Concerned about low pH

[Thig]

I have a 3 gallon batch of blueberry and a 3 gallon batch of blackcurrant that I started in May 2014. The blueberry started at pH 3.23 and currant at ph 3.29.

They both fermented good in about 8 days to a little under 1.000. I added kmeta and sorbate about a week ago. I Checked the pH today while I had my meter out on another batch and the blueberry is pH 2.91 and the currant is pH 2.80.

Couple of questions :

Is that too low to safely drink?
Will back-sweetening lower the pH?
What would you do with it, I have not bottled yet?

 

[Thig]

I am going to check this again tomorrow. I checked 2 wines and a mead and they all had really low pH so my calibration might be off.

Still would appreciate any replies assuming it is correct.

 

[cintipam]

Hi Thig

glad you will recheck, I've never seen any drop that dramatically. Actually, mine usually drop acid resulting in higher numbers after fermenting.

OK, I really like high acid everything. I eat grapefruit straight and Real Lemon juice is added to almost all my food. In my early winemaking days I had a wine I loved but it was time to put in powdered vit c to help stabilize the color (advice taken from the old book Mary's recipes). Naturally that lowered the PH even more and while I still liked the taste it did cause me to lose the layer of skin in my mouth. My records show it had PH of 2.75. So no judgement please about how tart I like foods, wine etc. But I have often consumed wine near that with no effects other than losing the skin in my mouth.

Hope admitting this helps you.

Pam in cinti

 

[cintipam]

FWIW with that batch I made a second batch doing everything I could to make the PH more normal. No acid blend, modified juice blend amounts in base. I also used diff yeast with a very high alc tolerance. Then I blended the 2 batches together. I did backsweeten batch one quite a bit and it helped PH, but the alc dropped too much to be safely bottled. Thus the second high alch batch and blending. It worked out very well, and is a wine that many folks request by name when they know I'm attending a party.

Pam in cinti

 

[Thig]

Thanks, I will report back tomorrow. I had rather have a lower pH than higher also, I hate a flabby tasting wine.