Grow Your Own Magazine

These recipes are from CJJ Berry's first winemaking book. They are adapted slightly for today. He gives extra instructions regarding the acid in rhubarb as follows:

"Rhubarb wine contains an excess of unpleasant oxalic acid, and this is best removed before fermentation by stirring in 1 oz per gallon of precipitated chalk, or powdered cuttlefish. The juice will effervesce. If afterwards it still has an acid taste add up to another 1/2 oz, but not more. Finally to give you the acidity you need add 1 heaped teaspoon citric acid. A little more may be necessary; taste the juice, and remember that 1/4 of the acidity present will be lost during fermentation; allow for this, and adjust the acidity so that it is that much too pronounced. Then add the sugar."

1. Golden Dream

6 lb red rhubarb 1 tsp citric acid
1 lb malt extract Yeast nutrient
4 lb sugar Yeast
1/2 pint strong tea

Method

Rhubarb should be picked mid-May. Wipe the stalks clean, no need to peel them. Cut into short lengths, cover with warm water and soak for three days. Crush the rhubarb with hands after two days. Strain into fermenting vessel. Dissolve sugar, malt extract with tea and citric acid and add to rhubarb juice. Add yeast and nutrient. Ferment out in usual way.

2. Golden Pipkin

3 lb red rhubarb 1 tsp citric acid
1/2 pint strong tea Yeast nutrient
3lb sugar Yeast
1/2 bottle Semplex

Method

Using rhubarb picked mid-May, prepare as for "Golden Dream" adding extra ingredients.

3. Memorable Nectar

6 lb red rhubarb 4 lb sugar
1 lb raisins 1 tsp citric acid
1/2 pint strong tea Yeast
Yeast nutrient


Method

Prepare rhubarb juice as in "Golden Dream". Chop raisins and simmer in the strong tea, strain into the rhubarb juice. Dissolve sugar in must and add other ingredients. Ferment out in usual way.

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"I prefer rogues to imbeciles as they sometimes take a rest" (Alexander Dumas)

Thanks for those, Janie - I'll be tackling rhubarb wine in due course - I'm trying to use not just what's in season, but what's on the plot, and making one wine per month.

I was going thinking of making rhubarb in April, then broad bean in May, but might shuffle things round a bit if the rhubarb shouldn't be done till a bit later. Must look at my CJJ for further inspiration!

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Hazel
www.hazelandjanesallotment.blogspot.com
update Sun 30/03/2008...parsnips a-plenty...

Oh thanks janie, Rhubarb wine recipes just been on about that in another post.
will give it a try is it easy to do !

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Smile and the world smiles with you

Thanks for that JanieB, I usually make it with tinned rhubarb (mainly coz my rhubarb isn't established enough for big winemaking crops yet) which is easier in that you don't have to worry about the acid. Those sound nice and I have saved them for future reference (when my rhubarb patch takes up more space than two buckets!!)

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Happy Gardening,
Shirley

http://www.honeyjukes.co.uk