Hi Rick

Please see my comments to Mark (above in this thread). Further
comments interspersed.......

"Rick Vanderwal" > wrote in message
...
> by the sounds of it, you should do that before adding the yeast....
> I just started a batch and wasn't aware of the ph factor...

Let me try to explain some aspects of acid management. TA is
merely an empirically established *guideline*. Very helpful but
certainly not critical to success. OTOH - pH *is* critical to
success because it determines if the wine will have microbial
stability. This is why Joanne has stressed the importance of pH
in the other thread. While a pH meter is certainly the preferred
way to check pH, the papers you have are perfectly adequate for
doing this if you don't want to spend the money for a meter (they
ain't cheap).

> and now my acid is a bit too high...

See my comments to Mark on acid reduction.

> so now I have to wait and perhaps cold stabilize after fermentation is
> all done...

As Ben mentioned in the other thread, you will receive no benefit
by cold stabilizing this wine. "Tartaric" wines *must* be cold stabilized.
"Non-tartaric" wines (which your wine is) cannot form bitartrate
crystals because there is no tartaric acid present to combine with
the potassium. The reason that wines are categorized as "tartaric"
or "non-tartaric" is because acid management is radically different
for these two types. The above is just one aspect of this.
HTMS

> or later add potassium or calcium carbonate...
>
> I would do it before adding the sugar....
> before fermentation...
> Rick
>
>
>
> "MkFn" > wrote in message
> om...
> > I'm about to start my first batch of raspberry wine and have purchased
> > a Wine Acid Test Kit.
> >
> > When do I test the acid, before or after I add sugar?
> >
> > Are the guidelines for starting a must?
> > For example should I add sugar first, then test/adjust for acid before
> > adding the yeast?
> >
> > Is there a specific order?
> >
> > thanks,
> > Mark
>
>