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TARTARIC ACID

Fall Bright, The Winemakers Shoppe
www.fallbright.com Dundee, NY, USA, 607-292-3995


Tartaric acid is used to increase the acid in winemaking if needed. If the TA (total acid) is below .65, a winemaker would want to use tartaric acid to increase the acid. If the pH is high, such as a 3.5 in a juice, the winemaker would want to increase the acid using tartaric. Tartaric acid will drop out during cold stabilizing if over used. Do not used citric acid for this type of adjustment. It is a strong acid and will not drop out during stabilization.

Tartaric acid to add: grams per volume

WHY if TA is expressed as % tartaric acid, wouldn't 1 gram raise 1 gallon 1%. Is this too simple?  http://www.winebusiness.com/tools/?go=winemaking.calc&cid=2

Tom has changed the tartaric addition rate to
1.5 (1.49g) grams/gallon will increase the acid by .1%. The approximate kitchen measure is
~1/4 teaspoon will raise one gallon TA it by .1% This is double of what we have figured in the past.

Always err on the side of caution. calculate, reduce calculated dose by half, add, retest.

SO I have discarded our entire chart we used to have here for tartaric acid addition. Sorry.

Basic info from long ago on our tartaric acid label: 1.9 grams (1/4 teaspoon) of tartaric acid per gallon will raise the acid approximately .05%.

 I like the calculator at winebusiness.com/tools above. 

The competition currently indicates a rate of 4.1 grams/gallon to increase the TA by .1% (Oct 2010)

APPROXIMATE WEIGHT TABLE FOR THOSE WITHOUT A GRAM BALANCE:

Add less than calculated. You can always add more later.

level 1/4 teaspoon = 1.2 gram

level 1/2 teaspoon = 2.4 to 3 gm, depending on accuracy of scales.

level teaspoon = 4.7 gm

level 1/2 tablespoon = 7 gm

level tablespoon = 14.1 gm

level 1/8 cup = 28.2 gm

level 1/4 cup = 56.4 gm

level 1/3 cup = 75.2 gm

level 1/2 cup = 112.8 gm

level 1 cup = 225.6 gm


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