Blending rhubarb wine

[redser]

Hi,
My Autumn raspberries are coming in now so I was thinking to try a rhubarb and rasberry wine. Most of the recipies in the book I have use 3 lbs fruit to 3 lbs sugar. For the Rhubarb wine she says to steep the rhubarb in boiling water with the sugar for 5 days before straining it and adding the yeast etc. So do you reckon it would it be ok to just follow those instructions and put in a mix of rhubarb and raspberries (half and half)? Just not sure if they are treated differently.
Cheers

[Two_Sheds]

The method is the same, whatever fruit you use. What differs slightly is the amount of sugar. I err on the side of caution and start off with less sugar than I think I need, and add more as the fermentation goes on (this can make a stronger wine too, with less danger of the yeast being overwhelmed by too much sugar all at once).

Another thing I picked up: add some of your fruit towards the end of fermentation to give the wine a nicer bouquet. I've been adding a good handful of rasps to my mixed fruit wines.

[redser]

Thanks a lot TS. Did you ever make this one yourself? Any recommendations on the ratio of each makes a nice wine?

[Two_Sheds]

No, I haven't managed to crop any rhubarb yet: but then I've only been trying for 4 years (rollseyes)

It's just something I can't grow

[Hazel at the Hill]

Hi Redser Oddly enough, I've just set a mixed batch on today with the rhubarb picked for the Show last weekend. I only had a pound of rhubarb (and I'm reluctant to pull any more at this time of year), but a pound of redcurrants & a pound of blackcurrants in the freezer.

Both rhubarb and redcurrant can lack a bit of taste on their own, so I think that the blackcurrant will bring it together.

I've chopped the rhubarb & put it and about a pound of sugar in a bucket; and poured about 3litres of boiling water on the in another bucket currants and gave them a mash before stirring 1 3/4 lb sugar in.

I'll rinse the sugary rhubarb mix into the currant juice in a couple of days, add pectolase & some grape concentrate (wilko - from the homebrew section), check the SG (I'll want it to be 1090 - 1100, but not above) & set it off with yeast & nutrient.

Rhubarb ferments with a vengeance, so I'll split the 5l bucket after a few days into two demijohns, half full each so it doesn't go a frothin' and a fizzin' through the airlock!

And thanks for the tip on adding a bit of extra fruit near the end of the ferment, TS - I'll try that.

[redser]

Thanks a lot Hazel! Tried rhubarb and raspberry tart, drank all the juice with a spoon before I even tasted the tart Hopefully the wine will mix just as well.