How to Brew Rhubarb Wine - Method 1 - No Cook - by Brewbitz

[@exhornnerd]

My dad has just given me 3.5 pounds of beautiful, firm rhubarb from his allotment. I'm just awaiting delivery of Youngs Rohavin Color from you guys (should be getting here tomorrow) and I'll be ready to do the no-cook method. It's particularly poignant as my dear mum's funeral was today so I'll be handing my dear old dad a 6 pack of rhubarb wine started on the day of his wife's memorial/funeral. (I've washed, chopped, and frozen the rhubarb today in readiness to start the brew tomorrow). Thanks for the recipe lads, we'll raise a glass in the autumn when this brew is appropriately aged.

[@richardwilson4721]

Thanks very much team for the great video. This is my first attempt at home wine making and using rhubarb from garden which I love but struggle to find uses for. In the first fermentation phase currently!

[@Brewbitz]

Thank you - happy brewing

[@patrickdyer430]

Thanks I'm going start making some I have loads of rhubarb in the garden it will be ideal in October for when the 2nd lot of energy bills come in because by that time I will not be able to afford a case of larger on the weekly shop

[@Brewbitz]

We know what you mean. Hopefully with our videos, you'll be able to keep yourself merry with some awesome wines you have made yourself for a fraction of the cost of what you pay in the supermarket. Happy Brewing.

[@asterixborden-koi6881]

Great video Davin and a good tip with the extra wine in the bucket putting it into a bottle and then into the fridge didn’t know you could do this I’ve always thrown the leftover away (I take it this can be applied to all fruit wine making) that is left in the bucket !

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. Threw away wine???? Hahaha. Yes, well its what I do. I like to make the most of everything. 🙃

[@forestntt72]

My old man made homemade wine for years and said his best ever was rhubarb. Nice wine.

[@Brewbitz]

You should give it a go!

[@EireannAnnie]

My mum also used to make rhubarb wine, but unfortunately I didn't get to try it as I was too small (5/6 years old) so don't know if it was any good or not. She used to get her wine recipes from Good Housekeeping magazine. Home-made wines, Pickles & Chutneys. I still got the old magazine from 1963!

[@Brewbitz]

Then give it a go!

[@EireannAnnie]

@@Brewbitz will do. but my rhubarb seeds have only just come up, so it will be next year. will deffo be making something though.

[@TaHame1]

@@EireannAnnie one year check in. Hope the rhubarb is growing well :)

[@EireannAnnie]

@@TaHame1 yes growing well, Funny you asking that as I am about to pick/cut the rhubarb tomorrow. Not ready to make the wine yet, but may chop up and put in the freezer to make at a later date.(October) hope that wouldn't make much difference to the wine making...

[@alexspain2312]

Hello. At what point did you add in the rohapect enzyme? Cheers.

[@Brewbitz]

At the same time as the sugar. Here,s a link to the full recipe - www.brewbitz.com/pages/rhubarb-wine-recipe

[@briain_odonnghaile]

Where can I buy that straining bag please Davin?

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. I normally use a mashing and sparging bag as a straining bag - www.brewbitz.com/collections/filters-straining/products/mashing-and-sparging-bag-55cm-x-34cm Hope this link helps

[@victoriadrakeford4391]

I am so looking forward to trying this recipe this year! I’m making banana wine at the moment which looks great! Thank you for the recipe 🙏🏼 Can I ask re rhubarb wine. Which method do you prefer? have you done a taste comparison? Kind regards

[@Brewbitz]

Do both! 2 very different wines!

[@Crackerssouth]

when you added the yeast to the bucket to ferment was the lid put on tight or loose ?

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. Put the lid on loosely. So that the CO2 can escape, but no dust or bugs can get in. Cheers

[@neiljt1501]

Trying this as had a bumper crop this year. Tried the first method, all going well until I did the first racking and the pink colour disappeared with the sediment, leaving the wine a dirty light green colour. I’ve added some finings to see if it would clear, but not looking too clear yet. Should I just keep repeating the racking and resting process? By the way, redcurrant wine is looking great, passed it through an old Boots filter kit.

[@Brewbitz]

Once racked, leave it and let it clear. You dont need to keep racking unless there is lots and lots of sediment.

[@karenlodge123]

Hi great video for rhubarb but when do I had the camdon tablets please , I am a novice 🤣

[@Brewbitz]

You use the campden tablet when the fermentation is complete and you are about to syphon it off the sediment and leave it to clear.

[@antonniilebap8271]

Thank you so much for this informative video! I'm making wine for quite a while now but I love to see how others approach things and I'm always eager to learn new things and tricks :) Cheers mate!

[@Brewbitz]

You are so welcome!

[@roomaloo]

Greetings from the English/Welsh border. Great video as ever. Your hard cider video has just spurred me on to make my first batch from my own apple trees (using yeast from you via the internet). Quick question... I see from this video that you grow your rhubarb within a black tube ontop of the plant. Is this to produce longer stalks? Which made me also think.. have you played around with brewing with fully "forced" rhubarb grown in the dark? Wondering if it could taste stronger.

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. Glad we have inspired you. The black tube goes on at the end of the growing season after the last leaves have died off. Then i put 6 inches of mulch in the bottom to protect the rhubarb over winter. Then in the spring, it semi forces the stalks to reach the top. Once one big leaf has formed, it covers the top and kind of forces the rest on. I find it makes the rhubarb sweeter and less prone to making your teeth furry when stewed. Cheers.

[@roomaloo]

@@Brewbitz Cracking idea and info, thanks so much. I've forced rhubarb using a dustbin before but have not found it so easy to take off and on etc etc. Going to steal your pipe trick, probably using grass clippings as the mulch I think. Wet day here today, so researching making wine from my grapes and plums. No doubt making additional online orders from yourselves before the end of the day. Keep up the great work guys, really love your style.

[@stephenhegarty6032]

If I was going to add strawberry at what point would I do that and is fresh or frozen better?

[@Brewbitz]

The stawbs could overpower the delicate rhubarb flavour.

[@MrTSXXXable]

Great demo! Some rhubarb wine recipes include tannin and/ raisins. What do you think about this?

[@Brewbitz]

Hi Rik. Rhubarb has quite a delicate Flavour. Adding raisins will hide the delicate flavour. Although it will add some extra body, I do not think that adding raisins to rhubarb wine is a good idea. Tannin Is not needed. There is plenty of acid and tannin in the wine from the rhubarb. Adding more tannin Will simply give a drier feel on the tongue a bit like when you have a very stewed cup of tea.

[@mrgeebaby86]

Does pectin just impact the aesthetic appeal? I didn’t buy that chemical that prevents hazing

[@Brewbitz]

Hi yes it does change the way it looks. It can make the wine hazy. But pectolase is not a chemical. It is an enzyme which works to break down cell walls.

[@wisdaniel]

If you don't have a roller pin a little whirl of the food processor breaks it up nice.

[@Brewbitz]

Ahh but the rolling pin gives so much more stress relief 😁

[@wilbo3487]

Hey thanks for the video I am trying out the first method as i have never made Rhubarb Wine before. Just a question though, I have made a few wines and beers before and was wondering what you meant by the table/supermarket sugar making it sweeter and reasoning for using brewing sugar as well? As far as i have been taught brewing sugar is just dextrose (which is same as glucose) and supermarket sugar is sucrose (which is glucose and fructose as a disaccharide). S. Cerevisiae can metabolise both sugars easily and the V1116 is pretty beefy and it should have no trouble. So just wondering what you meant by that?

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. Different sugars react differently to our taste buds. Check out our video on different sugars

[@verybold7277]

Where the taste test? I’m making 5 gallons right now 😀

[@denimdaphne]

I started my first batch a few days ago, and I'm wondering when you put the campden tablets in? I'm seeing that a lot of websites saying they should be put in 24 hours before yeast. Should I put them in with my second batch when I add the sugars in?

[@Brewbitz]

These will be used when racking off.

[@bruderjr]

Wine kits get you to add bentonite at the start. Do you recommend an addition of bentonite? or have you ever added bentonite to your rhubarb wine?

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. Bentonite sucks up excess pectin. I believe it also sucks up to a few other things too. Never really needed to add it to fruit wines

[@bruderjr]

@@Brewbitz Thanks for your reply!

[@NichaelCramer]

Instead of crushing the rhubarb chunks, how about running them through a food processor?

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. Yes, but you are only looking to break it up, not turn it to pulp.

[@YerDaGaming]

Now you’re talkin’!

[@jon9]

Is method one the same process for making wine from grapes? Great video!

[@Brewbitz]

No. Making wine from grapes, you press the grapes to extract the juice and then ferment the juice.

[@MrFishy55]

How much yeast do you add?

[@bruderjr]

a 5 gram packet will do up to 5 imperial gallons (23 litres) of wine.

[@SwampWater]

How do I turn this into sparkling wine instead?

[@Brewbitz]

Hi. Once it has finished its fermentation in the demijohn, leave it there to clear quite a bit. When almost clear, bottle and add 1tsp sugar to each bottle. Cap and then leave in your warm place for another week to 2 weeks for a secondary fermentation to occur in the bottle. Then put somewhere cool to clear. Once clear, chill and pop open a bottle Remember to use champagne bottles or bottles suitable for a carbonated beverage. Hope that helps

[@WhosAGoodDogue]

There's always something about watching a left-handed person using a knife that makes me nervous. I _used_ to be corrie-fisted (left-handed, as my Mother was), but the primary school teachers didn't want any 'corries' in their school, and they (literally) tried slapping it out of me. One teacher even bound my left hand up and then taped a pencil into my right hand, so I had no option but to try and write with my right.

[@Brewbitz]

Wait till you see me using a hammer!!!

[@WhosAGoodDogue]

@@Brewbitz - Oh! My! Gawd! Well, I'll have to make sure I have the emergency services on speed dial for that one. LOL! - Thank you for the reply and you take 'er easy! All the best. Dogue.

[@bruderjr]

LoL. Same thing happened to me. The nuns thought left handed people had the devil in them. I was hit on the left hand by a yard stick many times. But I showed them... I'm still a leftie 65 years later!

[@WhosAGoodDogue]

@@bruderjr heheh - Good on ye for rebelling! - I've tried over the years to see if I could use my left to write with (y'know, in case one day I wake up and my right hand has fallen off during the night), but nope, not a hope in Nelly. Whilst semi legible, it more resembles a Drs signature on a prescription. Strange that I can work spanners and tools with either hand without thinking about it. Ach! not to worry. What with my childhood conversion to right handedness, and your lifetime of leftiness, our writing on here is identical and no-one will know any different (if we don't tell them). Have a good weekend! Dogue.