Acid Test Kit

Acid Test Kit - Titration Method

Test the Total Acid (TA) of beer, wine, cider, vinegar, Kombucha, Water Kefir, Ginger or any Juice. 

 How flavorful and acidic your brew, is dependent upon how much sugar and how much alcohol is in your brew. 

Complete Kit with instructions.  Simply take a sample of your ferment  and you'll know your Titratable Acidity measured as tartaric acid. Why do you need to know this?

Simply, the more you know the better you'll be able to brew reliable predictable brews - of any kind. Total acids (TA) may be adjusted, both before the start or after. TA help determine what combinations and how much of a combination will deliver that sought after perfect brew. By far and large brewing is an ART. But there is a real SCIENCE behind this art of brewing.

Contents:

12 cc - Plastic Syringe
Testing Vial with Cover
Eye Dropper
2 oz. - Sodium Hydroxide Solution - 0.2 Normal
3 dram Phenolphthalein Indicator - 1.0%
Reagent Stability Information:

Sodium Hydroxide Solution - 0.2 Normal (2 year shelf life cool & closed, 3 month shelf life cool and opened)
Phenolphthalein Indicator - 1.0% (5 year + Shelf life)

Many of our customers want to know how much alcohol is in their Kombucha, Ginger Beer, or Water Kefir. Typically the amount of alcohol in these types of brews are around 1%. Considered by most as non-alcohol (except for the FDA and TTB which by U.S. Law hold 0.05% to be an alcoholic beverage).  independent lab testing is either expensive or the margin or error greater than the actual alcohol amount,  therefore it's not practical to test.

Beer and wine home brewers  rely upon a  Hydrometer or Brix. From which one can read << potential alcohol >> and simple math reveals about how much alcohol you have. Generally in the 4 -12% range. But for Kombucha home brewers, the gluconobacter (acteobacter bacteria) are busy converting all that alcohol to acetic acid. Therefore one extra step is needed.

To determine the approximate amount of alcohol in Kombucha Tea.  First determine the sugar level (Hydrometer or Brix). Take a final reading when the brew is finished to your satisfaction. Subtracting reveals the potential alcohol. Then minus any acids. (TA) Because the alcohol is being converted to acid by any acetobacter present.  

As a benchmark we use Cornell University Food Science Kombucha Study. There are now numerous other respectable studies one may use.  Cornell described their kombucha brew as pleasantly semi-sweet, semi-sour with a pH 2.5. We have found the pH may be as high as 3.5 with TA ~ 3 g/L and alcohol ~ 0.5%. Cornell listed their stats as; 4.8 g/L sugar,  2g/L Gluconic acid, 0.7 g/L acetic acid, with a TA (total acid of 3.3 g/L) and <0.6% alcohol, after a 9 day ferment at 78F.  Time and Temperature will change results.  

This method can work for Ginegr Beer and Water Kefir. However these Probiotic Soda ferments use lactobacillus bacteria which produce lactic acid, acetic acid, carbonation and some alcohol.   Some home brews of these Lacto-Ferments may produce higher levels of alcohol. A Drunk Driving court case in Germany  convicted one person of drunk driving after he described his brewing process and confessed to drinking his home brew and then driving.  

How much or how little acids are in your brew can not only destroy the taste and flavor but lead to spoilage.  Clear directions are included in each test kit. 

This kit uses the industry standard method for determining acid levels, scaled down to a kit you can use at home.

Complete instructions and supplies are included. Just take a small sample of your juice, and in minutes you will have an accurate calculation of your Titratable Acidity measured as tartaric acid.

We calculate the average cost per test around 25 cents. We also  have a Red Cabbage Titration Method article in our Library and Research section. Using your real red cabbage from the grocery store, boil to obtain the red liquid, and following the same basic Titration Method described in the directions you'll save on the cost of buying chemicals. We don't suggest you have to test every batch. You can be testing almost every batch with a Hygrometer or Brix, and a pH meter, as once purchased there is no further costs associated. But testing in the beginning will help determine what is a good or great, and what isn't.  Once you get your recipe down and the variables as constant your brew should be consistent. Testing then only once in awhile would be needed. Keeping records and notes is always advised.  

Be aware that all these test rely upon being able to determine the color change. The darker your brew the harder it may be to determine. Some folks water down their brew (to lighten the color) and remember the ratio to recalculate. Science is fun.