Walker's Wine Juices question

[deboard]

I stopped by Walker's Fruit basket in NY on the way home saturday and picked up a couple of pails, one Corot Noir, and the other Cherry.

The acid listed on each is 0.89 and 0.84 respectively. This seems high, so I'm wondering if I should attempt to lower it somehow. I really don't want to dilute the juice. The brix on each is 21, so I don't want to mess with that.

I'm planning on grabbing some 71B yeast which should help lower the malic acid some, but I also have some calcium carbonate. Should I use some of this to lower it? I plan on doing malo on the Corot Noir, but the cherry will likely be backsweetened with some saved juice.

 

[Tom]

Before you do anything do another test

 

[deboard]

That's good advice, thanks Tom. I'll test it myself tomorrow.

 

[Runningwolf]

Most of the juice from Walkers is high in acid. Let us know what your tests show. Dang you probably drove right by my house if you took I-79 home.

 

[Runningwolf]

You probably took I-90 to Cleveland I am thinking.

 

[deboard]

You probably took I-90 to Cleveland I am thinking.

That's what I did, on the way up I went through columbus and cincinatti, but on the way back I was heading toward Ashland, KY to deliver a pail of juice to my brother, so right around Cleveland I got on I-77 (through OH-8) and headed south to I-64.

 

[deboard]

All right, I'm glad I followed Tom's advice and tested it myself. I did my test and ended up with 0.6. I did it again to be sure and got the same. I'm not sure how they do their test, but it seems to be off. I suppose with the crude test I have my margin of error is +/- .025.

There's always the chance that my test is wrong as well, I tasted the juice and it's not tart at all, I know that's not a perfect test, but I expected something with 0.89 to be a little tart. I surely am pretty terrible at the titration, but this time the color change happened just as expected and it wouldn't change back with stirring.

pH measured 3.30

I think at this point I'm going to leave it as-is and test again after fermentation.

I've also decided to split the batch in two and use two different yeasts. I couldn't find any 71B at my local shop, but I already have RC 212 and 1116, so I think I'll try those.

 

[djrockinsteve]

I bought 4 juices last year from walkers and yes the acid id a bit high but it will soften after fermentation and aging.

 

[ibglowin]

Pitch the yeasties!

 

[Tom]

All right, I'm glad I followed Tom's advice and tested it myself. I did my test and ended up with 0.6. I did it again to be sure and got the same. I'm not sure how they do their test, but it seems to be off. I suppose with the crude test I have my margin of error is +/- .025.

There's always the chance that my test is wrong as well, I tasted the juice and it's not tart at all, I know that's not a perfect test, but I expected something with 0.89 to be a little tart. I surely am pretty terrible at the titration, but this time the color change happened just as expected and it wouldn't change back with stirring.

pH measured 3.30

I think at this point I'm going to leave it as-is and test again after fermentation.

I've also decided to split the batch in two and use two different yeasts. I couldn't find any 71B at my local shop, but I already have RC 212 and 1116, so I think I'll try those.

Go for it..

 

[Chateau Joe]

Those sound like better numbers. Pitch your yeast. Good luck with it, I stopped buying from them years ago when I started getting old and inferior juice.