Strawberry and rhubarb is a traditional, country combination that has worked deliciously for pies for who knows how long. With that country combo in mind, here’s a wine recipe that takes both great flavors from the pie pan to the wine bottle.
This is a strawberry-rhubarb wine recipe that has been made by several of our customer with great success. Its flavors are rich and layered with a bit of tang that sets if off. It has a glassy, garnet color that is almost irresistible when set on the table in front of family and friends.
While this particular version I experienced was made dry, I’m sure it would do quite well if it were made off-dry or even sweet. Making a sweet wine can easily be done by adding sugar and potassium sorbate (wine stabilizer) before bottling.
Since there has been such success with this particular wine recipe, I thought I’d share it here as well…
Strawberry-Rhubarb Wine Recipe
(Makes 5 Gallons)
2 Cans County Fair Strawberry
5 pounds Rhubarb (cubed, meaty stalk only)
8 pounds Sugar
5 Teaspoons Yeast Nutrient
5 Teaspoons Acid Blend
1 Teaspoons Pectic Enzyme
5 Campden Tablets (24 hrs. before fermentation)
Water (To total batch to 5 gallons)
1 Pkg. Wine Yeast (Lalvin K1V-1116, recommended)
5 Campden Tablets (Before Bottling)
Use The 7 Easy Steps To Making Wine for the directions. These directions will lead you through the process. If you need the equipment. The “Your Fruit!” Wine Making Kit will work perfect for this wine recipe.
Have you every made a strawberry-rhubarb wine recipe? If so, why don’t you share your recipe below?…
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Ed Kraus is a 3rd generation home brewer/winemaker and has been an owner of E. C. Kraus since 1999. He has been helping individuals make better wine and beer for over 25 years.
Regarding the Strawberry-Rhubarb wine recipe.
Can fresh strawberries be used for this recipe? and if so, what would the quantity be??
Thank-you for your help. Rick
Rick, Yes you can use fresh strawberries in place of the County Fair Fruit Base. Each can of the County Fair contains about 6 pounds of fruit. So you can use twelve pounds of strawberries instead.
do we need more sugar for the fresh berries, if so how much? thanks
John, I am sorry, we do not know how how much sugar to add when using fresh strawberries instead of the County Fair. What I would recommend is using your hydrometer to determine how much sugar to add.
Do you put both the strawberries and rhubarb in the brew tank together with the ingredients? or does one start with the rhubarb since rhubarb is hardier.
Karla, You will include both the rhubarb and strawberries in the primary fermentation.
One great great way of getting the flavour from the rhubarb is to wash, chop it up and freeze it. When defrosted it will give up the juice very easily.
When I make this wine I use 2 lbs of strawberries, 2 pounds of rhubarb and 2 lbs of sugar per gallon. I would definitely recommend trying it. It makes a light refreshing rose style wine. Adding some grape juice won’t go wrong if you fancy it.
Hi! Thanks for your recommendation. Can you tell me how long it takes from start to finish. Also, is it safe to say your winemaking recipe includes 5 crushed campden tabs prior to fermentation & bottling along with 5 tsps of yeast nutrient, 5 tsps acid blend & 1 tsp of peptic enzyme. Any feedback is appreciated. Thanks
Some recipes for rhubarb wine call for grape juice concentrate and specify white grape. Is there a particular reason white grape is used and would using red grape juice make a difference? Thanks, Kathie
Do you at any time degas after pri fermentation
Cliff, you want to degas the wine anytime after the fermentation is complete. After the primary stage it may not be finished. Once the specific gravity reading reaches .998 or less, the fermentation is complete and you can degas the wine.
Degassing My Wine Too Early
http://www.eckraus.com/blog/degassing-wine-during-fermentation
Can other yeasts be used? Montrachet?
Peggy, Montrachet is an all-purpose yeast so it would be fine to use with this recipe.
I want a good raspberry rubarb recipe please
Tim, we do not have a Raspberry Rhubarb Wine recipe. However, the article posted below will teach you how to create your own recipe.
Creating Your Own Wine Recipe
http://eckraus.com/home-wine-making-creating-recipe/
What is the starting gravity of this wine?
Scott, the starting gravity of this wine should be approximately somewhere between 1.080 to 1.100.
I saw you said 12 pounds of strawberries and 5 pounds of rhubarb for a 5 gal batch. I’m just curious I saw other recipes of strawberry wine that take that much for 2 Galllons. How strong of a flavor does this have. I’m not so much questioning as just curious before I make it. Thank you
Jeff, it has been our experience that this recipe produces a wine rich in flavor.
how much yeast?
When making your strawberry /rhubarb wine do you start with the fruits sugar and 5 campden tablets stir and let it sit for 24 hours and then add the rest is your ingredients stir and then sprinkle on your yeast? I also as wondering if anyone has ever added a cinnamon stick to the wine?
Do you have a recipe for a peach/head wine. I have purchased and froze my peach but need a good set of instructions to follow.
Thank you,
Mary
Mary, we do have a peach wine recipe. You will find the link to the recipe listed below with complete instructions.
Peach Wine Recipe
http://eckraus.com/content/peachwine.pdf
Can I use lalbin e c 1118 for this strawberry
Gary,It is fine to use the Lalvin EC 1118 on strawberry wine. It is neutral in flavor and can be used in any wine.
Can I substitute a different fruit since you are out of strawberry? Maybe plum or raspberry?
Milchelle, Unfortunately, the only County Fair Concentrates that we have left are Apricot and Apple. At this time we do not know if we will ever be able to get the canned concentrates again.
Has anyone made this wine and measured the alcohol content? I’m a newbie and forgot to take a hydrometer reading before adding the yeast, just curious of a rough estimate what the alcohol content will be if following this recipe.