Rhubarb Wine

[Malarky]

Just finished my first racking and this stuff is great! I am really excited and I can't wait till it clears more. Though i am sad that i lost more volume to racking than i thought i would(1 ga batch), it made for a terrific sample though. Now to go hunt for a larger rhubarb supply for next year.

 

[Atek]

Has anyone had any trouble getting this to start with a 71B?

 

[Atek]

Never mind, I got it going.

 

[LyonsAudio]

Well I have about 40lbs or rhubarb in the freezer waiting to be thawed into this stuff.

Only one bottle remains from last years batch, waiting for a good reason to open it.

 

[Atek]

Ok, so here's a question before it gets out of hand and irrepairable. I started my rhubarb wine 8 days a go now. I had an issue getting the ferment to start with just rehydrated yeast, so I took a sample out and diluted it and got a starter going with that, then pitched that once it was going really well. This got the main ferment started. I stirred once every two days or so to aerate. I racked it into carboy on the 5th day and added airlock, this was last night. I noticed some sulfur egg smell so I sloshed it around a bit to try and get this out. I'm noticing today I can still smell it pretty noticeably coming out the airlock. Another detail is that I used a plastic bucket from home depot as the primary. Its a general use bucket and it was brand new. I sanitized it as I normally would but my concern here is that is not food grade plastic and the acids from the rhubarb may have pulled unwanted compounds out of the plastic. My rhubarb wine is also milky white, the same color as the fermenter. I know the color could simply be from the large amounts of yeast in solution and the relatively colorless ingredients. What should I do from here? My thoughts are to rack it again over a copper mesh and hope that pulls the sulfur out.

 

[lschiavo]

Ok, so here's a question before it gets out of hand and irrepairable. I started my rhubarb wine 8 days a go now. I had an issue getting the ferment to start with just rehydrated yeast, so I took a sample out and diluted it and got a starter going with that, then pitched that once it was going really well. This got the main ferment started. I stirred once every two days or so to aerate. I racked it into carboy on the 5th day and added airlock, this was last night. I noticed some sulfur egg smell so I sloshed it around a bit to try and get this out. I'm noticing today I can still smell it pretty noticeably coming out the airlock. Another detail is that I used a plastic bucket from home depot as the primary. Its a general use bucket and it was brand new. I sanitized it as I normally would but my concern here is that is not food grade plastic and the acids from the rhubarb may have pulled unwanted compounds out of the plastic. My rhubarb wine is also milky white, the same color as the fermenter. I know the color could simply be from the large amounts of yeast in solution and the relatively colorless ingredients. What should I do from here? My thoughts are to rack it again over a copper mesh and hope that pulls the sulfur out.

I only have a few batches of wine under my belt but they all stunk at first. Just wait it out and give it time to do it's thing.

 

[Yooper]

Ok, so here's a question before it gets out of hand and irrepairable. I started my rhubarb wine 8 days a go now. I had an issue getting the ferment to start with just rehydrated yeast, so I took a sample out and diluted it and got a starter going with that, then pitched that once it was going really well. This got the main ferment started. I stirred once every two days or so to aerate. I racked it into carboy on the 5th day and added airlock, this was last night. I noticed some sulfur egg smell so I sloshed it around a bit to try and get this out. I'm noticing today I can still smell it pretty noticeably coming out the airlock. Another detail is that I used a plastic bucket from home depot as the primary. Its a general use bucket and it was brand new. I sanitized it as I normally would but my concern here is that is not food grade plastic and the acids from the rhubarb may have pulled unwanted compounds out of the plastic. My rhubarb wine is also milky white, the same color as the fermenter. I know the color could simply be from the large amounts of yeast in solution and the relatively colorless ingredients. What should I do from here? My thoughts are to rack it again over a copper mesh and hope that pulls the sulfur out.

I only have a few batches of wine under my belt but they all stunk at first. Just wait it out and give it time to do it's thing.

Maybe that's the best advice, but I don't like the idea of a sulfur smell and a milky look. It could be just fine, but I'm not sure. Did you by any chance use montrachet yeast? Sometimes that yeast produces some sulfur odor. Otherwise, it sounds like stressed yeast and/or infection.

 

[Atek]

It was a 71B which I've never had that smell with. Though I think infection may be it. I had a batch of blueberries that had something in them that caused this smell and it was done in the same primary. It was soaked in bleach and spotless after that debacle. Ill give it time but if it turns bad I think ill just toss the fermenter and get some food grade plastic pails for 2 gal fermenters next time.

 

[LyonsAudio]

Just pulled the rhubarb out of the freezer.

Going with a 6 gallon batch ~ 40lbs of rhubarb, started with 5lbs of sugar going to check the SG and add if its still low. Thawing now so we shall see what happens....

I have two yeasts in my fridge, 1116 and 1118. Which shall I use?

 

[Yooper]

I'd probably use the EC-1118, but the other would be fine too as it would help keep the fruity aroma.

 

[LyonsAudio]

So some comments:

I made a 1 gallon primary and a 5 gallon to give it some room.

The SG was only 1.060, so the little guy I bumped a bit with some maple syrup.

I have nothing in the house to bump the 5 gallon and felt I had to pitch yeast today, so I was wondering what would happen if I plopped a can of white grape juice concentrate tomorrow night if that would be cool.

Thoughts?

 

[Yooper]

So some comments:

I made a 1 gallon primary and a 5 gallon to give it some room.

The SG was only 1.060, so the little guy I bumped a bit with some maple syrup.

I have nothing in the house to bump the 5 gallon and felt I had to pitch yeast today, so I was wondering what would happen if I plopped a can of white grape juice concentrate tomorrow night if that would be cool.

Thoughts?

That seems like it'd be ok. I've never done that, but I don't see any harm.

 

[LyonsAudio]

I thought the same thing.

I do wonder what the maple will do for the flavor on the little batch.

 

[lschiavo]

Bottling mine tonight. Started the batch on 7/26. I added 4 oz of strawberry extract because wifey liked that sample much better. Just in time to give a few bottles for xmas.

 

[Yooper]

Bottling mine tonight. Started the batch on 7/26. I added 4 oz of strawberry extract because wifey liked that sample much better. Just in time to give a few bottles for xmas.


View attachment 40665

Wow- that's really beautiful! It seems crystal clear and a nice golden yellow color. I'm glad it came out so well!

 

[lschiavo]

Wow- that's really beautiful! It seems crystal clear and a nice golden yellow color. I'm glad it came out so well!

Well, it looks good. It's tart and the strawberry is not very obvious. I'm bringing you and Bob a bottle tomorrow to judge before I give any away. I need the feedback. I know when my beers suck but I am no judge of wine.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

Well, it looks good. It's tart and the strawberry is not very obvious. I'm bringing you and Bob a bottle tomorrow to judge before I give any away. I need the feedback. I know when my beers suck but I am no judge of wine.

I'm so jealous! that looks delicious!

 

[IrregularPulse]

Bottling mine tonight. Started the batch on 7/26. I added 4 oz of strawberry extract because wifey liked that sample much better. Just in time to give a few bottles for xmas.


View attachment 40665

So glad to see this. Mine is that same color. I've yet to bottle it. I've made it as far as getting my bottling bucket out and my bottles out of storage

 

[Yooper]

Well, it looks good. It's tart and the strawberry is not very obvious. I'm bringing you and Bob a bottle tomorrow to judge before I give any away. I need the feedback. I know when my beers suck but I am no judge of wine.

I can't wait! It certainly looks great and we'll really enjoy giving you feedback!

 

[IrregularPulse]

Just bottled mine tonight. It's definitely not sickening sweet like the guy's I had last year. It's still kind of sweet for my tastes, but I'm not really a sweet wine fan. I think if I do it again next year, I'll add something for some tartness. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised when tasting. Much better than I thought it'd turn out. This stuff looked like water while bottling. The tiniest tinge of gold when poured.

 

[lschiavo]

Just bottled mine tonight. It's definitely not sickening sweet like the guy's I had last year. It's still kind of sweet for my tastes, but I'm not really a sweet wine fan. I think if I do it again next year, I'll add something for some tartness. All in all, I was pleasantly surprised when tasting. Much better than I thought it'd turn out. This stuff looked like water while bottling. The tiniest tinge of gold wen poured.

Mine had plenty of tartness. I wish it had been a bit sweeter. Maybe we should have got together and blended them. My OG was much lower 1081 I believe. That must be the difference.

 

[IrregularPulse]

Mine had plenty of tartness. I wish it had been a bit sweeter. Maybe we should have got together and blended them. My OG was much lower 1081 I believe. That must be the difference.

Could be. Not as much sugar. Mine was 1110.

 

[rseckler]

Rhubarb is one of my favorite wine.5 Gals. is my next adventure.i am taking my Blueberry ,cranberry,blackberry out of the Primary tomorrow.

 

[Malarky]

So my rhubarb is a little more than 5 months old, it's completely dry and it's been racked at least 3 or 4 times. it's not really throwing lees anymore and I'd say it's kinda clear light pink with a haze though, so I can't really see through it. I haven't used any type of finings, I DID use pectic enzyme pre-fermentation. I have not stabilized with kmeta/sorbate yet.

Any thoughts about how to be rid of the haze.
1-put in wisconsin garage to cold stabilize for a couple weeks?
2-assorted finings?
3-more time/racking?
4- or just stabilize it rack it and bulk age it for another 6 months or so before I bottle it?

Thanks for the help in advance

 

[lschiavo]

So my rhubarb is a little more than 5 months old, it's completely dry and it's been racked at least 3 or 4 times. it's not really throwing lees anymore and I'd say it's kinda clear light pink with a haze though, so I can't really see through it. I haven't used any type of finings, I DID use pectic enzyme pre-fermentation. I have not stabilized with kmeta/sorbate yet.

Any thoughts about how to be rid of the haze.
1-put in wisconsin garage to cold stabilize for a couple weeks?
2-assorted finings?
3-more time/racking?
4- or just stabilize it rack it and bulk age it for another 6 months or so before I bottle it?

Thanks for the help in advance

I don't have much experience with wine but I used some Super Kleer on mine and cold garage temps. The finings didn't work immediately but it wasn't making much progress on it's own. I'm sure time will eventually work as well.

 

[Yooper]

I think the cold would be the first thing to try- but don't let it freeze! After about three weeks of cold, it should be very clear. If not, you could try finings. SuperKleer tends to work well, and so does isinglass. I've used sparkelloid with good results in the past as well.

 

[Atek]

What are the variances in colors and flavor profiles on this wine? Mine is also about 5mo old, is crystal clear but looks and smells more like a chardonnay. My Rhubarb was more green than red I assume thats why it came out mostly yellow. I haven't tasted it in 4mo so I'm not sure what mine tastes like. 4mo ago it was terrible, then again I'm not a chard fan...

 

[gratus fermentatio]

Yoop, what is (are) your preferred yeast(s) for this recipe? Do you crush the fruit or squeeze the bag at all? I've never worked with rhubarb, but I just processed 15lbs of it yesterday & it's freezing as I type.
Regards, GF.

 

[Yooper]

Yoop, what is (are) your preferred yeast(s) for this recipe? Do you crush the fruit or squeeze the bag at all? I've never worked with rhubarb, but I just processed 15lbs of it yesterday & it's freezing as I type.
Regards, GF.

The rhubarb really falls apart after thawing (so put it in the mesh bag while it's still frozen or at least semi-frozen!) and it turns into just pulpy good really quickly!

I've used many different yeast strains, and I generally use EC-1118 for this. I've used Cotes Des Blancs with good results, when I've had it.

 

[BrewUpAndSup]

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