"Glen Duff" > wrote in message
...
> I'm just now buying a paper chromatrography kit to determine malic,
> tartaric and lactic acid levels.
>
> One of the main reasons I've not purchased one earlier is that I'm not
> sure whether or not there is any information that is actionable.
>
> Is the kit just for the purpose of determing the rate of change or whether
> or not ML is occuring. Is the test to determine a baseline before ML and
> then find out if there has been any malic acid coverted, or if it is
> totally converted. In other words if you do test for ML progress and what
> action do you take once you've tested.

It's basically to determine that malic acid no longer exists in the wine.
Usually you'll know anyway via secondary evidence: the pH has stopped
rising, and no more bubbling is occurring in the wine.

To be really sure, you could send a sample to a lab - but that costs ~$20.
If you have a thousand gallons that's probably advisable, and might even be
worthwhile for a barrel's worth. Probably not for 5 gallons though.

Tom S