a question about calibrating my pH meter

[BernardSmith]

I have a Hanna pH meter and some buffering solution. The buffering solutions are for three different levels of pH (4 7 and 10, if my memory serves) . If I know that the wine is almost certainly below 7 is there a good reason to calibrate for all 3 points? Does it make sense to calibrate even for a pH of 7?
And is there a shelf life for the buffer solution? I got some about a year ago from a colleague who is a chemist and there was no indication on the containers that specified more than their pH level. (I cannot ask my colleague as she has just moved to another college). As always - thanks for reading my post and responding

 

[Runningwolf]

You only calibrate the with the 4ph and 7 ph buffers. Do not use the 10.

 

[Kleftiwallah]

All this technology!

Just my thoughts on the subject but all this technology is taking the mistyque out oif winemaking. I bekieve we do it for fun, but some of us are pretending to be manufacturers.

I don't even have a floaty thingy. but my wine is drinkable (most of the time)!

Just lurve those smilies,

Cheers, Tony.

 

[Runningwolf]

Just my thoughts on the subject but all this technology is taking the mistyque out oif winemaking. I bekieve we do it for fun, but some of us are pretending to be manufacturers.

I don't even have a floaty thingy. but my wine is drinkable (most of the time)!

Just lurve those smilies,

Cheers, Tony.

There are also tower climbers and window washers that work without safety lines. It's a choice, if it works for you and you like the risk, rock on!

 

[BernardSmith]

Hi Tony, There's certainly mystery and mystique aplenty whenever humans engage with a magical world but there is no less wonder and awe when we use technology to try to understand it and produce predictable results consistently closer to what we are looking for rather than simply accept whatever outcomes the magic produces. I guess my preference is for the gobsmacking astonishment that comes from outcomes that are a result of understanding rather than the gasp that comes when we surprise ourselves. To each their own. But even more than that, as a wine hobbyist it seems to me that wine making is both an art and a science. It's not an either/or. And while I certainly treat the art as art, I try to treat the science as science and leave the magic to magicians.
Skol.

 

[JohnT]

Just my thoughts on the subject but all this technology is taking the mistyque out oif winemaking. I bekieve we do it for fun, but some of us are pretending to be manufacturers.

I don't even have a floaty thingy. but my wine is drinkable (most of the time)!

Just lurve those smilies,

Cheers, Tony.

Tony,

Just to expand on what Bernard was saying..

I too started out with much the same attitude in the beginning. Keep in mind that when I started making wine, kits were not really a viable option. Winemaking was limited to just fresh grapes, and just during the harvest season.

Now think about how I felt when I had my first batch of wine go south. Realize that this was an entire year's worth of winemaking that (for unknown reasons) turned south. Believe me it was no comfort to think that I had just 350 days to go before I could take another crack at it. As I later found out, just simply a matter of adding some acid would have prevented the whole problem. Lesson Learned.

We use tech to avoid problems and make the best wine possible. I believe that this has been a shared goal of all winemakers since the beginning of time. If the old timers had our knowledge, they would have applied it.

I do not know if you are just a beginner, or a romantic, but you are just a couple of horrible failures away from agreeing with me.