Mary Fisher wrote:

Nope, my mum used to be though. I Dabbled in home brewing a few years
back.


Citric acid isn't used for sterilising but to balance flavours. Sometimes
malic acid is used and sometime tannic. Sometimes a combination.

You can use citric as an acidity adjuster in the wine itself (which is
what you describe), however it also works in solution with Sodium
Metabisufate as a sterilsing solution.

The sodium metabisulfate solution evolves a gas (sulphur dioxide) which
sterilises on contact. The addition of citric acid helps speed up the
reaction IIUC. Very effective, but try and avoid breathing the fumes!


--
Cheers,

John.

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