PH Adjustment Advice Needed

[DavesWine]

I started preparing a red today and got a starter going as well. After I reached the SG and volume I checked the PH. I'm at 4.0. I don't have anything other than citric acid or lemon juice to adjust the PH. Do I leave it and ferment, adjusting at the end of fermentation or try to adjust with the citric acid? My window to pitch the starter is from 5am - 11am tomorrow morning.

 

[ibglowin]

The acid you add depends on the fruit. We would need to know what type of wine this is to start.

 

[DavesWine]

Rosé

 

[wood1954]

I think citric acid or lemon juice wouldn’t last very long. Should probably get some tartaric acid, you’ve got time.

 

[ibglowin]

Rosé

From red grapes? If so get some tartaric acid and adjust the pH post AF.

 

[DavesWine]

Yes, red grapes. So fermenting with ph a little high shouldn’t be a problem then. Good to know.

 

[BarrelMonkey]

Early adjustments are always better than late ones, and if you can adjust your must prior to pitching yeast that would be ideal... but it sounds as if that ship has sailed. I would still try to adjust in the next day if you can get some tartaric acid since the yeast will take a while to get going; after that, it becomes difficult to track pH accurately due to the CO2 evolved during fermentation. Next best would be to adjust when fermentation is done, though again you have to be careful to not be led astray by residual CO2.

 

[DavesWine]

I can't get any tartaric acid here until Tuesday so it looks like I'll be adjusting PH at the end of fermentation. Hopefully it'll be okay.
I thought I had tartaric acid but only citric. Must have run out at some point and forgotten.