Acid in My Chocolate Cherry

[RegionRat]

My batch of chocolate cherry has ph 4.66 and T/A 7. Do you think the number are that way because the cocco powder has high ph. I looked it up and pH for natural cocoa powder generally ranges from 5.0 to 5.8.

Do you think I need to make any corrections.

RR

 

[Julie]

Did you taste it? If you like the taste let it along

 

[RegionRat]

The problem is, I dont know what this one should taste like. It is going to be more of a port. I thought it was stuck but it was just the density of the coco powder thew off my sg reading. Long story short I kept feeding it sugar till it didnt ferment any more. I am thinking the ABV is in the 18-20% range. So, a combination of the high alcohol, it being a very young wine, started it first week of Aug, and I dont know what a chocolate wine is supposed to taste like has got my head spinnung.

I did see a few bottles of chocolate red wine at the wine store the other day. Maybe I should grab a bottle for sampling...

RR

 

[Julie]

Well for me, I would want to get a good taste of cherry and have a nice chocolate finish, like eating a chocolate covered cherry. I think, but I could be wrong, that the problem is you used coco powder. I always use an 85% dark chocolate. I have tasted wines that had coco powder used and it just seams like it is all thru the wine with no separation of other flavors. I think buying a bottle of commercial is a good idea.

 

[RegionRat]

Thanks. Your description sounds Like what I am going after. The reason I used powder was I found a recipe for strawberry chocolate and just adapted it to cherry.

How much 85% dark chocolate would you use for 3 gal batch. Or, care to share your recipe?

RR

 

[wineforfun]

About 3oz. per gallon of dark chocolate.

 

[RegionRat]

About 3oz. per gallon of dark chocolate.

Thank you. I went with 4 oz powder per gallon. Again I hope I didnt over dose on this like I did with my Cherry and Vanilla debockle. Time will tell

RR

 

[rhythmsteve]

After u tasted it 45 mins later did you carry on a 6 hour conversation with an alien?

 

[RegionRat]

After u tasted it 45 mins later did you carry on a 6 hour conversation with an alien?

ROF, caught my typo....

RR

 

[saramc]

4 oz cocoa powder per gallon should work out fine in the long run. The acids in the cocoa need some time, so do not panic.

 

[Tess]

After u tasted it 45 mins later did you carry on a 6 hour conversation with an alien?

LMAO..I just had to laugh! looking forward to seeing how this turns out!! I know your working hard!!

 

[RegionRat]

...I have tasted wines that had coco powder used and it just seams like it is all thru the wine with no separation of other flavors. I think buying a bottle of commercial is a good idea.

I picked up 2 bottles of chocolate wine. One Strawberry and one Red Wine.
I tested them and got ph 3.5 and T/A of 5 for both. The sg was 1.030 for Strawberry and 1.024 for the Red Wine.

At least that give me some numbers to shoot for. I was amazed how much they were sweetened. I think it is to counter the bitter tasted of the coco.


RR

 

[Julie]

Good, yes it is always good to have numbers to shoot for. Did you like the wines that sweet? I had a winemaker once tell me that he has to over sweeten certain wines because that is what sells.

 

[RegionRat]

Good, yes it is always good to have numbers to shoot for. Did you like the wines that sweet? I had a winemaker once tell me that he has to over sweeten certain wines because that is what sells.

I would have to say they didnt taste that sweet. They do have the flavor I am going for though.

I am so afraid to over sweeten. My first attempt at sweetening was with an Apple Berry Blend I made a while ago. I blended to 1.010 thinking that would be good starting point. Way too sweet. Now I add simple syrup to a sample a little at a time and taste as i go along. When I get the the sweetness I like I take sg of sample the sweeten to that number.

RR

 

[Julie]

I am never sure when it comes to backsweetening, my taste changes and I realize that I like a certain sg then all of a sudden it is too sweet. I take enough wine out to taste and to take a hydrometer reading. I put a little sugar in, taste and if I like it, I check what the reading is, now that is what I shoot for.

Chocolate does cover the sweetness but I don't like to say that too often, cuz I just don't know what your sweet level is.

 

[RegionRat]

I really dont like over sweet things. I try to use the sugar to bring out the flavor. Kinda like salt on a good steak. Some things benefit from it.

I am finding out that there is no magical sg for every wine. 1.010 of one is way too much for another.

RR