I started making a 2 gallon batch of my hot sauce, I used to do a 1 gallon but someone gets a gallon to their own. Since upping the recipe I noticed the ph strips I use haven't been reading the same. I have been making this recipe for 4 years and have never had this problem. In the past the strips appeared to read just below 4, now it barley reaches 4 but thats after altering the recipe. I personally do not like the taste of vinegar, I use apple cider vinegar for the flavor, but I only use enough for some added flavor and the ph level. This time I ended up using a couple fresh limes to lower the ph that way it isn't to vinegary. Even with this it doesn't seem to do much to the sauce's ph. I let simmer an additional ten minutes before testing again. Am I supposed to do it cold (not that I have in the past), should it simmer longer, or are these paper test strips that lame?