Home Brewed Rhubarb Wine

Having got an allotment back in June, Louise and I decided it was time to do something with one of the only things we had growing at the time – Rhubarb. During a casual conversation with her housemates we all decided we would all make Rhubarb Wine. This is a summary of the process we followed and the end result.

Home Brew Kit

First things first, we needed a home brew kit. After a little research we found a lovely little website called www.lovebrewing.co.uk. We needed a fermenting bucket, a sterelizer, thermometer, sterilizer, mixing paddle/spoon, yeast and a straining bag.
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Superior Wine Starter Pack (30 Bottle) + Free DVD - £37.96
2 5g yeast sachet - £2.80

Wine yeast nutrient - £3.65

Straining Bag (large/fine) - £5.30

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Total Cost – £49.71 :  £12.43 each (plus donated beer bottles and empty drank wine bottles)
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Ingredients
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Rhubarb : 7.5kg

Granulated Sugar : 7kg

Concentrated Grape Juice : 1.25L
Yeast Nutrient : 5 tsp

Yeast : 2 sachets
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Process

-       Chop the rhubarb into small pieces and add the correct amount of sugar at the ratio of 1.5:1.3 kg rhubarb:sugar for the tub they are being put in. Sterilise the tubs before adding the mushed rhubarb and sugar. These should be left three days

     

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Lesson 1: Reserve several hours for this process and get people involved.

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-       Place the rhubarb mixture into one of the fermentation tubs and add 15L of boiled but cooled water and leave for two days leaving. Remember to keep the airlock on the tub with water inside. This allows air to leave but stops bad things getting into the wine.

-       Filter the mixture into the second fermentation tub using the siphon provided. At this stage add the 1.25L of concentrated grape juice and make the tub up to 22.5L with boiled but cooled water. You should now add the yeast nutrient and the yeast. Leave this for a week remembering to keep the airlock on the tub.

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Lesson 2: Have a jug to hand, this won’t taste too good.

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-       Siphon the mixture into a second container and leave for a month. This will help the wine become clearer.

-       Time to taste. If the mixture is still bitter like ours was. You will want to add the rest of the sugar (about half a kilo) to the mixture and leave for another month.

-       Now it’s time to siphon the mixture into your sterelised bottles. We used a mixture of home brew bottles from wilkinsons that were donated by Alastair, and empty wine bottles we’d saved.

Now just to wonder what to brew next whilst enjoying the fridge chilled wine.