The above calculator provides simple graphs that estimate:
- The amount of potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3) and/or ML fermentation required to raise the pH;
- The amount of acid (malic and/or tartaric) that you need to add to wine to cause
a drop in pH;
- A NaOH titration curve (which pops up if you set the start and end pH to the
same value).
If you click on the curve, you obtain data values in blue, and, where relevant,
a titratable acidity (TA).
TA is of course titratable acidity expressed as tartaric acid (g/l); you can change the
initial and desired (final) pH values to any reasonable value you want.
As you can see, everything is distressingly linear! Don't expect this applet to
really accurately mirror what happens in real wine, there are too many assumptions
to believe that it will work accurately. (Documentation and full source code are
below!)
Notes
- Have fun checking the applet and trying to break it.
- Percentages of the various acids can be altered. A hitch is that the applet breaks
if tartaric acid concentration is zero; a small hack in the code usually checks for this
and correct the value to 0.01% (but isn't wholly reliable).
The acids at the bottom are M(alic), L(actic), S(uccinic), C(itric), A(cetic) and Tartaric.
Sources
- Source code is obtainable here. The code is extremely
rough and ready, and could probably be simplified greatly, with no loss of fidelity.
Would that I had the time to sit down and think!
- Here's the PDF documentation, for v0.90 only.
- HTML documentation (basic)!
If the applet doesn't work!
The applet should load automatically, displaying text, boxes, and a `Calculate' button.
If there's just a grey square, then you have a problem! Possible explanations are:
- Java isn't enabled for your browser. Make sure it is, and that you have at least
version 1.1.
- You're running an obscure version of Java. Get a recent Sun release (groaning
under the weight of 20 Meg of unnecessary rubbish)!
- You're behind a firewall, especially a Microsoft-based one, and the files aren't
coming through. Complain to your sysop.
- Your Internet permissions for your browser are so safe that the Java won't run.
If you've fixed all of the above without success,
mail me and I will try and help if I have time!
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