# For the rhubarb wine makers...



## PierreR (May 26, 2016)

How many of you use all rhubarb juice, how many have extra water content.
How much rhubarb would be required to net 5 gallons of juice?


----------



## PierreR (May 27, 2016)

Found this process. Im wondering how much rhubarb to get 6 gallons of juice/water?
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37632


----------



## GreginND (May 27, 2016)

PierreR said:


> Found this process. Im wondering how much rhubarb to get 6 gallons of juice/water?
> http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=37632



About 30-35 pounds will yield about 3 gallons of pressed juice. An additional 3 gallons of water plus sugar will give you a 6 gallon batch in the end.


----------



## PierreR (May 27, 2016)

GreginND said:


> About 30-35 pounds will yield about 3 gallons of pressed juice. An additional 3 gallons of water plus sugar will give you a 6 gallon batch in the end.



Thank you sir! I appreciate it!


----------



## montanaWineGuy (Jun 2, 2016)

I'm going out today and picking up about 30 to 40lbs of Rhubarb. For me that will make about 90 to 100 bottles of wine. Last years Rhubarb wine was a huge success with the neighbors, and I expect the same good tasting wine again.

I don't have a press to extract all the juice, but I do cut it all up and use pectin enzyme to help break up the stalks while in the Fermentation bucket.


----------



## PierreR (Jun 9, 2016)

So i have 60 pounds total in the freezer, all sliced nice and thin. Once im sure its all frozen, I'm going to follow GreginND's method.


----------



## GreginND (Jun 10, 2016)

Great. Let us know how it turns out.

I have about 900 pounds waiting for me in the freezer.


----------



## dcbrown73 (Jun 10, 2016)

You guys are going to force me to make Rhubarb wine. Especially if the Rhubarb festival I'm attending this Sunday is a big hit.


----------



## montanaWineGuy (Jun 10, 2016)

GreginND said:


> Great. Let us know how it turns out.
> 
> I have about 900 pounds waiting for me in the freezer.



Good Lord!

That would make about 2700 bottles for me. What about 900 or so for you? That's a lot of work to process that much Rhubarb. Yours must be incredible tasting. Mine is very good, full flavored but not to overly heavy in Rhubarb flavor. 

The batches I just move to the carboys are really loaded in pulp. The pectin enzyme turned the rhubarb in to a pudding like consistency after only 5 days in the fermentation bucket. Should be good drinking when, if ever it clears.


----------



## GreginND (Jun 10, 2016)

We use about one pound per bottle.


----------



## PierreR (Jun 10, 2016)

32 pounds thawing with pectic enzyme. I've read elsewhere using precipitated chalk to lower the acid from the rhubarb. I don't recall seeing that here. Thoughts?


----------



## GreginND (Jun 11, 2016)

Never done it. My process seems to provide a nice balanced wine in the end so I have never adjusted the acid in either direction.

What's the pectic enzyme for? Rhubarb is a vegetable. There is very little pectin in it.


----------



## PierreR (Jun 11, 2016)

Well thats my blond moment for the week! I'll chalk that one up to habit, or read it some place. As you were, carry on, nothing to see here... 
Thanks Greg for the advice on the chalk.


----------



## geek (Jun 11, 2016)

GreginND said:


> About 30-35 pounds will yield about 3 gallons of pressed juice. An additional 3 gallons of water plus sugar will give you a 6 gallon batch in the end.




Do you use all rhubarb juice or you add water to it before fermentation?
If water is added, what's a good ratio?


----------



## PierreR (Jun 11, 2016)

@geek his process is here, post #6 http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51849&highlight=rhubarb

@GreginND this is where I read it, you mentioned it...


----------



## geek (Jun 11, 2016)

PierreR said:


> @geek his process is here, post #6 http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51849&highlight=rhubarb
> 
> @GreginND this is where I read it, you mentioned it...




Thanks.!!
Now let me see where I can find it in my neck of the woods [emoji4]


----------



## PierreR (Jun 12, 2016)

Ended up using 40 pounds of rhubarb. Juice yield was near 14 litres, say 3 1/2 gallons. Soaked pulp in 3 gallons of water and strained, added to juice. SG was 1.007 lol! Added 14.5 pounds of corn sugar, and I'm guessing 4 to 5 pounds of cane sugar ( ran out of the measured corn sugar) go the SG to 1.096. Finished with just over 7 gallons. Added 5 campden tablets. Pitching yeast in the morning.


----------



## hounddawg (Jun 12, 2016)

I'd like to ask a question, first I've never had a rhubarb pie nor wine in fact I've never seen or tasted rhubarb at all , is their anything that you feel that has a similar taste to it, seeing several different post on rhubarb i'm beginning to get curious about it's flavor profile,,,, 
thank you
Dawg::


----------



## geek (Jun 12, 2016)

PierreR said:


> Ended up using 40 pounds of rhubarb. Juice yield was near 14 litres, say 3 1/2 gallons. Soaked pulp in 3 gallons of water and strained, added to juice. SG was 1.007 lol! Added 14.5 pounds of corn sugar, and I'm guessing 4 to 5 pounds of cane sugar ( ran out of the measured corn sugar) go the SG to 1.096. Finished with just over 7 gallons. Added 5 campden tablets. Pitching yeast in the morning.




Something doesn't sound right, maybe to me, but that SG is way too low to start before you added the sugar.

So adding 3gal of water diluted the SG to 1.007.
Did you happen to measure before you put the water?


----------



## GreginND (Jun 12, 2016)

PierreR said:


> @geek his process is here, post #6 http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=51849&highlight=rhubarb
> 
> @GreginND this is where I read it, you mentioned it...



Ah, so I did. I think that was a mistake. I must have copied that from one of my early winemaking logs. I have a few rhubarb berry blends I've done where I've added pectinase. I don't use it on pure rhubarb and it has never been a problem.


----------



## GreginND (Jun 12, 2016)

geek said:


> Something doesn't sound right, maybe to me, but that SG is way too low to start before you added the sugar.
> 
> So adding 3gal of water diluted the SG to 1.007.
> Did you happen to measure before you put the water?



Sounds about right to me. Rhubarb doesn't have a lot of sugar in it.


----------



## geek (Jun 12, 2016)

GreginND said:


> Ah, so I did. I think that was a mistake. I must have copied that from one of my early winemaking logs. I have a few rhubarb berry blends I've done where I've added pectinase. I don't use it on pure rhubarb and it has never been a problem.




Do you find adding berries makes a better wine blend versus just plain rhubarb?


----------



## geek (Jun 12, 2016)

GreginND said:


> Sounds about right to me. Rhubarb doesn't have a lot of sugar in it.




That's a lot of sugar to bump the SG, I assume the flavor is not high either?


----------



## PierreR (Jun 12, 2016)

SG only checked after water added. As Greg said, there really isn't much in rhubarb juice to bump SG. 

As for flavour, it is still quite pronounced, after the sugar was added, the liquid smelled like rhubarb pie filling. Sweet and tart at the same time, if you can picture it. To explain what rhubarb tastes like, that's tough. Tart like a Granny Smith Apple, crisp like celery, not really sweet. Can be sour like lemon/lime, with a flavour... How the hell do you describe it??
Bake it in a pie, make a jam, with strawberries or apples in a crumble or crisp, it's heaven!


----------



## cintipam (Jun 12, 2016)

Hounddawg, I'm betting you would like rhubarb wine. Rhubarb looks like pink or green celery, and most folks mix it with strawberries and a LOT of sugar to make pie. I personally munch on stalks while walking around the garden. It is a very light flavor, but dry and extra tart. Kind of like grapefruit without the background bitter but even more tart. I'm jonesing to make some rhubarb too, but to date I have only mixed it in with other stuff in wines. Mixed in with stuff it gives the edge of a great granny smith apple flavor.

Just do not eat the leaves. Way too much oxalic acid. Also, read the thread about the natural way to reduce the amount of acid in the juice. Oxalic acid can cause kidney stones etc, so it is worth the extra steps to remove whatever you can of that stuff.

Pam in cinti


----------



## hounddawg (Jun 12, 2016)

thank you, since I love grapefruit an grapefruit juice white type, I'll look up where I can buy seeds and try a five next year, I've heard about rhubarb pie all my life but never saw any I know of, but I'll find out come next season, man yall are turning me into a experiment prone old fart,,, lol
thank you ma'am
Dawg:: 




cintipam said:


> Hounddawg, I'm betting you would like rhubarb wine. Rhubarb looks like pink or green celery, and most folks mix it with strawberries and a LOT of sugar to make pie. I personally munch on stalks while walking around the garden. It is a very light flavor, but dry and extra tart. Kind of like grapefruit without the background bitter but even more tart. I'm jonesing to make some rhubarb too, but to date I have only mixed it in with other stuff in wines. Mixed in with stuff it gives the edge of a great granny smith apple flavor.
> 
> Just do not eat the leaves. Way too much oxalic acid. Also, read the thread about the natural way to reduce the amount of acid in the juice. Oxalic acid can cause kidney stones etc, so it is worth the extra steps to remove whatever you can of that stuff.
> 
> Pam in cinti


----------



## PierreR (Jun 12, 2016)

@hounddawg rhubarb grows from a tuber/root or bulb. Most seed houses carry it.


----------



## hounddawg (Jun 14, 2016)

thank you very much PierreR
I believe ya'll has gotten me curious enough so that I will check out a few farmers markets, on top of trying to grow some myself this coming spring,,
Dawg::

PS

yall are a bunch of nuts, but as nuts go ya'll really are the finest nuts I've had the honor of knowing, just for chits an grins I got a few large persimmon trees
not trying to lead this thread astray but a recipe for persimmons I would love to try that as well,,






PierreR said:


> @hounddawg rhubarb grows from a tuber/root or bulb. Most seed houses carry it.


----------



## cmason1957 (Jun 14, 2016)

hounddawg said:


> thank you very much PierreR
> I believe ya'll has gotten me curious enough so that I will check out a few farmers markets, on top of trying to grow some myself this coming spring,,
> Dawg::
> 
> ...



I will be surprised if you find it, since you live in Arkansas. I live in Mid-Missouri and can't find much around here. Not enough to do wine from. Can't find choke cherries either and my dad (from North Dakota) keeps bugging me to make some of that.


----------



## GreginND (Jun 14, 2016)

Rhubarb needs an extended period of cold (below 40 degrees) in order to trigger spring growth. Thus, it does't grow well where the ground doesn't freeze. It's hard to grow in Arkansas. While some have been able to get it to grow up into zone 7, it really loves to be in zone 5 or less.


----------



## PierreR (Jun 14, 2016)

OK! This is becoming a pain in the butt in spite of its self. I have had 2 foam overs today. Ive added no nutrient or energizer. Its frothy, not just bubbly. Ideas on how to control? 
Would this benefit from bentonite?


----------



## montanaWineGuy (Jun 14, 2016)

PierreR said:


> OK! This is becoming a pain in the butt in spite of its self. I have had 2 foam overs today. Ive added no nutrient or energizer. Its frothy, not just bubbly. Ideas on how to control?
> Would this benefit from bentonite?



I had a lot of foam on my Elderberry. I racked it to off the foam.


----------



## hounddawg (Jun 14, 2016)

be very, very careful, it sounds like rabies,
in case you was thinking I am not right,
now you know for a fact,,
Dawg::




PierreR said:


> OK! This is becoming a pain in the butt in spite of its self. I have had 2 foam overs today. Ive added no nutrient or energizer. Its frothy, not just bubbly. Ideas on how to control?
> Would this benefit from bentonite?


----------



## PierreR (Jun 14, 2016)

HAHA! Brother dawg, I think you and I would get along righteously!


----------



## PierreR (Jun 15, 2016)

Ive been to this site a dozen times, and "happened" on this today. Mods, this is from Kellers site, please delete if this is not allowed.

There are basically four approaches to making wine from rhubarb, but all require cutting it into pieces first. (1) The pieces are then crushed and pressed to extract the juice, which is fermented; (2) the pieces are covered with sugar to draw out most of the juice as liquor, which is then separated from the pieces and fermented alone or fermented pieces and liquor together and pressed before transfer to secondary; (3) the pieces are frozen, thawed and then processed as (1); (4) the pieces are frozen, thawed and then processed as (2).

Here are four recipes using the four approaches. Two use precipitated chalk to buffer oxalic acid because the rhubarb used seem to require it, while two do not because the rhubarb used tasted fine. You have to use your own judgement regarding your own rhubarb.
Rhubarb Wine (1)

6 lbs rhubarb
2 lbs sugar
2 tsp citric acid
1 tsp yeast nutrient
6-1/2 pts water
1/2 oz precipitated chalk
1 finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet
Wine yeast (Montrachet or Champagne) in starter solution 

Trim, wash and cut the rhubarb. Add 5 pints of the water into which is dissolved 1 finely crushed Campden tablet and the sugar. Cover and set aside for 3 days, stirring twice a day. Strain the rhubarb (save the water) and press it dry, then discard the pulp. Combine the sugared water and juice and add the chalk; when the fizzing subsides, add the remaining ingredients (except the reserved 1-1/2 pints water) and ferment in gallon jug covered with clean cloth until vigorous fermentation subsides. Add reserved water and attach airlock. Ferment to dryness, racking every 3-4 weeks until clear. Stabilize, sweeten to taste and age about 3 months. Rack if needed and bottle. Allow 8-12 months before tasting. [Author's own recipe]
Rhubarb Wine (2)

4 lbs rhubarb
1 cup white grape concentrate
1 lb 13 ozs granulated sugar
1-1/2 qts boiling water
1 tsp citric acid
1 tsp yeast nutrient
1/4 tsp grape tannin
2/3 tsp pectic enzyme
1 finely crushed and dissolved Campden tablet
2 qts cold water
1 pkt Champagne wine yeast 

Place cut rhubarb and sugar in primary and mix well. Cover primary for 24 hrs. Crush rhubarb with a piece of hardwood or the bottom of a non-punted wine bottle. Pour boiling water over the crushed rhubarb, stir vigorously and recover primary. When water cools, ladle or scoop rhubarb into a straining bag and squeeze as much of the juice out as possible. Discard pulp. Add the grape juice, citric acid, yeast nutrient, tannin, crushed Campden tablet, and cold water. Cover and wait 12 hours. Add pectic enzyme, recover and wait another 12 hours. Add activated yeast starter and ferment until vigor subsides. Transfer to secondary, ferment to dryness, rack every 3-4 weeks until clear. Bottle dry or stabilize and sweeten, age 3 more months, rack if needed, and bottle. Age 6-9 months before tasting. [Author's own recipe]
Rhubarb Wine (3)

4 lbs rhubarb
2 lbs sugar
juice of 2 large oranges
2/3 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp yeast nutrient
6-1/2 pts lukewarm water
Red Star wine yeast 

Wash and cut the rhubarb, then place in ZipLoc freezer bags and freeze at least a week. Dump in colander to thaw over primary. When thawed, squeeze out as much of the juice as you can. Stir in remaining ingredients except yeast. Cover and set aside 12 hours, then add activated yeast in starter solution and recover. Recover and ferment 3 days. Stir, pour through funnel into secondary and attach airlock. Ferment to dryness. Rack monthly until clear. Bottle dry or stabilize and sweeten, age 3 more months, rack if needed, and bottle. Age 6-9 months before tasting. [Author's own recipe]
Rhubarb Wine (4)

4 lbs rhubarb
2 lbs sugar
350 mL pineapple juice or 450 mL orange juice
2/3 tsp pectic enzyme
1 finely crushed Campden tablet
1/2 oz precipitated chalk
1 tsp yeast nutrient
Water to 1 gal (about 6-1/2 pts)
Campagne wine yeast activated in starter solution 12-14 hours prior to use 

Wash and cut the rhubarb, then place in ZipLoc freezer bags and freeze at least a week. Remove and place in primary to thaw. Sprinkle very finely crushed Campden tablet and then the sugar over rhubarb in even layer. Cover primary with lid or plastic sheet for 36 hours. Sprinkle pectic enzyme and precipitated chalk over mixture, stir well and recover the primary. Wait additional 36 hours and add all remaining ingredients. Ferment about 5 days, then strain out the rhubarb and press it. Combine pressed juice with fermenting liquor, transfer to secondary and affix airlock. Ferment to dryness. Rack monthly until clear. Bottle dry or stabilize and sweeten, age 3 more months, rack if needed, and bottle. Age 6-9 months before tasting. [Author's own recipe)


----------



## Arne (Jun 15, 2016)

PierreR said:


> OK! This is becoming a pain in the butt in spite of its self. I have had 2 foam overs today. Ive added no nutrient or energizer. Its frothy, not just bubbly. Ideas on how to control?
> Would this benefit from bentonite?



Temps. getting too high? That will make your yeasts go nuts for a while. See if you can cool your ferments down a abit and bet that will slow them down. Probably won't need to cool down much. Arne.


----------



## hounddawg (Jun 15, 2016)

I bet we would enjoy sitting under a shade tree sipping wine my brother
Dawg::




PierreR said:


> HAHA! Brother dawg, I think you and I would get along righteously!


----------



## hounddawg (Jun 15, 2016)

cool i'll do it one way or another,
Dawg::





PierreR said:


> @hounddawg rhubarb grows from a tuber/root or bulb. Most seed houses carry it.


----------



## PierreR (Jun 16, 2016)

Arne said:


> Temps. getting too high? That will make your yeasts go nuts for a while. See if you can cool your ferments down a abit and bet that will slow them down. Probably won't need to cool down much. Arne.



That might have been part of it. It was only 74f. Being 48 hours after pitching yeast, it may have been the yeast finding its stride.

My remedy was to steralize a large spoon, and get rid of the froth. Weird stuff, had the consistency of the froth you see sometimes in rivers.


----------



## Arne (Jun 16, 2016)

PierreR said:


> That might have been part of it. It was only 74f. Being 48 hours after pitching yeast, it may have been the yeast finding its stride.
> 
> My remedy was to steralize a large spoon, and get rid of the froth. Weird stuff, had the consistency of the froth you see sometimes in rivers.



Was that the room temp. or the must temp? When the ferment gets going strong the temp. of the must can raise quite a bit. Three or four degrees higher than 74 could make your ferment blast along faster than normal. Good luck with it and have fun. Arne.


----------



## PierreR (Jun 21, 2016)

Still has nice color...


----------



## GreginND (Jun 22, 2016)

PierreR said:


> Still has nice color...



Looks great. Unfortunately, most of the pink will turn to a white wine color when you add sulfites. I think I can smell it from here!


----------



## JohnT (Jun 22, 2016)

As the man once said......


----------



## PierreR (Jun 22, 2016)

Haha! It is what it will be! It has some already ( sulfites) have added 7 campden tablets to date.


----------

