This time last year, I was trying to make up for lost time, “better late than never!” I thought as I belatedly weeded, watered, and fertilized. I didn’t want spindly plants this year, so I tended my rhubarb in March. The payoff came in May when I harvested 1 lb 14.5 oz (865 g), putting me further along than I was in June of last year. I’ve got high hopes for a good season this year!
I just bottled the my first rhubarb wine last week. What suprised me is that it didnt taste as acidic as I thought it would. I remember tasting it a few months back and went WOW that is SOUR!!!….but now I was sort of disapointed with its acidity. Is it possible that some of the acid droped out of solution or something?
How did your wine turn out last year?
Hello Jesse,
I’ve always been happy with the rhubarb wine I make. I’ve tasted last year’s when I’ve racked it, and it’s coming along nicely. Rhubarb wine benefits from aging, so I’m not in a hurry to bottle it.
As far as acidity goes, are you saying that it seemed too acidic a few months ago, but now seems not acidic enough? If you added tartaric acid, some of it might have dropped out. If so, you would be able to see the crystals on the bottom of the carboy. If you have any doubt about the acidity, the best thing to do is test it. The cheap acid test kits that homebrew shops sell have their limitations, but they do work.
Try it. If you get a low reading, below 6 g/L, say, add a little more (enough to raise it by 1 g/L), let it sit for a while (maybe a month) then test and taste again. Keep doing this until it tests and tastes right.
Erroll
Question: I am interested in trying to make some rhubarb wine as I have done lots of kit winemaking in the past. I have lots of rhubarb plants – but my rhubarb started out really red, the strawberry rhubarb I assume and now over the years the rhubarb is more green. Do you have any idea why? Should I fertilize it to get it back to producing really red stalks?
Also, having only made wine from kits can a person purchase some of the single ingredients you require in the process from a homebrewer store?
Thanks.
Hi Adele,
I’ve never heard of rhubarb plants becoming “less red” over time. Are they the same plants or did you propagate your originals (by division or seed)? Propagated plants might be a little different from their mother plants. If you haven’t been fertilizing, then I would go ahead and try that. Maybe you’ll get the color you’re looking for, who knows, but it should improve your yield so you can make more rhubarb wine.
My rhubarb only has hints of red in it. I started it from seed, and it was an older variety that just didn’t have a lot of color. It makes a great wine though!
Here is my recipe for rhubarb wine. In addition to rhubarb, sugar, and water, it calls for tannin, yeast nutrient (DAP), pectic enzyme, and sulfite. All of these are available at homebrew shops. Of the last four, DAP and sulfite are the most important.
Good luck with your rhubarb wine, and let me know how it turns out!
Erroll