The Importance of pH in Wine Making
The pH of wine is important to determine because it will affect the quality of the final product in terms of taste, color, oxidation, chemical stability and other factors. Generally in winemaking, the higher the pH reading, the lower amount of acidity in the wine. Three important factors in determining the pH of wine include the ratio of malic acid to tartaric acid, the amount of potassium, and the total amount of acid present.
Most wines optimally have a pH between 2.9 and 4.0, with values differing based on the type of wine. Values above pH 4.0 indicate that the wine may spoil quickly and be chemically unstable. Lower pH values allow the wine to stay fresher for a longer period and retain its original color and flavor. High pH wine is more likely to breed bacteria and become unsuitable to drink. For finished white wines, the ideal pH is between pH 3.00 and pH 3.30, while the final pH for red wine is ideally between pH 3.40 and pH 3.50. The optimal pH before the fermentation process is between pH 2.9 and pH 4.0. The pH of wine therefore not only affects the color of wine, but also the oxidation, yeast fermentation, protein stability and bacteria growth and fermentation.
The HI99111 uses the FC10483 amplified pH electrode with glass body. This specialized electrode offers numerous features that improve testing in grape juice and must. An integrated temperature sensor allows for temperature compensated pH measurements without the need for a separate temperature probe. The probe’s spheric sensing tip has a wide surface area for measurement in aqueous solutions.
An integral part of any pH electrode is the reference junction. The reference junction is a part of the electrode that provides for an electrical connection between the reference electrode and the indicating electrode. A standard general-purpose pH electrode will use a single ceramic junction which can pose challenges when measuring samples with a high solids contents such as grape juice or must. The solids can easily clog the junction which will impede the electrical continuity between the reference cell and the sample.
The FC10483 use Clogging Prevention System (CPS) Technology in which a Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) sleeve is used with an open junction design. The PTFE repels solids and is also movable to allow for cleaning.
