"Franco" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Don't put words in my mouth. I never said that titrets are "accurate"
> for determining free SO2 in red wines. I am saying that they are not
> "next to worthless". Must everything be black or white? If you study
> science or engineering, you will know that there is no such thing as
> something being accurate. Experiments are accurate enough or not
> accurate enough according to the requirements. So titrets might not be
> accurate enough for you and your large batch of wine aging in a barrel,
> but they can help a home winemaker with 5 gallons of red who wants to
> know whether his free SO2 is closer to 10, 50, or 100 PPM. Can you see
> the difference?

If this discrepency range fits your needs, then go for it. I assume,
however, that most people test for SO2 in order to make future decisions and
not just get a number for curiosity sake only. I want accurate numbers when
I make a decision on how much SO2 to add. If the value is between 10 and
50, this is simply not accurate enough for me and I think it is wrong to
advise others that it is acceptable - unless they know the facts and are
willing to take the risk. I have tried the titrets and compared them with
lab results. It is still my opinion that they are worthless - there is just
too much discrepency.