Massive Rhubarb Plant

[Wolfpup]

Ok, I will trust what you say. Sugar it is. Have a wonderful night and thank you so much for all you help.

 

[meadmaker1]

Making wine is easyer than using all the features of this forum. @BernardSmith posted to a thread I started.
1 lb of sugar raises 1 gallon of must 40 points
1 lb of honey raises 1 gallon 35 points
He is quick with the math, numbers and science facts.
Im more of a cliff notes guy.
Lol I should make some cliff notes

 

[Venatorscribe]

I made a Rhubarb wine last year. The thing you really need to do is neutralise the high level of oxalic acid in the juice. My juice had a pH of 2. I bought myself a small jar of calcium carbonate and slowly added it to the juice. Brought the juice back to neutral then re-acidified with acid blend to bring it back into the range pH 3.5 to 3.9 . Oxalic acid has a very sharp and unpleasant taste hence the reason why you need to neutralise it. Also the reason why the French leave their Rhubarb Wine to mature for five to seven years. It is very much a challenge worth undertaking. Most other fruit wines are not as tricky as this stuff.

 

[Wolfpup]

Hi guys,

Sorry for the late response, it's been a long, busy day.

Unfortunately, my largest bowl would not contain the frozen 8 lbs of rhubarb. **Note for future, do not wrap cheese cloth around frozen mass. It's a bit of a challenge getting it off and tends to cling to the frozen fruit. AKA - a frozen, gnarly mess. Got it all off tho. So sprayed out the bucket with the potassium stuff and the mass ended up in it.

Got a bit creative. Had a big chunk of ginger just crying to hop in the bucket (love ginger) and as my strawberries just finished flowering, picked up a pound while I was out and tossed them in as well.

Got that all done at around 6 this evening. So we'll see how the unthawing, juice process goes. I put a towel over the bucket.

And kind of what I'm understanding is depending on the amount of juice might depend on the amount of sugar/honey? And then what, how does it get up to the full carboy. Add water right. And how much water.

One step at a time. Once everything is unthawed, I will post the amount of juice that came out and it might be easier to determine things from there?

I need to do some more reading. There's just so much information here.

Meadmaker, your cliff notes have got me started with a good amount of confidence. I'm so appreciative that they were there guiding me.

And very interesting information Venatorscribe, hopefully you're around to tell me about this oxalic acid thing. Have no idea what that is or how to determine it. I will get calcium carbonate if needed but how do you test the ph of 2? And oh my, 5 - 7 years? Really? I'm a patient person but oh boy. Once this is done, going to have to try an easier fruit wine.

Oh and the craziest thing. Had mentioned this wine venture to a few passing neighbors and this morning, by our gate, two 5 gallon carboys, one a thick plastic and the other a very solid glass one. I couldn't have been more thankful and thought of my new wine making friend, Meadmaker. Well darn, look at that, his prophecy his coming true.

Have a good evening folks.

 

[meadmaker1]

Lol resistance is point less.
For a full carboy you need enough juice to make enough must.
Im thinking 3 gallons of rhu juice matched with 3 gallons of water to 6 gallons.
I freeze in 1 gallon zop lock bags. Cut the corner off and stick that end in a strainer sitting on a large bowl. As long as it doesnt fall off the bag doesnt need to fit into tne bowl

 

[Arne]

When you figure how much liquid you are going to ferment, you can go to fermcalchttp://web2.airmail.net/sgross/fermcalc/FermCalcJS.html and find out how much sugar/honey you want to add to get to your desired level. I usually add a bit less than what the fermcalc says, then slowly add to take it up to the specific gravity I want. make sure you stir the sugar/honey in well before you take your readings. Best way to add the sugar is probably with simple sugar, 1 part water to 2 parts sugar, simmer til it all dissolves and add a little lemon juice. Arne.

 

[Arne]

http://web2.airmail.net/sgross/fermcalc/FermCalcJS.html

This should work a bit better I hope.

 

[Wolfpup]

Hello Arne! Perfect timing. My kitchen really looks like a brewing house. Sieves, funnels, cheese cloth, bowls, bucket, carboy, potato masher and juice drops everywhere. But hey, pure juice in the carboy. There is exactly 2 litres and 800 mls. Almost 3 litres of juice. 11 1/3 cups. I will go to your site and see what it tells me.

If anyone can help me with the sugar calculation and the next steps that would be awesome.

 

[Wolfpup]

Just figuring out this website too. Does this work?

 

[Wolfpup]

And this one. Is this a better way to enter them?

 

[Wolfpup]

Sorry for making a mess. Can't delete the other posts. Hopefully this works.

This is what I'm playing with. Arne that site is still a bit too advanced for me. Couldn't figure out what to enter where?

 

[meadmaker1]

You need a half caboy of juice topped with water.
for what you have add about a gallon of water and about 2.5 cups of water.
For the carboy in the picture you need anothr 30lbs of fruit, or spring clean the freezer and make a mixed batch of ?????

 

[Wolfpup]

Oh boy, really? Ok. I can go get a bunch more rhubarb. Is it okay to let this sit while the other is doing the magical juicing thing.

But a big mistake. Was doing a bunch of reading and the potassium stuff was supposed to go in now and then wait 24 hours for the yeast and sugar. I put in waaaaayy to much. 5 half teaspoons. I was sure she said half a teaspoon per gallon but there was so much information that day.

When the coolest chemistry happened (it turned color right before my eyes, went from this pretty pink to a whitish yellow, instantly). I started looking things up and oh man, it's 1/16 of a teaspoon per gallon. Have I ruined things?

 

[Stressbaby]

It will be a long time before it ferments, that's a pretty big OD.

 

[Wolfpup]

should I just chuck it and start again.

 

[Wolfpup]

Did some more reading. Said when too much potassium is added (didn't see this high a dose tho - most people had just added an extra tablet) to add 2 drops of hydrogen peroxide and keep swishing it around. Put a breathing top on it so the air can be released.

I don't mind if I have to chuck it but did what this said. Does anyone think it will work?

It's been a couple of hours and has gone from that pale whitish to this kind of golden yellow.

 

[meadmaker1]

Not much lost if you Chuck it, thats a bunch of k meta for what you have but how long before you have three gallons of undiluted juice. Freeze it if it takes more than a few days. You dosed it for 10 gallons but it will off gas some by the time you get the rest. The yellow thing is sorta weird
Remember that, k meta= potassium metabisulfite , " potassium stuff" can be a few different things.

While collecting more barb other things might ripen you might consider mixing.
I would cruse the net comparing every recipie I can find write out your plan like a recipe
Then post it, you can keep your notes on the thread if you want, up date progress and get tips along the way, or maybe teach us something

 

[Wolfpup]

Ok, that sounds like a plan. I think I will chuck this and chalk it up to the learning process, gosh that was a lot of work today. Oh well.

Here's a recipe, a lot like the one Kyle posted. Its kind of strange though. You mentioned that I would probably need another 30 lbs of fruit whereas this one says I will get 5 gallons with 12.5 pounds. That's kind of what I was shooting for. This process is a bit different tho. Do you think it will work?

Rhubarb Wine Recipe #1
Makes 5 gallons

Ingredients

• 12.5 pounds cubed rhubarb (cubed)
• 5 gallons water
• 12.5 pounds granulated white sugar
• 5 Campden tablets
• 50 ounces white grape concentrate
• 1.25 teaspoons grape tannin (optional)
• 5 teaspoons yeast nutrient
• 1package Montrachet wine yeast

Instructions

1. Starting specific gravity should be 1.090-1.095, and acid should be .60%.
2. Cut up rhubarb and put in primary fermentor.
3. Pour dry sugar over fruit to extract juice.
4. Cover with plastic sheet and allow to stand for 24 hours.
5. Put pulp in a straining bag (you can use a new laundered pair of panty hose) and add water and Campden tablets (to kill any "wild" yeasts) and dissolve well.
6. Let stand for another 24 hours.
7. Add remaining ingredients including prepared yeast.
8. Let ferment for 48 hours.
9. Remove pulp bag and squeeze as much of the juice into the must as you can.
10. Stir the fermenting must twice a day to break up the "cap" that forms on the surface.
11. In 3 or 4 days (or when the hydrometer reading is 1.030 or lower), siphon into a five-gallon glass jug or carboy and attach a fermentation lock.
12. Rack again in 3 weeks. Make sure all containers are topped up.
13. Rack again in 3 months.
14. When wine is clear and stable, bottle.
15. Wine may be sweetened to taste at time of bottling with sugar syrup (2 parts sugar to 1 part water). Add 2 stabilizer tablets per gallon (or follow directions on package if using powder) to prevent renewed fermentation. To preserve color and flavor, add 1 antioxidant tablet per gallon.
16. Age for at least 6 months.

 

[meadmaker1]

That works. The grape juice concentrate helps fill the batch.
No campton tabs. You took care of that with your k-meta.
Be sure your concentrate is 100% grape juice.
I would like to see more fruit or juice. Recipe seems thin

 

[Wolfpup]

Ha ha, no campton tabs, but it says 5 (in my mind that now means 1/16th of a teaspoon, 5 times). Do they even have measuring spoons that small. I will try and find one.

Or do you think I should keep this stuff I have and just add it. Oooo, that sounds messy and way to complicated.

Ok, I will be sure to get 100% grape juice. And some more strawberries and ginger. That was going to be a pretty color before I messed it up. And it smelled so good. Another few weeks and I'll have my strawberries but this batch could well on its way by then.

Oh, and another boo boo. Was putting all the equipment in the dishwasher, knocked the hydrometer on the edge and it flipped out of my hand, onto a rug of all things and broke. Has not been a good wine making day. But this will not stop me. Into town tomorrow for more supplies.