Using Malic Acid with wine to reduce the pH level

Monday, September 24, 2018
using malic acid to reduce pH in wine

How to manage pH levels with malic acid 


Did you ever see that episode of Knight Rider when K.I.T.T. was placed in an acid bath and he left it as shell of a car?

Yeah?

Well, don't use that acid when making wine, perhaps use malic acid instead.

Malic acid is an acid that is found in fruit and quite commonly in grapes and apples. Have you ever had a Granny Smith apple and found it to be quite sour?

That's the malic acid at work. It's quite similar to citric acid in that sense.

As such it's used in all kinds of foods to give that tart flavor. Ever tasted 'Salt and Vinegar' chips?

That's not just vinegar you're tasting...

So why would one use malic acid when brewing wine? 


It's a very handy compound for reducing the pH level of wine.

All good brewers know that both beer, cider, and wine need to be within certain pH level otherwise, the tasting experience will be horrible. The acidity works to counter the sweetness and bitter components of the wine such as tannins.

A wine that features too much acidity will taste extremely sour and sharp and produce a physical response from the mouth and tongue. A wine with not enough acid present will taste somewhat flabby and flat and its intended flavor will hard to discern.

This is why so many wine makers use pH testers (such as the Apera) to ensure their wine is in the correct range.

A word to the wise. If your wine is going to undergo malolactic fermentation (such as red or sparkling) do not add extra malic acid as this will convert to lactic acid.

Which wines suit the addition of malic acid?

  • Most reds
  • Rieslings
  • Gewurztraminer
  • Muscat 

When do I add acid to the wine?


Malic or tartaric acids may be added either before or after primary fermentation.

They can also be added during any blending or aging periods, but the increased acidity will become more noticeable to the drinker.

How much malic to add to the must?


It's a general rule of thumb that 3.4 grams per gallon will adjust the acidity by +.1%. 

It will lower pH less than tartaric acid will which is why some wine makers prefer to use that acid.

Order your acid from Amazon.

What is malolactic fermentation?


Malolactic fermentation or conversion is the chemical process in winemaking where the malic acid that is naturally present in grapes, is converted to lactic acid

Fermentation is caused by a family of bacteria known as lactic acid bacteria.

Malolactic fermentation usually occurs as a secondary fermentation shortly after the end of the primary fermentation. The process is usually undertaken for the vast majority of red wines produced. Some white varieties such as Chardonnay use it as a byproduct of the reaction is a diacetyl which imparts the 'buttery' flavor associated with Chardonnay.

This process helps give the wine a good 'mouth feel' which is something all good beer brewers appreciate.

If you're wondering how beer makers can reduce bitterness and pH levels, they can use gypsum salt and calcium chloride.

If you're making prison hooch with juice you can do the same with malic acid.

The best kettle spiders for straining hops

Saturday, September 22, 2018
hops kettle spider tripod

You could be forgiven for wondering what a hops spider is.

Is it some kind of jumping jack or a spider that lives on the hop plant?

Nope, it’s an instrument to help add hops to your boil to help prevent sludge build up from the hops pellets or even the leaves. It’s ideal for preventing clogs in brewing gear and helps make brew day just that little bit cleaner.

The way a hops spider works is it is basically a mesh filter that sits over the building kettle and it simply acts as a strainer for the hops - you get want you want from the hops into your beer and the mess stays inside the filter and is simply removed by taking the spider out.

Too easy eh?

Many commercially made hop spiders will use a mesh of 300 micron as it filters the hops quite well.

If you are using leaves, it is actually a really good idea to use a kettle spider because any stray leaves can easily block a valve or inline filter and that could be a real pain to sort out!

What are the things to look for in a good hops spider?


  • Good micron size filter, 300 is standard
  • Made of stainless steel
  • Features a sturdy tripod that will fit across your kettle or
  • a hook that will fit the side of your kettle

I’ve heard hops filters reduce the utilization of hops. Is this true?


It’s a valid concern but perhaps one that is somewhat over thought but there are several things you can do to make sure you get the efficient hops utilization - and in case you didn’t know, we are talking about the IBUs that go into the hops and thus affecting the bitterness of the beer.

  • Make sure your filter sits inside the kettle quite low, say one or two inches from the bottle. This gives the hops enough surface area in which it can play. Check this before your first brew, not when it's time to add the hops!
  • Speaking of surface area, don’t overfill the hops filter. The hops needs its space, especially if you are using leaves. You don’t want them all mashed together, they should be able to float freely a bit. Hangin' and bangin' Jerry!
  • During the boil, give the hops a bit of a stir, or ‘agitate’ them if you will. Maybe use a brewing spoon for this, and remember you are dealing with hot boiling water so be careful as you usually are. 
  • When you remove the kettle filter, ensure that you let it drain completely so that anything that should go into the beer, is with the beer. 
  • You can always compensate by adding a little extra hops to account for any loss utilization. 
  • Some spiders have a tripod and some use a hook on the side of the kettle. Neither kind is better than the other if you follow the above way to use one.

What is the best hops filter to use?


One of the most popular kind of spiders is the 300 Micron Mesh Stainless Steel Hop Filter Strainer
Suitable for a brew bucket fermenter, you simply hang it to the side of brew kettle during the boil, easy to hang and keep stable.

This brew filter will dramatically keep hop trub from getting in your brew bucket. It's also easy to clean with a sprayer or brush. 

Made of stainless steel it is rust-proof and hot-resistant and if looked after, it will give you a long service life.


DIY  - making your own hops spider


home made hops kettle strainer



While there are plenty of really good hops spiders on Amazon, you may wish to make you own in the spirit of good keen homerbrewers every where. Given they are simple devices to make, if you follow the instructions (like in the below video tutorial) then there’s a good chance of making a handy spider.




How to use and replace an Italian Bottling Spigot

Thursday, September 13, 2018
When I first started brewing beer my mate said to me:

"yeah brewing's good and all but bottling is a real bitch".

I realized they weren't wrong when I once didn't notice the bottling wand had fallen out of the fermenter tap on bottling day and my brew was piling in a nice pool on the shed floor.

Anyways, a bottling spigot is a handy little device that can help make that bottling chore just a little bit easier.

So what is a bottling spigot and why are they often referred to as Italian?


The 1/2 half inch spigot tap is used to transfer the precious beer or wine into the bottles. It's a handy valve to control the rate of transfer and it's easy to turn on and off.

They look like this:

italian spigot for bottling

These spigots are commonly made in Italy from food-safe plastic but the truth is they are most likely manufactured in China. If you a serious about your plastic safety, look for a brand that has been FDA approved.

Note the tapered ending. This is so you can add a bottling wand or plastic tube for pouring (typically good for 5/16" and 3/8" size hose). This is handy if you will be running the brew threw an inline filter.

Here's a handy video guide on how to install the spigot


Taps can break fairly easily but lucky for brewers everywhere, spigots are cheap and easy to replace and install. 



There are some handy hints in the video that are worth mentioning:
  • Screw the unit in carefully. 
  • Remember to attach the gasket from the inside of the fermenter
  • Do a test with water to ensure the spigot is sealed properly
If your fermenter bucket doesn't have a hole for the spigot, you'll need to cleanly drill a hole that is 1" in size (25.4mm). This kit actually comes with a drill bit that you can use to drill the hole to the exact size.

Given the spigot is easily removable by unscrewing the gasket, they can be removed and cleaned quite easily. This is a good idea if you are keen on preventing beer infections and the like.

You can, of course, use spigots for any kind of beverage dispenser or 5-gallon bucket.

Check out what's available on Amazon.
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