Brix and acidity
Brix and acidity are the compass for beverage and culinary R&D. Brix estimates soluble solids (mostly sugars), while titratable acidity (TA) captures total acid; pH shows acid strength. Measure with a refractometer for Brix and a standard NaOH titration for TA.
When reconstituting concentrates, use: Water factor = (Brix_conc / Brix_target) − 1. Example: from 70° to 12° Brix, add about (70/12 − 1) ≈ 4.83 parts water to 1 part concentrate. Adjust acid with citric/malic as needed, then fine-tune sweetness and color to spec.
Balance is everything: typical ready-to-drink ranges live around 10–14° Brix with TA tuned for a bright, clean finish. Log Brix/TA alongside sensory notes and viscosity so scale-ups remain consistent across seasons and suppliers.
