rhubarb wine

[rickthebrew]

I would say one sachet for 23l would be fine - should do the trick

 

[Dieseljockey]

Done & dusted, :thumb: will wait & see what happens.

 

[rickthebrew]

Nice one buddy !! :party:

 

[Intelekt]

I love this thread!

I would love to know the final tried and tested recipe for this :wha:

Is it best with grape juice or not? When do you add it?
What's the best yeast?
My booze for free recipe says to add chopped raisins! Is this necessary?

I'm only making a gallon :shock:
Got me rhubarb chopped and in the freezer as we speak :party:

Thanks
Ade :hat:

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

I've decided that if I can get my hands on some rhubarb I'm going to make a batch of rhubarb & ginger, since that's a taste combination I've always loved. I'm basing my recipe on comments above, so I'm relying partly on your collective wisdom:

2kg Rhubarb
200g fresh ginger
1L red grape juice
1.25kg Sugar (or to 1090)
2tsp Pectolase
1/2 sachet gervin 5
1tsp Yeast nutrient
1tsp glycerine

One query though - at least one person has said not to add any tannin to rhubarb wine. Is there any reason why?

I'll be making it at the same time as a gallon of highly-experimental horsechestnut flower wine (based on an elderflower wine recipe) so I can split the yeast sachet between the two wines. I really just want to find out whether or not horsechestnut flowers work in wine - they have a fantastic scent, so I'm thinking/hoping they'll be great.

 

[Intelekt]

After top and tailing my rhubarb I've only got 1.7 kilos :sulk:
Is this still enough for this recipe?

I notice one recipe I have suggests freezing and defrosting then freezing again, this recipe seems better with only one freeze, would the extra freeze make a difference?

 

[PuggledPrune]

After top and tailing my rhubarb I've only got 1.7 kilos :wah:
Is this still enough for this recipe?

I notice one recipe I have suggests freezing and defrosting then freezing again, this recipe seems better with only one freeze, would the extra freeze make a difference?

You could always stick some other fruit in as well. I was thinking of a tub of frozen forest fruits to go in mine...

 

[LeithR]

I'd recommend you add about 1Kg raisins or sultanas (which you've zapped in the blender for a few seconds to break the skins) to the mix with the sugar and rhubarb dry extraction. this enhances the acid balance and once you have washed the mix ready to ferment you have the basics for the most wonderful Rhubarb crumble - (or 3 or 4 maybe).

Its still a bit early for my rhubarb up here yet but I'm keeping an eye on it.

Good luck with the brew.!! :thumb: :thumb:

 

[Intelekt]

I'd recommend you add about 1Kg raisins or sultanas (which you've zapped in the blender for a few seconds to break the skins) to the mix with the sugar and rhubarb dry extraction. this enhances the acid balance and once you have washed the mix ready to ferment you have the basics for the most wonderful Rhubarb crumble - (or 3 or 4 maybe).

Its still a bit early for my rhubarb up here yet but I'm keeping an eye on it.

Good luck with the brew.!! :thumb: :thumb:

My brain is buzzing with brew buzziness now :rofl:

What about adding the raisins and the grape juice, or will this ruin the rhubarb flavour?

I'm kinda concocting from my book recipe and this one, a brewmenstein monster may be born :shock:

 

[LeithR]

@Intelekt,
Raisins and Sultana's are just dried grapes (different varieties) so it has a similar effect to adding grape juice so no untoward flavours added.

 

[Intelekt]

What about freezing and defrosting twice, would this make a difference? :party:

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

What about freezing and defrosting twice, would this make a difference? :party:

You don't want to do anything which might release extra oxalic acid into the wine. Quite apart from the effect on the flavour, it's also not very good for you - especially if you have (or are prone to) rheumatoid arthritis, kidney disease, kidney stones and osteoporosis. On the flip-side, it is very useful for getting rid of rust, and can also be used as pesticide

:hmm:

 

[Intelekt]

What about freezing and defrosting twice, would this make a difference? :party:

On the flip-side, it is very useful for getting rid of rust, and can also be used as pesticide

:hmm:

I have visions of rubbing my rust with rhubarb now :rofl:

I did wonder about what it said in this booze for free book about re freezing again :hmm:
Think ill just do it the once!

But then again if I squeeze it and jump up and down on it, it may stop my insides from going rusty :shock:

 

[Intelekt]

I've decided that if I can get my hands on some rhubarb I'm going to make a batch of rhubarb & ginger, since that's a taste combination I've always loved. I'm basing my recipe on comments above, so I'm relying partly on your collective wisdom:

2kg Rhubarb
200g fresh ginger
1L red grape juice
1.25kg Sugar (or to 1090)
2tsp Pectolase
1/2 sachet gervin 5
1tsp Yeast nutrient
1tsp glycerine

Right I've decided on your version Tim, but with my own tweak.. And minus the ginger :shock:

What does everyone think of this recipe: will it work?

2kg Rhubarb
1kg Raisins
2 ripe Bananas
1L red grape juice
1.25kg Sugar
2tsp Pectolase
Youngs dried active Yeast
1tsp Yeast nutrient
1tsp glycerine

It's a mixture of these here recipes and the one from Andy Hamiltons booze for free book.

But a little query, seeing as I'm adding raisins and bananas, do I need as much sugar and when do I add them? I'm fancying a sweetish wine.

Waiting with anticipation :party:

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

For the bananas, use the ripest ones you can find, boil them in a litre of water the day before, leave to cool, add 1tsp amylase plus the pectolase, and leave overnight.

Amylase turns starches into sugars, and pectolase turns pectin into polysaccharides, i.e. they turn haze-forming gunk into wonderful fermentables (and release some extra flavour compounds along the way) which will reduce the amount of sugar you need.

Re. the ginger, you could always use a smaller amount. Ginger and rhubarb = match made in heaven :thumb:

 

[Intelekt]

Ok, thanks very much for that Tim :

Is it always best to use amylase with bananas? Just wondering in case I do a banana wine :whistle:

:adds amylase to list:

In the book he uses cold water to extract the juices, I guess this is why he is able to extract the bananas and raisins juices without any extra things to do :hmm:

Do you think it's possible to draw the liquids from both the raisins and the rhubarb with just over a kilo of sugar?

 

[Tim_Crowhurst]

Ok, thanks very much for that Tim :

Is it always best to use amylase with bananas? Just wondering in case I do a banana wine :whistle:

:adds amylase to list:

For bananas, use amylase and add extra pectolase, as bananas are very high in both starch and pectin. Using very ripe bananas off-sets this a bit, as the ripening process releases amylase and pectinase, which then break down some of the starch and pectin.

Just remember to rely on the hydrometer to figure out how much sugar to add.

In the book he uses cold water to extract the juices, I guess this is why he is able to extract the bananas and raisins juices without any extra things to do :hmm:

Do you think it's possible to draw the liquids from both the raisins and the rhubarb with just over a kilo of sugar?

No idea. I wouldn't have thought there would be any effect on the raisins, other than to get them to absorb the liquid from the rhubarb.

 

[Intelekt]

Right I'm going with your recipe Tim,
Apart from missing out the ginger (will try this combination when I know this one turns out nice). I'm not adding any raisins or bananas like my book recipe says either.
And also instead of adding a red grape juice I'm adding a red grape juice concentrate tin from my HBS, but it's available in wilkos.

So my final recipe is:

2kg Rhubarb
1 tin 250ml red grape juice concentrate
1.25kg Sugar
2tsp Pectolase
Youngs dried active Yeast
1tsp Yeast nutrient
1tsp glycerine

We will see what it turns out like :pray:

 

[Intelekt]

Just another quick question,

Would it be best to add the pectolase to the rhubarb in the bucket, or to the juice in the demijohn?

Thanks
Ade
:hat:

 

[Cussword]

I usually add it when adding yeast/nutrient citric acid :thumb: