, with 6 gallons of juice? If it does change, it probably won't be much. Assume you mixed it up well prior to taking your measurements, so it probably is what it is at this point.
Yes to everything. May run out today and get a TA test kit. Plus I broke my thermometer.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
You have a local source? Closest I've seen is Jay's Brewing in Manassas. Used to be just a few minutes away for me when we lived in Bristow, but not as convenient anymore. Plus, they cater to beer, but obviously, some of the supplies and equipment overlap. I know of another place (My Local Home Brew Shop), but they are all the way down in Falls Church.
MLHB has a little better selection but still mostly beer. Jay's almost looks like they just openned. They really need to up their inventory.
No sure my PMs are going through. I really should, but don't want to, work on my boat this afternoon but if your day opens up it just might give me a good excuse not to.
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Saw something from you, but it was blank. I miss having a boat - though I didn't have to work much on it - maybe that's why its still a fond memory.
What do you have?
Saw something from you, but it was blank. I miss having a boat - though I didn't have to work much on it - maybe that's why its still a fond memory.
1988 35' Mainship Mediterranean Sedan Bridge with twin 454 Crusaders
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
Ah, that explains the name.
I had a little 19 foot Sea Ray bowrider w/a 150hp I/O Mercruiser. A dinghy for your boat.
Here's a pic, her name is Black's Pearl
I am surprised you have any money to make wine! I had a small (20') pontoon boat (our lake is rather small - 256 acres) and I was constantly struggling to keep the engine going - sold it to my brother-in-law, I think the base is now a floating dock for a friend of his on the Susquehanna).
If you can't get a TA test kit, I'd imagine our two batches are pretty close to the same, will post numbers of the Syrah when I get around to testing (still have to test my normal solution first). Now that dinner prep is out of the way I can concentrate on beer drinking and testing, in that order.
BTW, nice boat!
Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
That's not on Mattawoman Creek, is it?
I got a pH of 3.58 and a TA of 3.3 g/L, so you could add some tartaric acid to bring the pH down and it would improve the TA number. Grapes were in a container with Lallzyme EX-V overnight, put the grapes in a bag and added bucket, squeezed a few times and let sit for a few hours before testing. Temperature was at 64*F. Did test the normal solution and it was "normal" (decently new from PI wines). I got a 20.5 brix reading, might bump it up to 22 or so with some acidulated sugar water. I do like the aroma from the grapes, I'm getting a hint of black pepper already.
Edit: I'm showing a little over an ounce of tartaric will bring the TA up to 4.5 g/L, so I'm planning to add 14 g (roughly half) and leaving the Brix alone, still sitting on the fence as to whether I adjust the Brix, may wait until tomorrow morning and retest before making any adjustments in hopes I get a more accurate number.
Edit 2: Chianti bucket - pH 3.57 - added 32 oz cranberry juice (Knuetzen or something) + 2 x 12 oz Cranberry cocktail (Giant brand - no sorbate) - 1.084 before additives
Muscato bucket - pH 3.64 - SG 1.084 (common theme here)
Too lazy to do other measurements, and frankly I could give a s**t, I'm tired, maybe tomorrow a.m.
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Boatboy24
No longer a newbie, but still clueless.
I know they don't necessarily move in unison, but those pH and TA #'s don't make sense. That is crazy low TA - half of what it should be. Add a bit of a low brix, and it really doesn't make sense.
Chileans.......had a taste of some of that nonsense myself last year.....
No, Belmont Bay
Didn't make too much sense to me either, that's why I'm only going 1/2 way with any adjustments (which I haven't made yet). To add to the fun, the grapes all by themselves measure 4.01 pH (didn't do a TA measurement), so I'm waiting till tomorrow morning to test again. When in doubt, I'll let it ride, I can always adjust later, but I prefer to get 1/2 way up front if I can. If it becomes a "bust" batch, I don't have a whole heck of a lot of $$ invested in it, the one great advantage to these juice buckets.
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Bodenski
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Both my buckets tested really low on TA. My assumption was that the test kit was old, although I bought it less than 6 months ago. (Had to, since I've been in the hobby only 6 months, and I didn't have it at first!) The pH was Ok on both my buckets (one from South Africa, one from Chile) but both had low TA. Granted, this was when the temp was 39 degrees. Now that they've warmed up I plan on retesting this evening.
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