# 14 lb of Rhubarb



## hhoeg (May 28, 2013)

I have about 14 lb of rhubarb in the freezer and want to make a batch or 2 of wine. What do you recommend? Should I do 2 different batches or 1 big batch? Do you have any good recipes for rhubarb wines?

Thanks.


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## gird123 (May 29, 2013)

I think that is enough for 3 gallons of wine. We have made rhubarb for the past two years. Next year i will try the chalk to lower the acidity. It is a nice wine. I like to add a little oak.
I think i used close to this one with out the chalk. Taste just like rhubarb with a kick.
*http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/rhubarb-wine-31624/*


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## Luc (May 29, 2013)

There is no need to use chalk to bring the acidity down.
Use my method: it works like a charm and you will keep all flavor:

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.nl/2007/06/scroll-down-for-english-text-al-lange.html

Above story was the theory now how to make a wine with that you can read here which includes my recipe:

http://wijnmaker.blogspot.nl/2009/09/rabarberwijn-1-rhubarbwine-1.html

Luc


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## saramc (May 29, 2013)

I will never use chalk again on rhubarb. Luc's method works like a charm.


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## Norske (May 29, 2013)

I am going to try Luc's method this year once we can begin harvesting our rhubarb.


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## GreginND (May 29, 2013)

After many trials I have come down to some basic principles for rhubarb wine that never let me down.

DO NOT ferment with the pulp.
Chop and freeze the rhubarb. When ready to make the wine, thaw the rhubarb and press out the juice. Add water to the pulp in the amount equal to what you extracted from the first pressing. Agitate well and then press again. Combine the two pressings. Add sugar to desired level, adjust anything else as needed (acid, nutrients, etc) and ferment away.


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## jensmith (May 29, 2013)

I mostly use the recipie in the ECKcouse catalog/web site. It works quite well. I never have been good at following directions, but that was my starting point. 18 pounds rhubarb with 10 pounds suger to five galleons of wine. With peptic enzyme, yeast energizer and tannin as the only additives. I usually get just over 4 galeons finnished wine. ( lots of sampeling!) I have never done any acid reduction. I do often add a bit of dextrose, just because it is fun to watch it fizz up! I don't top off either, the other reason I keep it alive longer. One batch was stuborn about clearing, I tried to squeeze too much juice from the pulp at first racking. 
This has made a very easy drinking wine. Nice rhubarb flavor and bite, but serprisingly mellow. Especially at 16%abv! I don't usually backsweeten at all. If I do it is with a fruit juice concentrate. 
I have only used fresh stalks, but will be freezing them this time around.


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## hhoeg (Jun 2, 2013)

Thanks for the responses. I appreciate it. 


I have some leftover frozen peaches in the freezer as well... Anyone ever tried a rhubarb & peach wine?


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## jensmith (Jun 5, 2013)

Nope. No peach rhubarb. However I have 55 pounds of rhubarb in the freezer with that much more to pick. Only about four pounds of frozen peaches. I think I will save those for something else!


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## beggarsu (Jun 28, 2013)

jensmith said:


> Nope. No peach rhubarb. However I have 55 pounds of rhubarb in the freezer with that much more to pick. Only about four pounds of frozen peaches. I think I will save those for something else!



I have 66.5 lbs and I want to use it now -I don't need the mini freezer used all summer.. I was figuring to make 46 liters,

It is all cut, double washed, chopped in small one inch or less bits, bagged and frozen. 
I see Vandegrifts recipe is 45 pounds per 12 gallon.

I will defrost and juice rhubarb with using sugar (which helps juicing). 
I'm wondering should I use all i got 65 lbs and only take the best juice or will that be too strong in taste? 


Lucs method of de-acidifying seems interesting but I have no idea of quantities - not a clue ie how many litres of de-acidified juice + how much water to make one gallon of product. . Besides he didn't use sugar to to the juicing so that may affect the de-acidifying results. 
Also his method works so good that some acid has to be put back in and determining this and the other quantities would take much experimentation for me I think.


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## UBB (Jun 28, 2013)

How about running the rhubarb through a processor and then freezing. Then after thawing running the fruit through a straining bag?


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## beggarsu (Jun 28, 2013)

UBB said:


> How about running the rhubarb through a processor and then freezing. The after thawing running the fruit through a straining bag?



I read somewhere a warning against over-processing rhubarb because you just want the juice - there is too much other stuff you don't want that might result in maybe sediment or bad flavour
I concur - I wouldn't go beyond chopping manually small lengths and freezing/defrosting those .I think it's somewhat like crab-apples where you never squeeze or boil in juicing. It's work but I don't think a shortcut here is good. 
(So,IMO, processor -no , the rest -yes.) 

From watching a youtube video - interspersing with sugar assists the extraction process. The vid I watched - washed water through the straining bag two times after the first juicing. I got so much rhubarb already chopped) I think I'll only put through a little water just once though perhaps I go to make sure the sugar gets washed through though maybe too strong a flavour might be bad? 

Or should I juice it without any water washing (adding water) at all - any opinion?
If use water what percentage? 

As I've looked around the net in various recipes - the amount of rhubarb used per gallon seems to vary considerably anywhere from 2.5 to 6 pounds per gallon. I don't know if I could use too much. Maybe tasting it before I start fermentation might help judge that.


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