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How to Make Rhubarb Wine (1 UK Gallon Recipe)

 rhubarb

Rhubarb wine produces a pale, crisp fruit wine with bright acidity, light body, and subtle citrus-like notes. It is one of the most traditional UK homebrew wines, especially from allotment harvests, and is valued for its refreshing, dry character.

When young, rhubarb wine can taste sharp and slightly vegetal, but with time it becomes clean, refreshing, and surprisingly wine-like with gentle fruit and lemony undertones.

Wine Profile

  • Style: Crisp vegetable-based fruit wine

  • Colour: Pale straw to light pink (depending on stalk colour)

  • Body: Light

  • Sweetness: Dry to off-dry

  • Acidity: High

  • Alcohol: 11–12.5% ABV

  • Yield: Approximately 1 UK gallon (4.5 L), ~6 bottles

  • Difficulty: Intermediate

Harvest Calendar

  • Harvest Season: April – July (UK, main crop), sometimes late summer

  • Best Picking Time: Young, tender stalks (avoid woody or late-season tough stems)

  • Suitable for Freezing: Yes (highly recommended)

  • Best Source: Gardens, allotments

Ingredients

  • 3.5–5.0 lb (1.6–2.3 kg) rhubarb stalks

  • 2.0–2.5 lb (900 g–1.1 kg) white sugar

  • Water (to make up to 1 UK gallon / 4.5 L total volume)

  • 1 tsp yeast nutrient (important for clean fermentation)

  • ½ tsp pectic enzyme

  • 1 Campden tablet (recommended for fresh rhubarb)

  • Wine yeast (half packet recommended):

    • Lalvin 71B (best for softening acidity)

    • Lalvin D47 (adds body)

    • EC-1118 (clean, dry fermentation)

Optional Ingredients

  • Juice of 1 lemon (often helpful to round acidity perception, even though rhubarb is already acidic)

  • ½ tsp wine tannin (optional — usually not needed)

  • Small piece of ginger (adds warmth and depth)

  • 1 cinnamon stick (light spice variation)

  • 1 tsp glycerine after fermentation (improves mouthfeel)

Preparation

  1. Wash rhubarb stalks thoroughly.

  2. Remove leaves completely (they are toxic and must not be used).

  3. Chop stalks into 1–2 cm pieces.

  4. Freeze overnight if possible — this helps break down fibres and release juice.

  5. Place chopped rhubarb into a sanitised fermentation bag in the primary fermenter.

  6. Lightly crush or bruise if not frozen.

Rhubarb will release a large amount of acidic juice quickly.

Making the Must

  1. Pour sugar into approximately 2.5 litres of boiling water and dissolve fully.

  2. Pour hot sugar solution over the rhubarb.

  3. Add cool water to reach 1 UK gallon (4.5 L total volume).

  4. Allow to cool below 25°C (77°F).

  5. Add:

    • Pectic enzyme

    • Yeast nutrient

    • Crushed Campden tablet (if used)

  6. Cover and leave for 24 hours if Campden was added.

Primary Fermentation

  1. Add yeast and stir thoroughly.

  2. Stir once or twice daily.

  3. Keep fruit cap submerged.

  4. Ferment for 4–6 days at 18–22°C.

Early aroma can be quite sharp and “green”, but this fades with fermentation.

Transfer to Secondary

  1. Lift fermentation bag and allow to drain naturally — do not squeeze aggressively.

  2. Siphon liquid into a sterilised demijohn.

  3. Fit airlock.

  4. Top up with cooled boiled water if required.

Secondary Fermentation

Allow fermentation to complete over 3–5 weeks.

Rack when sediment reaches 1–2 cm.

Clearing & Aging

Once fermentation has finished:

  • Allow to clear for 1–2 months

  • Rack if needed

  • Bottle when bright and stable

Rhubarb wine improves noticeably with short to medium aging:

  • Minimum aging: 3–4 months

  • Ideal aging: 6–12 months

  • Peak drinking: 1–2 years

Expected Results

  • Original Gravity: 1.080–1.095

  • Final Gravity: 0.995–1.000

  • Alcohol: 11–12.5% ABV

Tips for Better Rhubarb Wine

  • Always remove leaves — they are toxic.

  • Freezing stalks dramatically improves juice extraction.

  • 71B yeast helps reduce perceived sharpness.

  • Do not over-dilute — rhubarb is already very watery and acidic.

  • Slight backsweetening can transform the balance after aging.

  • Ginger addition works especially well with rhubarb.

About Rhubarb Wine

Rhubarb has long been a staple of British allotments and gardens, particularly valued for pies, jams, and home winemaking. Its naturally high acidity makes it ideal for producing crisp, refreshing wines when balanced correctly.

Rhubarb wine is one of the most traditional UK “country wines”, often made in spring and early summer when fresh stalks are abundant.

Serving Suggestions

  • Serve well chilled (8–10°C)

  • Pairs well with pork, chicken, and light salads

  • Excellent with creamy desserts

  • Works well as a summer aperitif wine

Storage & Aging

  • Best consumed within 1–2 years

  • Store in a cool, dark place

  • Improves noticeably in first year

  • Best enjoyed relatively fresh and bright

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does rhubarb wine taste so sharp?
It is naturally very high in acid — aging and backsweetening help balance it.

Can I use frozen rhubarb?
Yes — and it is highly recommended.

Do I need to peel rhubarb?
No — just wash and chop.

Can I mix it with fruit?
Yes — strawberry and apple work very well.

Why does it taste vegetal?
That’s common early on — it fades with fermentation and aging

 

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