by Dwight Weatherhead
1) Make wine like a pro.
Using a pH meter is the most accurate method of measuring the acidity level during winemaking. pH is a fundamental element of the winemaking industry and it strongly influences wine properties such as color, oxidation, biological and chemical stability. Why are acid levels so important to the winemaker? Acidity provides the crisp slightly tart taste of wine on your pallet. Too little acid and your wine tastes dull or flat–no body. Too much and you feel like your sucking on a lemon. When acids are properly countered by the other ingredients in wine (such as alcohol, sugars, trace minerals, etc.), the wine is said to be “in balance”, which is the desired end result of all winemakers. Table wines generally have a pH between 3.3 and 3.7. The thing to remember about pH is that the higher the pH, the lower the acidity, and the lower the pH, the higher the acidity. So a wine with a pH of 4.0 is LESS acidic that one with a pH of 3.6. Interested in learning more? See how easy it is to use a pH meter. View video
2) Cheese making – You made the wine now make the cheese.
All cheeses must fall within a fairly narrow pH range in order to ripen normally and develop flavor and texture. If the pH of your newly made cheese deviates significantly from its optimum range your cheese is in trouble. For instance when making mozzarella cheese the ideal pH level is 5.3. It’s easy take pH measurements in the cheese making process. Using an Extech pH110 meter is ideal. The flat surface probe is designed to easily take pH readings in solids or semi-solids like cheese. View meter
3) Pool Maintenance – You just finished that glass of wine – Now how about a dip.
The pH level is an essential part of your pool care as it affects how comfortable the water is to swim in as well as chlorine’s ability to sanitize your water. Water is constantly changing. Anything and everything directly and indirectly affects the relationship of its chemical parameters to each other: sunlight, wind, rain, oil, dirt, cosmetics, and any chemicals you add to it. Balanced water not only keeps swimmers comfortable, but also protects the pool shell, plumbing, and all other related equipment from damage by etching or build-up and stains. View pH meters for pools and more.
4) Measure soil pH for happier, healthier plants.
When the soil pH is too acid (low pH) or alkaline (high pH), nutrients present in the soil become locked-up or unavailable. Correcting the pH has the same effect as applying fertilizer since it unlocks plant nutrients already present. Many plants and soil life forms prefer either alkaline or acidic conditions and determining the pH will help you decide the best way to adjust soil acidity. Using the Extech pH110 meter is ideal for taking soil pH measurements. It’s fast, easy to calibrate and clean.
5) Stain Removal and pH levels – What if I spilled that wine?
Knowing the pH level of a stain is a key step in identifying the best method to remove it. A flat surface pH meter lets you read pH levels of fabric and carpet easily. Watch a video on how easy it is to analyze a carpet stain.
About the author:
Founder Bosworth Instrument- your single source for test meters. Innovation, quality and reliability. Finding the right meter just got easier. View Bosworth Instrument.
