First attempt Rhubarb Wine

[AngieRae]

My first attempt at wine is in the fermenter and bubbling away.
Mostly followed Yooper's Rhubarb Wine Recipe. Ended up with 20lbs of rhubarb vs the 15lbs called for, and had to use regular raisins instead of light as I couldn't find the light ones on my shopping day. I my OG was right near 1.110. EC-1118 pitched 6/15/18. Temp is about 68.
The cap when I go in to stir looks really gross! I am eager to get rid of the floating raisin pieces.

 

[Kent88]

How active is the airlock? I've heard some debate about whether raisins are actually useful as yeast nutrients.

Glad you bumped up the amount of rhubarb. To each their own and all that, but I prefer to use 5lbs-6lbs rhubarb per gallon.

 

[AngieRae]

Airlock is bubbling about every two seconds.
My 9 year old is fascinated with the 3 piece airlock! I am going to have to show him the S one next

 

[AngieRae]

I gave the bucket a good stir this afternoon and the airlock kicked it up a notch. I noticed the smell today as well. It isn't unpleasant, but I am thinking that I am going to have to find a new home for this project. Currently, the fermenter is sitting in an out of the way corner between my dining room and living room, but it is filling my whole living area with the smell of wine in the making. Might get to be a little much if it continues.

 

[AngieRae]

Racked into the secondary this evening. There is an awful lot of stuff (bits of raisins and rhubarb) floating around in there. I did try to be careful.

Watching the action in a clear carboy is pretty fascinating! My 9 year-old and I watched the turbulence and bubbles for a good 20 minutes, discussing our thoughts about what the little yeasties were doing in there that caused them so much gas. Its almost as relaxing as watching a campfire or a never ending glass of champagne bubbles.

 

[AngieRae]

I guess I wasn't very careful. After about a week in the secondary there was almost half an inch of sediment so I racked it again.
Along those lines, is there a reason why we don't just siphon out the sediment instead of moving all of the liquid into another vessel? I seen a brewing setup that allows one to catch it all in a mason jar.

 

[Kent88]

A conical that feeds lees into a mason jar is a perfectly good alternative to racking to tertiaries, if you have the money for it.

 

[jgmillr1]

I guess I wasn't very careful. After about a week in the secondary there was almost half an inch of sediment so I racked it again.

This is typical and not an issue of 'not being careful'. Most of the yeast will eventually drop. You can safely let the wine settle for month before racking it off the sediment.

Some yeast are really good at compacting the lees (sediment) and you can easily rack the wine off without disturbing it. Going the other way and trying to remove the lees without disrupting it back into solution is problematic.

 

[AngieRae]

Going the other way and trying to remove the lees without disrupting it back into solution is problematic.

Okay, thank you.