I have a rhubarb patch which is threatening to take over the garden and
I thought I might make a batch of wine with it, but I have been advised
that only early season rhubarb should be used for wine because the
oxalic acid content increases during the growing season. Does anyone
know whether this is correct, or have any experience of rhubarb wine
please? I'e like to start it now, but if it's at all dangerous I'll
wait 'till spring.

I have made several batches of Rhubarb wine from mature stalks with no
ill effects.

Later,
A.J. Rawls
Anchorage, Alaska, USA

On 27 Aug 2005 13:44:06 -0700, "kathy doyle"
> wrote:

>I have a rhubarb patch which is threatening to take over the garden and
>I thought I might make a batch of wine with it, but I have been advised
>that only early season rhubarb should be used for wine because the
>oxalic acid content increases during the growing season. Does anyone
>know whether this is correct, or have any experience of rhubarb wine
>please? I'e like to start it now, but if it's at all dangerous I'll
>wait 'till spring.

me too!

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
Remove PSANTISPAM to reply
"A. J. Rawls" > wrote in message
...
>I have made several batches of Rhubarb wine from mature stalks with no
> ill effects.
>
> Later,
> A.J. Rawls
> Anchorage, Alaska, USA
>
> On 27 Aug 2005 13:44:06 -0700, "kathy doyle"
> > wrote:
>
>>I have a rhubarb patch which is threatening to take over the garden and
>>I thought I might make a batch of wine with it, but I have been advised
>>that only early season rhubarb should be used for wine because the
>>oxalic acid content increases during the growing season. Does anyone
>>know whether this is correct, or have any experience of rhubarb wine
>>please? I'e like to start it now, but if it's at all dangerous I'll
>>wait 'till spring.

kathy doyle wrote:
> I have a rhubarb patch which is threatening to take over the garden and
> I thought I might make a batch of wine with it, but I have been advised
> that only early season rhubarb should be used for wine because the
> oxalic acid content increases during the growing season. Does anyone
> know whether this is correct, or have any experience of rhubarb wine
> please? I'e like to start it now, but if it's at all dangerous I'll
> wait 'till spring.
>

Oxalic acid is only present in the leaves. The late season stuff is
usually just tough and stringy. For wine, no big deal. For cooking,
chewy!!!

--
The world's least questioned
excuse for missing work.... "the voices in my head told me to stay home
and clean guns today". Oooookay...

I've made rhubarb wine with early, mid-season, and late stalks. You might
try freezing them before you make the wine with them. Freezing breaks them
down a bit more. You could also use precipitated chalk to get rid of the
oxalic acid taste - I do. However, others may disagree. Good-luck.
Darlene


"kathy doyle" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>I have a rhubarb patch which is threatening to take over the garden and
> I thought I might make a batch of wine with it, but I have been advised
> that only early season rhubarb should be used for wine because the
> oxalic acid content increases during the growing season. Does anyone
> know whether this is correct, or have any experience of rhubarb wine
> please? I'e like to start it now, but if it's at all dangerous I'll
> wait 'till spring.
>

A.J. I do not remember from when I lived in Anchorage, but do grapes grow in
the Matanuska Valley?

Roy
"A. J. Rawls" > wrote in message
...
>I have made several batches of Rhubarb wine from mature stalks with no
> ill effects.
>
> Later,
> A.J. Rawls
> Anchorage, Alaska, USA
>
> On 27 Aug 2005 13:44:06 -0700, "kathy doyle"
> > wrote:
>
>>I have a rhubarb patch which is threatening to take over the garden and
>>I thought I might make a batch of wine with it, but I have been advised
>>that only early season rhubarb should be used for wine because the
>>oxalic acid content increases during the growing season. Does anyone
>>know whether this is correct, or have any experience of rhubarb wine
>>please? I'e like to start it now, but if it's at all dangerous I'll
>>wait 'till spring.

Many thanks to everyone for responses, I will have a bash at rhubarb
wine, - especially Pinky, if it's ok for Yorkshire rhubarb which my
grandad used to tell me was the best in the world, then I guess it's
worth a try!!
Kathy

Kathy,
Don't peel it but do wash it and then freeze it for a couple of days. When
it defrosts you have much better juice extraction without much effort. Also
use a pectin enzyme which helps with the breakdown of the fibres and juice
extraction.
Rhubarb wine is excellent in itself but it is a hugely useful wine in
blending with others since it takes on the flavours of the blended wine very
readily. I certainly do not use chalk to alter the basic characteristics of
rhubarb wine and my recipe ( like several of my long used fruit wine
recipes) is one I have used for longer than I care to remember!
I confess I haven't made any for about 4 years now, but that is because of
lack of space not because of the wine itself.
Good luck with your efforts

--
Trevor A Panther
In South Yorkshire,
England, United Kingdom.
Remove PSANTISPAM to reply


"kathy doyle" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Many thanks to everyone for responses, I will have a bash at rhubarb
> wine, - especially Pinky, if it's ok for Yorkshire rhubarb which my
> grandad used to tell me was the best in the world, then I guess it's
> worth a try!!
> Kathy
>

No.. No Grapes that I am aware of in the Mat-Su, or anywhere else in
Alaska..

On Sat, 27 Aug 2005 19:40:53 -0600, "Roy boy" >
wrote:

>A.J. I do not remember from when I lived in Anchorage, but do grapes grow in
>the Matanuska Valley?
>
>Roy
>"A. J. Rawls" > wrote in message
.. .
>>I have made several batches of Rhubarb wine from mature stalks with no
>> ill effects.
>>
>> Later,
>> A.J. Rawls
>> Anchorage, Alaska, USA
>>
>> On 27 Aug 2005 13:44:06 -0700, "kathy doyle"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>I have a rhubarb patch which is threatening to take over the garden and
>>>I thought I might make a batch of wine with it, but I have been advised
>>>that only early season rhubarb should be used for wine because the
>>>oxalic acid content increases during the growing season. Does anyone
>>>know whether this is correct, or have any experience of rhubarb wine
>>>please? I'e like to start it now, but if it's at all dangerous I'll
>>>wait 'till spring.
>

Oxalic acid content does increase with age (it is inthe stalks as well
as the leaves, although in the stocks it is in low quantites) A lot of
people do not like thae taste of oxalic acid and find the early season
stuff tastes better.

The only reason I use chalk in my rhubarb wine is that it helps reduce
the acid a bit for easier fermentation. I use about 4-5 lbs/ gallon
with a clove/ginger addition recipe.