Seeking an "Acidity of the Must 101" , or an Acidity FAQ Please....

There are two ways to measure acidity. Titratable acidity is usually expressed as grams per liter, and is fairly easy to measure with an inexpensive titration kit (using phenolphthalein indicator, and a standardized solution of sodium hydroxide). In the US and Canada, this is generally measured as if all the acids in the wine were tartaric acid. Typical values for a dry red would be from 6 to 7 g/l (or 0.60 to 0.70% acid).

The other way to measure acidity is pH. This requires a pH meter of some sort, and can be a bit more confusing, as the pH scale is logarithmic (not linear) and is affected by temperature and other chemicals in the must or wine. A lot of serious amateur winemakers end up with a pH meter (as well as acid titration kits). Typical pH values for wines would be between 3.2 and 3.6, roughly. Wines with higher pH (lower acidity) are at increased risk of spoilage.

If you are just starting out, start with a titration kit. Generally they come with instructions. You can also read Lum Eisenman's discussions of various types of tests (chapter 23) in The Home Winemaker's Manual, at

Happy fermenting --

Doug

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Thanks for your Help Doug. looks like a really good website for someone like me...

I also find this on PH

regards

stef.

Ben Rotter has a very good website for home winemakers too.

Try this:

Joe