This is my first post at this forum.
I searched for "pH", "pH during fermentation", "acid", and "reduce acidity" and found no threads that addressed my question. If "you" know of thread(s) that do, please attach links.
I am making rhubarb-ginger wine according to a recipe that I got from a YouTube video. This is the recipe:
18 lbs of rhubarb
7 ounces of fresh ginger
9.25 lbs of sugar - 2 of which are "brown"
4 cans of Welch's white grape juice concentrate
Juice and 'zest' of 6 medium lemons
1 tsp of acid blend (tartaric acid)
1 tsp of yeast nutrient
metabisulfide for 5 gallons
1.5 tsp of tannin
yeast - (MA33)
To cut to the chase scene: The rhubarb had been frozen for approximately 9 mo and therefore macerated easily upon thawing AND provided a great deal of "free-liquid". I added 2 lb of white sugar, the campden, grape juice concentrate, yeast nutrient, yeast, and sufficient water to make 5.5 gal (including solids), of must in a 7-gal primary fermentation container.
Fermentation did not start for approximately 84 hours, but when it did, it was vigorous - approximately 850 liters of gas per day.
I pitched another 2 lb of sugar (the brown), after the first 48h which was approximately 36h BEFORE fermentation started.
24 hours AFTER fermentation STARTED, I pitched another 2 lb of sugar, the juice and zest of 6 medium lemons, and the juice and a small amount of pulp of the ginger. Fermentation continued vigorously for approximately 6 hours. Then quit abruptly. I stirred the must vigorously, and the fermentation resumed but only generating about 50 liters of gas per day. It quit altogether in less than an hour.
12h later, I pitched another 2 lb of white sugar. Fermentation resumed but weakly, and only lasted approximately an hour.
Current specific gravity is approximately 1.020. Tasting it, the must is clearly not completely fermented, which is supported by the SG reading.
I have never bothered with testing the pH of a must, but I have never added the juice and zest of 6 lemons to a must before either. I am suspicious that the fermentation was curtailed by a pH too low for the MA33 yeast.
Does that sound reasonable?
It is the weekend, and I can't get my hands on a pH testing kit before Tuesday. Assuming that the cause for the curtailed fermentation is low pH:
1) What is the best additive to bring the pH up to a level where fermentation will resume?
2) How much should I add? (I understand that without a pH reading, that the dose may be difficult to determine, but... if the amounts are often relatively small, then how about a "range".)
3) I have pounds and pounds of powdered eggshells. Would that be a reasonable source of CaCO3 to use to raise the ph?
Of course if "you" think that pH is NOT the reason the fermentation stopped abruptly, I would appreciate your thoughts as to why.
Thanks,
Paul
I searched for "pH", "pH during fermentation", "acid", and "reduce acidity" and found no threads that addressed my question. If "you" know of thread(s) that do, please attach links.
I am making rhubarb-ginger wine according to a recipe that I got from a YouTube video. This is the recipe:
18 lbs of rhubarb
7 ounces of fresh ginger
9.25 lbs of sugar - 2 of which are "brown"
4 cans of Welch's white grape juice concentrate
Juice and 'zest' of 6 medium lemons
1 tsp of acid blend (tartaric acid)
1 tsp of yeast nutrient
metabisulfide for 5 gallons
1.5 tsp of tannin
yeast - (MA33)
To cut to the chase scene: The rhubarb had been frozen for approximately 9 mo and therefore macerated easily upon thawing AND provided a great deal of "free-liquid". I added 2 lb of white sugar, the campden, grape juice concentrate, yeast nutrient, yeast, and sufficient water to make 5.5 gal (including solids), of must in a 7-gal primary fermentation container.
Fermentation did not start for approximately 84 hours, but when it did, it was vigorous - approximately 850 liters of gas per day.
I pitched another 2 lb of sugar (the brown), after the first 48h which was approximately 36h BEFORE fermentation started.
24 hours AFTER fermentation STARTED, I pitched another 2 lb of sugar, the juice and zest of 6 medium lemons, and the juice and a small amount of pulp of the ginger. Fermentation continued vigorously for approximately 6 hours. Then quit abruptly. I stirred the must vigorously, and the fermentation resumed but only generating about 50 liters of gas per day. It quit altogether in less than an hour.
12h later, I pitched another 2 lb of white sugar. Fermentation resumed but weakly, and only lasted approximately an hour.
Current specific gravity is approximately 1.020. Tasting it, the must is clearly not completely fermented, which is supported by the SG reading.
I have never bothered with testing the pH of a must, but I have never added the juice and zest of 6 lemons to a must before either. I am suspicious that the fermentation was curtailed by a pH too low for the MA33 yeast.
Does that sound reasonable?
It is the weekend, and I can't get my hands on a pH testing kit before Tuesday. Assuming that the cause for the curtailed fermentation is low pH:
1) What is the best additive to bring the pH up to a level where fermentation will resume?
2) How much should I add? (I understand that without a pH reading, that the dose may be difficult to determine, but... if the amounts are often relatively small, then how about a "range".)
3) I have pounds and pounds of powdered eggshells. Would that be a reasonable source of CaCO3 to use to raise the ph?
Of course if "you" think that pH is NOT the reason the fermentation stopped abruptly, I would appreciate your thoughts as to why.
Thanks,
Paul