Rhubarb wine...again!

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Auntiemogs

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Rhubarb wine...again!
« on: July 15, 2014, 19:08 »
Well, after giving away a lot of my rhubarb this year, I decided to use my last picking to make some wine.   :tongue2:

There are so many recipes, and they can vary considerably, so I decided to take a common one and add some campden tablets to kill off natural yeasts.  Really wish I hadn't now, as it's taken away all the lovely pink colouring... :(

I only read that you can wash the rhubarb in a campden solution after I'd frozen it (to aid juice extraction), so thought I'd mention it here for others.

So, does anyone know if I'll be able to add colouring to pink it up a bit?

Mags
I would rather live in a world
where my life is surrounded by mystery
than live in a world so small that my mind could comprehend it...✿~ Harry Emerson Fosdick

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AnnieB

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Re: Rhubarb wine...again!
« Reply #1 on: July 15, 2014, 20:28 »
Could you not find some sticks that are more red then others and simply add them to the mix?
To be honest I have never added campden tablets to wine, they are supposed to kill off wild yeasts but then I read that they do not actually stop a ferment so that would seem to imply they do not kill yeasts off completely.

Also means you cannot add campden tablet then add the yeast starter.

So I don't bother, and never had a problem.

Fermenting will also remove some colour as well, suppose you could throw in a handfull of redcurrants, maybe a raspberry or five, maybe pick up a peach at a supermarket. I would be tempted by the red currants they do not contribute a great deal to a wine, except in this case some colour.

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Auntiemogs

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Re: Rhubarb wine...again!
« Reply #2 on: July 15, 2014, 20:56 »
Thanks Annie, I certainly won't bother adding them in future....

Luckily, I'm off to Wilko's tomorrow to buy some yeast, so I may buy one of their strawberry wine kits to throw into the mix.  :)

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Baldy

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Re: Rhubarb wine...again!
« Reply #3 on: July 18, 2014, 23:21 »
My first last year - no campden tablets and about a 50% use of red (vs green) stems.
Looked like Chardonnay once it  had fermented. Tasted nice but looked like a white wine not a rose/red.
Got a demijohn bubbling away with 2014 vintage in the garden.

Cheers,
Balders

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Auntiemogs

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Re: Rhubarb wine...again!
« Reply #4 on: July 18, 2014, 23:28 »
Thanks Baldy.  :)  I gave it a good squish tonight and hoiked out the rhubarb (had it in a new floor cloth cut open at one end).  Pitched in some yeast and I'm going to leave it as is.  Tomorrow's job: starting off the strawberry wine kit.  :D

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Baldy

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Re: Rhubarb wine...again!
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2014, 18:02 »
Well, the 2014 vintage is probably the best tasting wine I've ever done!
Its cloudy so not too appealing to the eye and smells a little yeasty when you open the bottle - but oh my... tastes divine!

Obviously I can't remember what recipe it was based on, nor how many modifications to said recipe I made - but in my experience two demijohn are never the same anyway.
I used champagne yeast and I think it was probably fermenting for 2 months - longest I can remember a wine doing that. Its pretty potent. Its also got a slight bubble to it in the bottle, almost like its done a little fermentation there. Mrs B. has had offers to buy bottles from people at work. Perhaps a change of career is in order...

Naturally I've now put another couple of brews on the go. My Timperley Early started production in late Feb. and is still, just about, producing usable stems. Splendid1

Cheers, (hic)
Balders

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syks grower

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Re: Rhubarb wine...again!
« Reply #6 on: October 08, 2014, 23:09 »
I added a can of red grape concentrate when I fermented.

The result is a nice light red colour and a good body to the wine.
My wine making bible first steps in winemaking by CJJ BERRY
recommends that rhubarb wine is made in May as jellification can happen
at other times.
I have used his method since the 1970's with great results.
3 lbs of Rhubarb not peeled but finely chopped add 3 lbs of sugar and leave to
draw out juice for 24-36 hours.
Strain off juice into demi John and rince the rhubarb well with water a couple
Of times and this water into the demi John.
Add grape juice concentrate yeast and nutrients and ferment.
Just bottling my 2013 great taste but very dry. :tongue2:

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Kevin67

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Re: Rhubarb wine...again!
« Reply #7 on: October 20, 2014, 20:09 »
I'm a keen home brewer - and I'm delighted to see so many like-minded people here!
250m2 grow area + 20' x 10' pt - avid fruit grower
Cheap as chips, diy preferred
Will swap root cuttings etc

"There comes a point where Mother nature just says no, without a lot of electricity." Quote Beesrus



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