Adding Acid

[tbayav8er]

Hi Everyone,

When increasing the acid levels in wine, generally what kind of acid do you use? I've seen some people say they just use tartaric acid, some people use acid blend (50% citric, 25% malic, 25% tartaric). Is it generally safe to just use this acid blend?

Thanks!

 

[Johnd]

Hi Everyone,

When increasing the acid levels in wine, generally what kind of acid do you use? I've seen some people say they just use tartaric acid, some people use acid blend (50% citric, 25% malic, 25% tartaric). Is it generally safe to just use this acid blend?

Thanks!

If you are talking about grape wine, the acid to use is tartaric, it is the most present and stable wine in grapes.

I'm not a big fruit wine maker, but I have read here that with fruit, they use other acids, like the acid blend.

 

[Masbustelo]

One potential problem with acid blends which contain Malic acid is the following; Fruit wines can also go into Malolactic fermentation. If malic acid is added to lower the pH and then goes into MLF you might end up sort of where you started. I think there might be some vinagre related taste issues as well.

 

[salcoco]

follow the govt rules for commercial wine makers. tartaric for grape, malic for apple, citric for berry wine and tartaric everywhere else.

 

[Tnuscan]

One potential problem with acid blends which contain Malic acid is the following; Fruit wines can also go into Malolactic fermentation. If malic acid is added to lower the pH and then goes into MLF you might end up sort of where you started. I think there might be some vinagre related taste issues as well.

This is interesting information, quite a few years back ,I had many different wines going. Most of them were fruit wines. I remember two of them, 1 in a 1gallon, and 1 in a 5 gallon carboy took off into Mal. Ferm. because they bubbled small bubbles for weeks and weeks. The 1 gal cherry( I believe ? ) was horrible, but the 5 gallon ( can't remember what),was awesome. Not taking notes, I can't remember what I had done, so now, at least I have a small clue. lol
Any way it was by accident that it occurred.

Thanks

 

[cintipam]

Hi Tnuscsan

I'm pretty sure that it is citric acid that converts to a vinegar product during MLF, not malic. That is why when planning to do MLF it is imp to not use acid blend. Due to this very few fruit wines are improved by MLF. Apple is all malic, so fine tho. I know Jack Keller has a great page listing which types of acids are in which fruits, but here is a different one that includes vegies too for the more adventurous wine maker.

http://www.hawkinswatts.com/documents/Natural Acids of Fruits and Vegetables.pdf

Pam in cinti

 

[Tnuscan]

Hi Tnuscsan

I'm pretty sure that it is citric acid that converts to a vinegar product during MLF, not malic. That is why when planning to do MLF it is imp to not use acid blend. Due to this very few fruit wines are improved by MLF. Apple is all malic, so fine tho. I know Jack Keller has a great page listing which types of acids are in which fruits, but here is a different one that includes vegies too for the more adventurous wine maker.

http://www.hawkinswatts.com/documents/Natural Acids of Fruits and Vegetables.pdf

Pam in cinti

Awesome Thanks! Will put this in notes. I remember that around this time I was playing around with apple wines from seeing one of Ed Worts threads it's been many years. I had 3 or 4, with different sugars (brown, cane,etc.)I remember all of them finishing, but these going forever and a day. Very small bubbles. I may of had thieved some that was fermenting really well, to try and start one that was stuck.
I also remember tossing a lot of wine around that time too. lol