Topic: pH
Just the pHacts
MEMBERS ONLYIf you are a winemaker looking to boost your wine’s quality, then tracking pH is a must. Bob Peak introduces the chemistry behind the numbers we obtain and how to use them to our advantage.
Post-Fermentation Wine Acid Adjustment
MEMBERS ONLYGreat topic and great questions. If you’ve read my columns over the years, you’re familiar with my mantra of acid being the “backbone” of wine, as well as the importance of having the correct pH for long-term aging. The higher the pH (lower acidity), the more spoilage organisms like Lactobacillus and Acetobacter can get a
Tips For Making Cantaloupe Wine
MEMBERS ONLYBecause cantaloupes have high pH, my guess is that the red speckles you’re seeing in a layer on top of your wine are bacteria colonies and no, they are not to be expected. According to a fruit pH chart I found online from Clemson University, the pH of cantaloupes usually falls in the range of
Understanding the Basics of pH Meters
FREEpH meters are a crucial piece of testing equipment for winemakers looking to take their hobby to the next level. Learn some basics of why, how, and when.
Testing for pH: What the big pHuss is about
MEMBERS ONLYNear the top of the list of factors that winemakers should be measuring in their juice and wine is pH. Bob Peak breaks down the what, when, why, and how of measuring for this critical factor in winemaking.
Crazy pH Shift
MEMBERS ONLYI applaud you for trying fresh winegrapes in your home winemaking, you’re lucky that you are (relatively) close to a fine winegrape growing area like the Santa Ynez Valley. I grew up just down the California coast from there and one of my first harvests was at Curtis Winery in the area that at the
High-pH Wine
MEMBERS ONLYQIn the above situation, what do you suggest I do? Do you agree that I should conduct MLF on my wines considering their high-pH characteristics? AFirst off, glad your Viognier got better! That’s awesome you’re doing both reds and whites, it’s fun to try a lot of different kinds of wines. Well, I hear you
Bench Trials and Tribulations
FREEA home winemaker details the four bench trials he conducted to adjust the acidity of a low-pH Sauvignon Blanc to show how the process is done and share the impact each approach had on the wine.
Monitoring & Adjusting pH
FREEpH greatly affects the taste of wine as well as microbial stability. It can make the difference between drinking the wine or pouring it down the drain. Make sure you know when it should be analyzed and make the necessary adjustments.
pH Adjustments Post-MLF
MEMBERS ONLYAbsolutely, I would lower your pH prior to aging. No matter how high the TA is, if you’ve got a high pH as well, you are putting your wines at risk for premature oxidation and, most critically, are providing an environment that favors the growth of spoilage organisms. Bacteria enjoy higher pH environments, even with
Wine Wizard Revealed & Top 10 Winemaking Questions
MEMBERS ONLYA Word From the Publisher And the Wine Wizard is……. “When will my fermentation stop?” “Why did my fermentation stop?” One thing I can count on as publisher of WineMaker magazine is that each day winemakers will email us asking for help and looking for answers. When WineMaker launched in 1998, we realized the importance
pH pHacts: Tips from the Pros
FREEWine and grape juice is a naturally acidic solution. A pH reading has an inverse relationship with acidity, in that, the lower the pH measure, the higher the acidity. While a wine’s
pHiguring out pH
FREEGet an understanding of pH, why it’s important, how to measure pH, and how to correct it.
Your Home Wine Lab
MEMBERS ONLYSooner or later, most serious winemakers conclude that it isn’t good enough to simply follow a recipe blindly. That’s a bit too much like painting-by-numbers. The expression of one’s own skill and artistry makes the difference between an ordinary wine and something uniquely personal. But to do that, it’s necessary to understand a bit about
What changes the color to blue when water is used to clean containers that held elderberry juice I used for winemaking?
MEMBERS ONLYYou’re right in assuming that it has something to do with acidity, but the answer you’re looking for is not exactly the presence of an acid but rather the absence of one. Fruit juices exist in the acidic realm of chemistry. They have a hydrogen ion content high enough to make the concentration of acid
How do I adjust my wine’s pH without changing the TA?
FREEAsk almost any commercial winemaker and they will say that pH is one of the most important – if not the most important – winemaking parameter. Even though TA is important for
Taking the Fear Out of Must Analysis
MEMBERS ONLYI have something to confess. The most perfect, most exquisite wine passed through my racking cane this fall. I’m not bragging or anything; that’s just the way it is. Now, I should be able to chalk up my success to payback from well-spent tuition and to the glory of science. But I confess that I