Red Rhubarb Wine

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Red Rhubarb country style Wine
brewed this morning (07-02-2010)
I got this rhubarb from my neighbor, it is a variety called Strawberry.
it's flesh inside the stalk is red...as well as outside.
it made a real nice rose' color in the brewpot.
I tried this strawberry rhubarb last year,
I stopped fermentation with a gravity of 1.025 with campton tablets.
that removed the nice rose' color...I won't do that again.
stay tuned to find out what I plan on doing...cause I don't know yet ???

I may add honey at the end of primary...for a second primary, if you will.
Then this would be a metheglin. since rhubarb is an Herb, not a fruit.
you will know this if you read my Facebook status today

2.5 gal rain water
6.5 lb table sugar
10 lb "strawberry" rhubarb (6" chunks)
Zest from 2 grapefruits
1/4 tsp Vegemite
yeast cake from my cherry ale and other Rhubarb wine blended

Boiled water,
added sugars,
boiled a little more,
cut heat and added rhubarb, covered with lid
temp stabilized at 170
added enough heat to hold temp at 160-170 for 20 min.
added vegemite and zest.
let sit for another 20 min while holding 160 deg
inserted sanitized wort chiller...chilled to 73 deg.
OG=1.070
yielded 4.5 gallons with chunks of rhubarb and all.
threw yeast at 1PM
Kramer

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

OK, I didn't mention it before, but I am doing a modified open fermentation.
which is just setting the lid on loosely.
here is why.
this photo taken 7am.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I removed some of the foam and straightened the lid after the previous photo.
Now 5 hours later...

[Drtanglebones]

Wow, that looks nasty!

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

What ???
I love that color.
In fact, that's the perfect color for a wedding dress for one not so pure.
Kramer

[StevenM]

Looks like carbonated Pepto-Bismol.

[Lazlo]

I don't know but it doesn't look like it is sealed to me.....
Oh my cholesterol medicine says I can't have grapefruit

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

It's not sealed...it's my modified open fermentation.
the lid just sits on bucket.
when the krausen rises, the lid surfs the krausen.
(see post #2)
Kramer

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I racked/strained this evening.
while racking, I blended 4oz of the wine with 2 lbs of honey,
before even measuring the gravity,
I measured gravity it is 1.013 ??? crap. why is it so high ?
This should have been G=0.000 or less ???
what do I do, blend in the mixture of 2 lbs of honey ? or not ?
will fermentation re-start?
it sure tastes awesome now.
if I add the honey, it'll be too sweet.
it is the nicest color of rose'

edited a few minutes later: I am going to split this.
Half as is G=1.013,
Half with the 2 lbs of honey with yeast cake from Cherry ale,
the new gravity of this half is 1.051

it's a good thing i have 4 or 5 fermentations going on.
Kramer

[Drtanglebones]

That is what the belgians and wine makers do. Blending old and new batches until it tastes right. Always fun to follow your process Kramer.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

these two dang things are still not actively fermenting ???
Kramer

[Drtanglebones]

Try adding yeast nutrient and shaking. Otherwise, the yeast may just be too stressed to go active with all that honey.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Fermentation started real slowly on the 29th.
it appears to be gaining steam, there is a nice (but thin) layer of bubbles over the surface.
Kramer