Rhubarb Wine

[lschiavo]

How many gallons does this recipe make? Thanks in advance!

One.

 

[knappster]

Yooper, you're a real asset to these forums, so thanks for all of your input. I was inspired to do a Rhubarb wine after finding a recipe of my grandfather's. Back then it was a lot more simple! I am just looking for a recommendation on use of campden tablets, as this is my first wine. Thus far I have done the following.

Added an initial campden tablet to the must
Racked to the carboy the first time without a campden tablet.
Racked onto a crushed campden tablet into a second carboy.
Now if I rack one more time without adding a campden tablet and wait 60 days without dropping any lees before bottling, would you recommend adding another before bottling? Thanks!

 

[solbes]

This recipe looks great, thanks Yoop! I have a 6 gallon batch going right now with ~ 15lbs Rhubarb and 3lbs strawberries. Four questions:

1) Will I still get pretty decent sugar conversion in the must by soaking the fruit for only 2 days? We are heading out this weekend.

2) Do I really need to stir the must daily after pitching yeast on Thursday? I can stir it once on Friday morning, but then we'll be out of town for 3 days. Poor planning I know. Just needed our freezer space back!

3) 6 tsp yeast nutrient for 6 gallons, really? Seems like a lot, as I only add 1/2 tsp to my 5G beer batches. I know there are yeast nutrients in the beer mash, vs none for the fruit. But want to make sure I don't add too much.

4) Any worries using Montrachet yeast? I have some in the fridge thats maybe a month old. I'll ferment in my basement, which sits at 70F right now.

 

[IrregularPulse]

It's that time of year again I suppose. My neighbor gave me another 7lbs of rhubarb a couple days ago. I got it washed, cut up and tossed in the freezer last night. We both agreed that we want it dryer this year. Any tips?
I'm also thinking about using the 3lbs of frozen pears I have with it. Rhubarb pear wine? sound appetizing?

Any tips of what to do to dry this recipe out a lot is appreciated.

Perhaps using Lalvin EC-1118 instead of the montrachet? Any other factors in drying it out other than the yeast used?

 

[Yooper]

Y
Added an initial campden tablet to the must
Racked to the carboy the first time without a campden tablet.
Racked onto a crushed campden tablet into a second carboy.
Now if I rack one more time without adding a campden tablet and wait 60 days without dropping any lees before bottling, would you recommend adding another before bottling? Thanks!

I use a campden tablet (one per gallon) at every other racking, and at bottling. That seems to be an accepted way to "guestimate" the SO2 level at 50 ppm, without owning a meter.

This recipe looks great, thanks Yoop! I have a 6 gallon batch going right now with ~ 15lbs Rhubarb and 3lbs strawberries. Four questions:

1) Will I still get pretty decent sugar conversion in the must by soaking the fruit for only 2 days? We are heading out this weekend.

2) Do I really need to stir the must daily after pitching yeast on Thursday? I can stir it once on Friday morning, but then we'll be out of town for 3 days. Poor planning I know. Just needed our freezer space back!

3) 6 tsp yeast nutrient for 6 gallons, really? Seems like a lot, as I only add 1/2 tsp to my 5G beer batches. I know there are yeast nutrients in the beer mash, vs none for the fruit. But want to make sure I don't add too much.

4) Any worries using Montrachet yeast? I have some in the fridge thats maybe a month old. I'll ferment in my basement, which sits at 70F right now.

1. Yes, the pectic enzyme really breaks down the rhubarb. Plus once the rhubarb has been frozen, and then thawed, it's a big pulpy mess. The sugars dont' "convert"- you're just making fruit juice, sort of.

2. Ideally, you'd stir down the "cap" so it doesn't dry out on top.

3. You can leave out the yeast nutrient if you don't want to use it. It just helps out the yeast.

4. No, that's fine. I like montrachet yeast, and use it often.

 

[solbes]

Thanks for the responses Yooper. I did add yeast nutrient, although I cut it in half to 3 tsp.

It's sitting with Pectic now for 12 hours, so I'll pitch tonight. Took a gravity sample and hit the low end of the OG at 1.095. Guess I'll add some light raisins to give it a tad more body (has one can of Welches already). Gravity sample was pretty tasty. I could taste the light strawberry coming through, although I would not be surprised for that to disapper post fermentation. Awesome recipe!!

 

[ChshreCat]

Guess who just scored 25 lbs of rhubarb for free?

Same guy that's going to be cutting it up, vacuum sealing it and freezing it tonight for a future 5 gallon batch of rhubarb wine.

 

[solbes]

Nice score, 25 lbs?!? You can make quite a bit of wine with that.

My 6 gallon batch is just about ready to be racked out of primary, 1.032. I'll probably send it into a new 6 gallon carboy tonight. Rough around the edges, but already a little tasty.

 

[ChshreCat]

Some of it will go to desserts, but I'm going to do a 5-6 gallon batch. Got it all trimmed and washed and started chopping it up for freezing when we ran outta time. Rest is in the fridge until tomorrow evening. I'm chopping and freezing it in one lb packages.

A friend at work has a HUGE rhubarb plant/patch this came from. She's got rhubarb up to her eyeballs this time of year. I might be able to score some more as this grows back. Some of the stalks are thick as my wrist!

 

[lschiavo]

I was sorry that I only made 6 gallons last year. I gave away far too much of it. I'm going to try to round up enough for a double batch this year.

 

[ChshreCat]

I owe a bottle to the friend who gave the the rhubarb, then I might part with another 2 or 3, but that really covers the wine drinkers I know. At least the ones that would appreciate something good that doesn't have a snooty label on it, ya know what I mean?

 

[ChshreCat]

Finally got it all processed and into the freezer. After trimming and chopping, I have 19 lbs ready to go.

 

[lschiavo]

Finally got it all processed and into the freezer. After trimming and chopping, I have 19 lbs ready to go.

Lucky! My usual source is not looking so good so far. I need to start asking around.

 

[ChshreCat]

I need to start planting rhubarb myself!

 

[lschiavo]

I need to start planting rhubarb myself!

Good thinking! That would be a good solution. There IS a lot of neglected rhubarb out there though, just wishing that it could become wine.

 

[Yooper]

Lucky! My usual source is not looking so good so far. I need to start asking around.

Next time you're over my way, stop by and I'll give you all you can carry.

 

[lschiavo]

Next time you're over my way, stop by and I'll give you all you can carry.

Thanks! I'll do that.

 

[Yooper]

Thanks! I'll do that.

Oh, and if I"m not home, hop in both patches (one by the garage, and one in the garden) and cut until your little heart is content. :cross:

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

*wishing i was surrounded by yoopers now* sigh, i guess i'll have to go hunting for more in the iowa region

 

[ennis2000000000]

What size batch is this recipe for?

 

[Yooper]

What size batch is this recipe for?

The recipe is for one gallon. But you can multiple it to make more.

 

[ennis2000000000]

Alright cool thanks looks good

 

[Yooper]

We had dinner at a friend's house this weekend, and they served their version of this wine. They used very red rhubarb, and the wine was a blush color. It was really good, and I'm going to have to make this again!

 

[solbes]

Blush, eh? We were a tad short on rhubarb so we used 3 lbs of strawberries to supplement. Also our rhubarb was pretty red. It was blush at the beginning, but it has faded to a gold now.

The good news is the yeast is clearing on schedule. We will rack for the 3rd time in a couple of weeks to hopefully clear out for bottling by Thanksgiving or Christmas. Hopefully drinking them next Memorial day. Do you think it would be better to keep it in bulk storage for 12 months vs 6 bulk/6 bottles? I'd like my 5 gal carboy back if it doesn't make a difference.

 

[joey82]

I've recently brewed a rhubarb wine has now fully fermented and clear, I've read that some people leave it in the demi john for 6 months before bottling and some people bottle straight away, is there a right way or wrong way or is it down to personal preference? Personally I would like to bottle them now but I don't know what difference it makes in leaving the wine sit in a demi john or in bottles

 

[Yooper]

I've recently brewed a rhubarb wine has now fully fermented and clear, I've read that some people leave it in the demi john for 6 months before bottling and some people bottle straight away, is there a right way or wrong way or is it down to personal preference? Personally I would like to bottle them now but I don't know what difference it makes in leaving the wine sit in a demi john or in bottles

If it's completely clear, and no longer throwing ANY lees at all after at least 60 days, it's fine to bottle. If you bottle before that, any lees that would have formed in the demijohn or carboy will simply be in the bottle. It's not aesthetically pleasing and can cause some off-flavors from sitting on the lees too long (in the bottle).

 

[MNbrewmeister]

Yooper, we are on our 1st attempt with rhubarb wine and it has been fermenting 2 weeks now. As I say we are novice but we too the gravity reading today and

 

[MNbrewmeister]

We currently have a reading of 1.070 and the wine is very sweet. Do you have any suggestions?

 

[Yooper]

We currently have a reading of 1.070 and the wine is very sweet. Do you have any suggestions?

Hm, what did it start at? You definitely should be more like .990 after a couple of weeks. I'd take a sanitized spoon, stir the heck out of it, and add more yeast if it doesn't get going.

 

[MNbrewmeister]

We didn't take a 1st reading if we add more yeast and stir should we leave it in the plastic pail or put it in the carboy or add the yeast and funnel it into the carboy to add oxygen