TonyP
Senior Member
What is the impact on acidity of adding .089g of pure Phosphoric Acid and .026g of pure Dodecylbenzensulfonic Acid to 6 gallons of 3.5pH wine?
This forum regularly fields questions on Star San sanitizer with posts often mentioning the impact of Star San solution on acidity. I generally believe Star San is so diluted that any increase in acidity caused by residual amounts after sanitizing would be meaningless. However, I'm not certain. It seems to me, though, that the effect of Star San can be determined with accuracy. Thus, we should be able to establish with finality whether Star San adds acidity to wine in any meaningful way - although I can't do it.
Below are the facts. Does anyone have sufficient knowledge of wine chemistry to figure this out?
Full strength Star San is 50% Phosphoric Acid ("P Acid"), 15% Dodecylbenzensulfonic acid ("D Acid), and 35% inert (possibly water). The typical sanitizing solution is 1 ounce (28.35g) in 5 gallons of water. Thus, 5 gallons of Star San solution contains 14.17g of P Acid and 4.25g of D Acid (28.35g X 50% or 15%). If we assume no rinsing, draining, or drying of equipment (in fermentation, racking, testing, or bottling) it is possible for 1/2 cup of Star San solution to be cumulatively added to 6 gallons of wine. Note that 1/2 cup of Star San solution contains .089g of P Acid and .026g of D Acid. Obviously these are very small amounts of very concentrated acids.
What's the impact. Can anybody figure this out?
This forum regularly fields questions on Star San sanitizer with posts often mentioning the impact of Star San solution on acidity. I generally believe Star San is so diluted that any increase in acidity caused by residual amounts after sanitizing would be meaningless. However, I'm not certain. It seems to me, though, that the effect of Star San can be determined with accuracy. Thus, we should be able to establish with finality whether Star San adds acidity to wine in any meaningful way - although I can't do it.
Below are the facts. Does anyone have sufficient knowledge of wine chemistry to figure this out?
Full strength Star San is 50% Phosphoric Acid ("P Acid"), 15% Dodecylbenzensulfonic acid ("D Acid), and 35% inert (possibly water). The typical sanitizing solution is 1 ounce (28.35g) in 5 gallons of water. Thus, 5 gallons of Star San solution contains 14.17g of P Acid and 4.25g of D Acid (28.35g X 50% or 15%). If we assume no rinsing, draining, or drying of equipment (in fermentation, racking, testing, or bottling) it is possible for 1/2 cup of Star San solution to be cumulatively added to 6 gallons of wine. Note that 1/2 cup of Star San solution contains .089g of P Acid and .026g of D Acid. Obviously these are very small amounts of very concentrated acids.
What's the impact. Can anybody figure this out?
