technical class hosted by the hoplers 5_18_19
By Janet Griscavage
On Saturday, May 18th, Totem Pole Ranch donated the space for the class to be held on the Technical Measurements of Wine Making. There were 15 wine guild members present for this class. Pat Moyer provided a delicious array of pastries and goodies and the Hopler’s provided the coffee and water.
The presenters were members Mel Heffley, Joan Hopler, Tim Murphy, and Jim Compton. Each presenter had multiple handouts that will help with referencing how to use the equipment. We learned how to use the different types of equipment and the importance of calibrating it or correct measurement. We learned how to read a hydrometer, use the testing equipment to measure PH, Total Acid, Sulfur Dioxide, and Titratable Acidity of Wines. We learned the formulas to correct these measurements to get to where we are aiming our wines to be.
We (Yes, I am the mouse in Ed’s pocket) have done a handful of pails from in the past. We look forward to applying what we learned to the wine must pails in the future. I found this class to be very insightful. There were tips on replacing chemicals often to make sure of their effectiveness. Also discussed was where to purchase those chemicals and equipment that were used for testing.
Thanks again to the presenters, Pat Moyer for her goodies, and the Hopler’s for donating the classroom space. I hope to see more of the technical aspects of making wine presented by the Education committee in the future.
