"William Frazier" > wrote in message >...
> James - Do you have the equipment to measure the acid in wine? I ask
> because there are ways to reduce acid but you have to know where you are
> starting from. If you have the acid titration data answer back and we can
> go from there. Also, how much sugar is "too much"?
>
> Bill Frazier
> Olathe, Kansas


Yes I have an acid titration test kit. I have not tested it yet. I
find that the color change involved is most difficult to judge "by
eye". So, I bought a cheap Ph meter to determine "the change" as
indicated by a reading of 8.2 on the Ph meter. I guess I don't have
the confidence in the technique to trust the results. As soon as I
return from out of town I'll test it and post the results.
Regarding the question about "too much sugar" I typically add no more
than 8 oz to the gallon of my blackberry to get a pretty sweet wine.
I've added 12 oz to the gallon of the muscadine and as was said it
seems to mask the acidity not really sweeten the wine.
I'm using the same North Carolina muscadines that a local winery uses
to produce a great wine. The winery owners say to use 12-15 pounds of
grapes per gallon and that they add nothing else except yeast. So, I
didn't figure I needed to dilute the must with water to acheive the
right acid content. But, I didn;t test the acid content as I said
because I'm intimidated by the procedure. ALso, I like to use as much
fruit as possible to acheive a large flavor content.

"james" > wrote "Regarding the question about "too much
sugar" I typically add no more than 8 oz to the gallon of my blackberry to
get a pretty sweet wine. I've added 12 oz to the gallon of the muscadine
and as was said it seems to mask the acidity not really sweeten the wine."

James - The 8oz/gallon is about 6.3% sugar and 12oz/gallon is about 9.5%
sugar. I agree...this is a lot of sugar and the wine should be sweet.

" I'm using the same North Carolina muscadines that a local winery uses
> to produce a great wine. The winery owners say to use 12-15 pounds of
> grapes per gallon and that they add nothing else except yeast. "

Is their wine sweet? Maybe they don't tell everything about their
procedure.

Bill Frazier
Olathe, Kansas

James, when we lived in Arkansas, we picked muscadines by hand and ate them
as we picked them. Nothing acidic there. There are two wineries in Altus
AR that make it from muscadines. One is Wiederkehr Wine Cellers, Inc. You
might call them and ask them how they do it. I know they have one called
blush muscadine that is fantastic tasting. I have two bottles in my storage
area from them.

Dwayne




"William Frazier" > wrote in message
...
>
> "james" > wrote "Regarding the question about "too
much
> sugar" I typically add no more than 8 oz to the gallon of my blackberry to
> get a pretty sweet wine. I've added 12 oz to the gallon of the muscadine
> and as was said it seems to mask the acidity not really sweeten the wine."
>
> James - The 8oz/gallon is about 6.3% sugar and 12oz/gallon is about 9.5%
> sugar. I agree...this is a lot of sugar and the wine should be sweet.
>
> " I'm using the same North Carolina muscadines that a local winery uses
> > to produce a great wine. The winery owners say to use 12-15 pounds of
> > grapes per gallon and that they add nothing else except yeast. "
>
> Is their wine sweet? Maybe they don't tell everything about their
> procedure.
>
> Bill Frazier
> Olathe, Kansas
>
>