Titratable Acidity Converter: Tartaric, Malic, Lactic
Titratable Acidity Converter
g/L as tartaric
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g/L as malic
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g/L as lactic
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Conversions use equivalent weights: tartaric 75.04, malic 67.04, lactic 90.08 g/eq. Works with any titration endpoint. Only compare TA values titrated to the same endpoint (pH 8.2 or 7.0).
Frequently asked questions
Why is titratable acidity important?
TA is the total amount of acid in a beverage that can be neutralized by a base. It is closely tied to perceived sourness and to how acid balances against sugar, alcohol, and bitterness. Producers use TA to decide on acid additions or deacidification, to guide harvest timing, to track malolactic fermentation (TA drops as malic acid converts to lactic acid), and to keep batches consistent.
Is TA the same as pH?
No. pH measures the concentration of free hydrogen ions on a logarithmic scale. TA measures the total acid available to be neutralized, including acid molecules that have not released their hydrogen ions. The two are related but do not track each other directly: two samples with the same TA can have different pH depending on their acid profile and buffering from minerals such as potassium. pH has a larger effect on microbial stability, sulfite effectiveness, and color, while TA relates more closely to taste. Measure both.
Why does the same sample give a different TA number for each acid?
Titration measures the total titratable hydrogen ions in a sample. That result is then expressed as the mass of one reference acid that would supply the same number of hydrogen ions. Tartaric and malic acid each release two hydrogen ions per molecule, and lactic acid releases one. Their equivalent weights are 75.04 g (tartaric), 67.04 g (malic), and 90.08 g (lactic), so the same titration gives a different g/L figure for each.
Which acid should I report TA as?
Use the convention for your product and market. Wine in the US is typically reported as tartaric acid. Cider is often reported as malic acid. Sour beer is often reported as lactic acid. Some European labs report wine TA as sulfuric acid. Kombucha TA is commonly expressed as acetic acid. Always state which acid a TA value is expressed as.
Does TA as tartaric acid mean my sample contains that much tartaric acid?
No. TA reflects all titratable acids in the sample, including tartaric, malic, lactic, citric, acetic, and succinic acid. Expressing TA as one acid is a reporting convention. Individual acid concentrations require enzymatic or chromatographic analysis.
Can I use this to convert between a pH 8.2 and a pH 7.0 endpoint?
No. Titrating to pH 8.2 gives a higher TA than titrating to pH 7.0 on the same sample, and the difference depends on the acid profile. This converter changes only which acid the result is expressed as. Compare TA values only when they share the same endpoint.
How do I convert g/L to percent TA?
Divide g/L by 10. For example, 6.5 g/L tartaric acid is 0.65% TA as tartaric acid, which is g/100 mL.