Re: Comments on first wine kit experience

Bentonite will remove some of the colour from a red wine. I'm surprised the kit includes it. If you need to add something to help a red wine clear, I suggest tannin in the form of oak chips.

There are a number of different formula for converting SG to Brix, each yielding a different result. Pick which ever one you prefer:

Or use the scale on your 3-scale hydrometer after adjusting the SG for temperature. Mine says 1.079 = 19.5º Brix @ 59ºF. That is quite low for wine. You should add sugar (using a table to determine the quantity) to obtain a starting SG of 1.095-1.100, or your alcohol level will be too low for the wine to keep long.

It indicates that the pH is in an acceptable range, and high enough to sustain malic fermentation.

The higher temperatures (supposedly) result in better extraction of flavour and colour from the skins. Even though you are starting with juice, I would still recommend a temperature of 75-80F. But use a thermometer to measure the MUST temperature, not the room temperature. The fermentation process itself produces a lot of heat, and the MUST will be warmer than the room. You should reach 0 Brix within 3-5 days.

Some people recommend adding the oak initially, claiming that it works best DURING fermentation. I prefer to add it when I move from primary to secondary (after pressing if fermenting on the skins).

When the SG reaches 1.000 (0 Brix), the fermentation will have slowed to a crawl. If you are fermenting in a primary, you should transfer the contents to a secondary by ladling or pouring into a funnel (so you transfer the lees as well). If you are fermenting in a secondary, you should top up at this stage. This is also when I would recommend adding the oak chips.

You can also add them after the first racking, or even later, but there will be less extraction of tannins when the wine has stopped fermenting.

The oak will add considerable tannin to the must. Much of it will dissipate within a few months (all of it will dissipate if you wait long enough). What was the volume of your must? 10-20g (0.36-0.71 ounces) oak per gallon is the normal range. At any rate, if it tastes like you have too much tannin now, you should remove the oak. If it's in a nylon bag, pull it out. Otherwise, you'll have to rack.

If you are referring to Campden tablets, I don't think they would affect the acid reading, nor would I expect the oak to do so. I am *guessing* that your difficulty in determining the end-point is causing your reading to be inaccurate. However, ...

Yes, you can use the pH meter to determine the end-point. You add NaOH until the pH meter reads 8.62. If it read 7.75 when you thought your acid reading was .70, then you had not yet reached the end-point, and the must is even higher in acid than you think!

Or, your NaOH is weaker than you think (either because it is old and has been exposed to air and light), or because you purchased the wrong strength for your test kit.

Or you are doing something wrong in your computations.

Or something I haven't thought of is causing the high reading. How does the wine taste? At .70 it should be quite tart, but one would expect the pH to be lower. what was the pH when you started?

I recalabrated my PH meter. It seemed like it was off.

My new acid is .675 with a PH of 2.94 I also took a reading from a jug that I did not oak, it was .650 and PH 3.00

By the time I got 8.62 the test vial seemed rather dark. I assumed it was complete when it went from pink to gray. @8.62 it was a gray/blue color. If that is the actual end point then my acid is .725

The standard endpoint for NaOH titrations is the phenolphthalein endpoint, which is 8.2 .

I've never heard of anyone using 8.62 before. Is that a French thing, like referring to the acid levels as g/l of sulfuric, even though there's (one has to hope) no sulfuric there?

Dave

which is 8.2 .

Correct.

like referring to the acid levels as g/l of sulfuric, even

Not a French thing (too my knowledge). Just a late night typo. Sorry.

Fortunately, according earlier threads, it makes no difference!

Is my acid of .675 anthing to worry about? My book says I can cold stabalize, and it might lower it.

I will be putting it in my fridge shortly. I can leave it in there until the weather outside is colder.

David C Breeden wrote:

Dunno. What kind of wine is it, again?

And have you removed all the CO2? That will falsely raise your TA values.

Dave

snipped-for-privacy@lightlink.com

Pete,

Kit wines are acid balanced and fairly stable for the type of wine being produced. I'm not saying it's the best it could be, but especially if this is your first experience, let it be and let it age. You'll probably be reasonably happy with the result. If you feel like learning about testing your wines, have at it, it's a good experience, but don't feel like every measure you make has to lead to an adjustment.

Ed

It is a french rouge kit.

Maybe it is the CO2. I took my readings 15min after I forced transfered the wine with CO2. I will check again in a week.

Maybe the problem was my force transfer with CO2.

I broke my PH meter, when I last tested the wine.

I am going to order another replacement.

Very likely. As has been pointed out in several recent threads, CO2 in solution can raise the TA levels significantly. And pressurizing CO2 (which happens when you are using it to force a transfer) will cause it to enter solution.

The following thread discusses some simple ways to remove the CO2 from solution prior to testing the TA:

You may want to do so, and retest your acid, just to reassure yourself. Although, at this stage, I would just leave it alone, and see what happens when you stabilize. Your TA value is not that far out of range. What does it TASTE like? That is the most important thing, assuming you plan to drink it eventually. :)

Sorry to hear that. Did you throw it down in disgust?

For some recommendations, check out:

It gets easier with each batch, I promise you. :)

It tastes good. Dry, yet has a fruity taste

Whats the chance of getting the slot of the PH probe to hit directly on the edge of the test tube?

It ruptured the electrode on the end. It was 6 months old, guess it was time to change it anyway.

I am try>