# Rhubarb wine help



## Uk bubble head (May 12, 2009)

HI all, got myself 4lb's of *rhubarb* in the freezer, want to make a nice wine, looked about a bit, and am very confused many differing recipes, some using chalk and some using gysum? now I have gypsum, but seems strange putting that into a wine. I think its to get the oxalic acids down.

Any one got a simple, good recipe for it. Anyone tried it succesfully?

maYbe rhubarb +banana + raisons or dates?

Thanks in advance.

BH


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## Uk bubble head (May 12, 2009)

arh the search button is my best friend.

wijnmaker.blogspot

thanks Luc! gtreat blog!

great method!, exactly what I was looking for!

so any have a cool recipe. does rhubarb and banana work?

BH


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## St Allie (May 12, 2009)

I have a quick, low alcohol sparkling rhubarb wine if you like?


what do you want to make?

Allie


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## Uk bubble head (May 12, 2009)

not really low alchol,me likes it strongish, but i really want the taste of the rhubarb to shine through.

Im sure rhubarb and banana is possible.I only have normal standard yeast.

BH


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## Luc (May 12, 2009)

The experiment I did was using a small batch of rhubarb bought from a grocery store. I just wanted to make sure it worked.

A few months ago I got 17 kilo of rhubarb from a winemaker that
brought it to me as a gift for the help I gave him.
I processed like described, just a teeny bit different.

I froze the juice and then dismantled the bottles with a knife.
I cut out all the darker parts. Worked like a charm. Had an acidity of .4. So I added back some of the juice of the thawed darker parts until acidity was at .7

I am working on a way to do this mathemattically right but have to wait till next batch comes in which will be in a few months.

So I made a straight rhubarb wine this time.
I read about a pineapple-rhubarb that was great and a strawberry-rhubarb that was great.
This will be my next projects.
Maybe an idea for you ????

Luc


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## Uk bubble head (May 12, 2009)

thnaks Luc, enjoyed your blog, will be using your bag and shake tek for removing the elderflowers in a couple of weeks. That should work with hawthorn blossom as well, will let you know.

Might go straight rhubarb this time and see how it goes.

BH


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## St Allie (May 12, 2009)

One thing about the rhubarb, it was a long ferment and that it takes ages to clear. 

I have written in my notes to 
-add a bit more pectolase at the beginning and give it a good 24 hours to work before adding the yeast.

might be helpful to you, depending on your recipe.

Allie


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## Uk bubble head (May 16, 2009)

OK, so i got 2 and a bit pints of juice from freezing the 'barb and squeezing the living daylights out of it! Amazing amount of juice, couldn't beleive my eyes.
Juice back in freezer so I can scrape the acid of it 2moro.

So Im just going 1 gallon of straight rhubarb, so whats a good reliable recipe;

found this one;

*Ingredients:

3 pounds rhubarb
3 pounds white sugar
1 tsp. yeast nutrient
1 gallon hot water (doesn't have to be boiling)
2 campden tablets (crushed)
wine yeast

*

but do i need to put pectolase in with the juice, or is that just used when you have the pulp fermenting?

looking good? does it not need any raisons?

what should my starting SG be?

BH


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## Wade E (May 16, 2009)

I would use the pectic enzyme as it will also prevent a pectin haze in your wine and it is much easier to prevent then fix later. Asfor recipe I have never worked with this so cant help you there but there are a few members who have and should jump in shortly.


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## St Allie (May 16, 2009)

yes you will need to use the pectic enzyme.

the recipe I use is as follows.

6lb rubarb
1 orange
3lb white sugar
1gallon / 4.5 litres water
1/2 a lb of washed chopped raisins
1 teaspoon pectic enzyme
yeast and nutrient
campden tablets

allow pectic enzyme 24 hours to work before adding yeast, ferment on the pulp 5 days

cellar a year before drinking.

Allie


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## Uk bubble head (May 17, 2009)

thank for the responses, i'll give that recipe above a whirl, only have 4lbs rhubarb, now in frozen juice form, but that shouldn't matter.

BH


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