The rhubarb plants on the allotment grow across the path, so when we visit we pull any stalks that are obstructing the way. Last time I went I pulled 15lb of rhubarb (about 7kg. I know - it sounds like a lot to me, too), which is enough to make 5 gallons of rhubarb wine.The first stage of making any wine is to extract the flavour from the main ingredient. You can squeeze the juice directly from grapes, oranges etc. But some other ingredients need different treatment, often by boiling in water then straining. Rhubarb is a bit unusual - you chop it
up then cover with sugar. The sugar sucks the juice out of the rhubarb and dissolves, then you strain off the syrup, dilute it with water and ferment that. I didn't believe it either, but I had a go, and it worked just as it said in the book.
5 comments:
It sounds like you are indeed "Living the Good Life"!
Mel, rhubarb wine is so delicately-flavoured it's hardly there at all. My tip is to keep it very dry at first and see if it's to your liking. If not, it's perfect for blending in with other wines that have ended up a bit sweet, since it changes their flavour hardly at all.
Ok, Mel, time to 'fess up. Just how many gallons of spirits do you have brewing (or brewed)? And how long will it last?! ;-)
Yes, Mel. Come on and answer the man.
20 gallons of wine on the go. Thats, erm, 160 bottles. Do you think it's time to stop?
5 gallons of beer (minus one bottle which exploded and a few which have been consumed) in the shed. Another kit for a further 5 gallons waiting to be made.
7 bottles of home-made liqueur, including slow gin, lemon gin, lime rum, blackberry vodka and dumblie gin.
1 batch of ginger beer, but that doesn't count.
Gather up the pots and the auld tin can...
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