Use a different type of acid

[vinoman1]

I just went out and picked #70 of sweet cherries #40 for me and wine
and #30 for my wife. Got them frozen and then checked my ingredients
and would you believe no citric acid

My question is can I sub the citric acid with a acid blend or should I
wait till I can get the real stuff. A copy of the recipe is below.
Another thing I want to thank everyone for the response to my question
on the sherry wine kit....Thanks again

Cherry Wine [Sweet]

5 Gallon

* 40 lbs sweet eating cherries
* 17 lbs sugar
* 7.5 tsp citric acid
* 2.5 tsp tannin
* 5 tsp pectic enzyme
* 4 1/2 gal water
* 5 tsp yeast nutrient
* Port wine yeast (71B-1112)

Bring
water to boil. Meanwhile, destem, wash and crush the cherries in the
primary without breaking any stones. Pour sugar over cherries. Pour the
boiling water over the sugar and cherries and stir well to dissolve.
Cover and set aside until cool. Add remaining ingredients except yeast,
cover and set aside for 12 hours. Add activated yeast and ferment 5
days. Strain juice into dark secondary and discard pulp and stones.
Rack after 30 days and again when wine clears. After two additional
months stabilize, sweeten if required, wait 10 days, rack into bottles,
and store in dark place. [Adapted from Leo Zanelli's Home Winemaking
from A to Z]

 

[grapeman]

I would think you could use acid blend for it OK. The problem is that the recipe uses citric acid and you know how much of that to use. If you use acid blend, then the quantity would be different and an unknown. Since they are frozen, I would wait until I could get acid blend and do it to the recipe. What's a few days.

 

[Wade E]

Do you have an acid test kit? If so just mix everything up except for
the yeast, pectic enzyme, and acid and test it and then add
accordingly. As with any Country wines, the amount of sugar and the
amount of acid are only a close amount and should be adjusted to the
fruit you are using as fruit picked earlier will have less sugar then
fruit picked later. If you go by a recipe for a Country wine you will
most likely end up with an SG that is way to high or to low and way to
high is not good as youll have to water it down or end up with a high
abv for fuit which will over power the flavor. Same goes for acid as
you could end up way to tart or very bland. My advice is to get an acid
test and use whatever acid you want be be within range for a fruit wine
which would be between .60-.75