# Rhubarb wine



## Boyd (Jul 11, 2011)

Started a 5 gallon batch of rhubarb wine about a week ago.

Froze the rhubarb and pressed. Then tried the juice freezing thing and chipped of the top getting a acid reading of .80.

Made it with the pure juice and am going to use another 1/2 gallon of juice to poop up the rhubarb flavor when done.

If anyone near Mankato, Mn is willing to try it you would be welcome to. I do not drink much and would not have any idea it it was good or bad. Hopefully someone could give me a opinion good or bad.


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## millwright01 (Jul 11, 2011)

I read about the freezing method on Lucs blog to reduce acid and will go that direction as well. If I can ask, what recipe are you going to use? i searched the forum but didn't fine one. Would you consider sharing?


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## Boyd (Jul 12, 2011)

I used the one on the E C Kraus website and added some mashed over ripe bananas I had. used 71B yeast. started the day before.


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## millwright01 (Jul 12, 2011)

thanks, I will check that out.


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## Trog (Jul 14, 2011)

Tried rhubarb wine for the first time a couple days ago in gatlinburg it was tart but very tasty


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## je5ter (Aug 2, 2011)

Did you get things going? What recipe did you go with or modifications to? Using the freezing method I was unsure how many liters of juice to start off with. You think it is neccisary to have 18-20liters for a 23liter batch?


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## Boyd (Aug 2, 2011)

I had 5 gallons of juice plus an ice cream pail about 3/4 full.

I fermented the 5 gallons (with sugar but no water added) and froze the remainder.

With sugar added to 1.090 I would guess you need about 20 litre of juice for 5 gallons (23 litres) of wine. Keep any left over juice for topping off in the secondaary.

Recipe was from the EC Kraus website. There are a bunch arranged in a chart that can be printed if you wish. I have made a number of different wines using that chart.

Else you might try Jack Keller's website for his technic.

As far as making the juice I froze the rhubarb, thawed, crushed, pressed and then refroze the juice to remove some of the acid.Just scape a 1/2 inch or so off the top, thaw and test for total acid. If not low enough refreeze and scrape again.

Have fun!!


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## Poni (Aug 2, 2011)

When i made my strawberry rhubarb wine i added about 4 cups of sugar to the chopped up rhubarb, covered and let it sit for 24 hours and to my suprise the sugar really worked on the barb and there was quite a bit of juice, then i still fermented it all together.. As of now it is very nice, and starting to clear..

I think my recipe was (i don't have my notes handy)
6lbs rhubard
3lbs strawberrys
2 gallons of water
S.G. to 1.090
i did not have to adjust the acid
pectice enzyme
yeast nutrient
30ppm SO2

i started this about a month and a half ago and it is tasting nice..


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## Wade E (Aug 2, 2011)

Best wines are really made from all juice, that being said Ive watered down many a batch but used an F-Pack to add flavor later due to finances and won medals that way also. If you dont want to go through all the work of picking and working with the rhubarb, Walkers Fruit basket sells 5 gallon pails of rhubarb juice. I just fined mine finally after it wouldnt clear on its own after many months. I hit it with SuperKleer and the next morning it was super clear!!!!!!!


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## mrpoland (Aug 10, 2011)

Rhubarb wine might be danger. Rhubarb contains oxalic acid what is not good for your health especially bad for your kidneys. Even eating vegetables what contains oxalic acid to often is not good for you. When you make wine you should reduce acid level. The yeast you used [71B] are good with reducing the acid level but I think they work only with malic acid what you don’t have much in rhubarb. I never made rhubarb wine yet and I know all of this from books only and experience other winemakers but I suggest you to read more about it for your own health.


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## Boyd (Aug 10, 2011)

Oxalic acid raises to the top and can be scraped off. Use a wide wood chisel to scrape.

I ended up with .8 acid. Fermenting that should reduce it a bit moree.


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## mrpoland (Aug 11, 2011)

Interesting…. I never heard about that. When I try to lower the acid level I put more water but with rhubarb it is not good idea to put too much water. Pure chalk works in this case the best. You have to put some chalk. This combination creates chemical reaction creating calcium oxalate crystals what falls to the bottom. I heard about many schools about this treatment, to do it at the beginning of fermentation or when the wine is ready.

If you consume too much oxalic acid then the same reaction goes in your body and this way the kidney stones are created.

Boyd you wrote you ended up with .8 acid. 0.8 of what? g/l??? 
0,8g/l is just perfect for half-sweet and sweet wine. Fresh rhubarb usually has 2% [20g/l] of acid level. It contains malic acid 0,45% of oxalic acid. 0,8g/l looks very good especially if you allowed MLF.


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## Boyd (Aug 11, 2011)

As far as I know the common acid test kit reads in grams per litre. I think .8 grams per litre would equal .8% but I haven't messed with metric stuff for a long time.

I haven't tested it since fermentation complete. 

Used 71B so it should have eaten some of the malic acid.

Having problems clearing. The sediment has dropped out but there is still a haze that didn't clear with an addition of peptic enzyme. 

Have to get some iodine to test for starch haze. I did toss in a few ripe bananas before fermintation and used enzyme then.

Fustrating!!!! Any ideas.


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## Wade E (Aug 11, 2011)

I had this same problem with a peach wine. I used enzymes (plenty) and then hit it with superkleer and it was still hazy, I then did what has always been told nit to and ran it through a filter and Wala!!! I never try and filter a not clear wine but I was down to no other ideas so I went with it and worked like a charm.


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## docanddeb (Aug 13, 2011)

I've never had a problem with rhubarb clearing. There are several types of rhubarb, however. I use Calcium Carbonate to bring the acid down. I did a German version that calls for cloves and fresh ginger... very nice... a bit like a German white wine! Freezing then steam juicing also works VERY WELL.

Debbie


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