Interaction between acid and sugar?

[Glenimus]

Glenimus here. Morning everyone.


I hope this is the right place for this question, but if it fits better elsewhere, meaning I might get a better answer -- Naw! How would that bepossible?


Ihave done two kit wines and will start my third one tomorrow, but I am considering makeing a wine from scratch sometime later this year.(Meaning, I have a tonto learn about this new adventure.) I appreciate all the help in the past andamthankful for the help that I will get on this one. Lace your answers with some humor, if you please.

Question 1. Is there an interaction between acid and sugar? When I add sugar to the must does this affect the acid level? If I adjust the acid level upward does it impact the S.G. (i.e. sugar)? If the answer is yes, which do I do first or do I do both more than once?

Question 2. Adding sugar increases the volumn of the must, I believe. How do I do it to keep the must from increasing beyondthe six gals that mycarboy will hold? (I would hate to waste anythingthat may someday be wine.)

Question 3. How the heck did I get so hooked on winemaking so quickly?


If I can't be Pope (and I don't seemto be getting any traction on that project) I will strive to be a better wine maker (That sounds like a boy scout.) Appreciate your help.


Glenimus

 

[bilbo-in-maine]

Hi Glenimus, good to hear from you again

1. No and no - add all the sugar you want, or add all the acid you want,
and the values of the other will remain unchanged at the time of addition.
During fermentation, the yeast convert sugar to CO2 and alcohol as you
know, and at this time the acid level and pH can and do fluctuate a bit.

2. Add all ingredients to your fermenting container, then finish adding
the water up to the 6 gallon mark on your container. It might behoove
you to start your first scratch wine project with a smaller amount, though.
A gallon or two works well.

3. You have to ask this of your father confessor

Now, can you please help me across this street young man?

 

[masta]

Deciding on what you want your starting SG to be you can calculate the amount of sugar needed for any size batch and get it fairly close without guessing on the amount.


I have used this batch calculator (not just for mead) with great success:


http://www.gotmead.com/making-mead/mead-calculator.shtml

 

[Glenimus]

Thank you very muchBilbo andMasta,


Still, I think I ammissing something .... probably something simple, but just not getting inside my head.


-- If you put ingredients into the primary and add water to the six gallon mark, won't you be over six gallons when you add the sugar? You would not be able to calcualte the amount of sugarneeded to reach a target SG (lets pretend 1.095) unitl afteryou add water to the six gallon mark and could measure the beginning SG.


--Well ... I guess I am assuming a couple of things that may not be true .....


(a) that the beginning SG is related to the amount of water added -- the more water you add the lower the beginning SG will be, (theoreticallyyou could add enough waterthe SG would apporach 1.000 if you had a very large primary fermenter).


(b) that you need to know the beginning SG before you can calulate the amount of sugar needed. The caluclator Mr. Masta direced me to does say that the "current gravity" is optional. But ... don't you have to have a known value from which to work?


Or am I thinking about this all wrong? I cannot say with a staight face that I understand everything about the hydrometer and SG.


That caluculator seems a bit intimidating, at least until I spend some time with it.


Sorry for the lenght of this post .... aw heck, no I am not sorry (the Pope should never be sorry) but I hope you guys can hang with me on this burning question.


Regards, Glenimus

 

[Bill B]

Hi Glenimus, When I make a fruit or grape wine I set my target SG. Lets say 1.090 If my juice only reaches the 3 gal mark and I plan on making 6 gals. I start by adding water lets say 1 gal. Now I have 4 gals. Then I make a sugar syrup 1 cup H2O 2 cups sugar. Take a SG reading. I know Im still short on the total but I have to have a starting point. Then alternate water and sugar syrup till Im close to the desired SG and to the 5 or 6 gal mark. This may take a few min. but after a few times you will get the feel on how much to add. a bit slow butwhats the hurry. Acid and Ph adjustments can beand should be made before fermentation.. Also If you plan on adding your fruit to the batch make sure your fermenter is large enough.


Bill

 

[Bill B]

Oh before I forget. on the sugar syrup take 1 cup H2O in a pan and heat adding sugar (i use fine or extra fine) and disolve. Let it cool to room temp befor adding to juice. This is the way I do it. There are many ways Im sure better but this works for me. Hope it helps.


Bill

 

[masta]

The calculator can be a bit intimidating to use but the reason the default starting SG is 1.000 is because this is the specific gravity of water. The only time you would change this is when you need to increase the SG of a batch that is already in progress.


I certainly can help you with it if needed just let me know.

 

[Glenimus]

Thanks once again to both of you gentlemen.


I had my reply and my next question all typed out and I think I lost it, so I will try again. Will try not to make it so boring this time!


--- Bill, the sugar.I think I understand what you do and I think I can use your technique. You are using the target SG and the target volumeas the known variable and then using trial and error, to reach both at approximately the same time. Makes sense to me.


-- Fruit. You would add fruit after you reached the target volumn - say six gallons. When you removed the acutal fruit (pulp, peels, and othersolid stuff) you would have the original volume of juice. Is my thinking correct on this point?


---Masta,the calculator. I could use a short tutorial on how to use it. It did not seem intuitive to me and the"help page" didn't go anywhere.Assume that I am really a beginner onthis, which of course is true.


Oh, and thanks for the answer to my question about the interaction between acid and sugar. I am having such a good time with winemaking.I just started my Australian Shiraz on Saturday and now I have all sorts of questions about oak, but I will save that unitil later.


Cheers,


Glenimus

 

[PolishWineP]

Popemeister, do you have a recipe from which you will start?


We usually make our simple syrup on a day that we're not making wine so it's ready to use when we need it. It should keep you off the street and in the church for at least an hour.


Refer back to your recipe that you're going to tell me that you're using. Fruit in the bottom, other stuff on top to bring it up to 6 gallons.


So, do you have books with recipes that you've been reading? (Hope you say yes here. Otherwise, hope you wait to answer this question until you've been to the library and done some reading and then you can say, "But of course you pushy princess! Ihave recipes! What kind of wine maker do you think I am?")


Don't make this harder than it is. If people for thousands of years who couldn't read could make wine from fruit, then I'm sure you too will be successful!