# Rhubarb Beer



## Doc (4/10/08)

The following is from my blog entry in April.

Yep, you read the title correctly. Rhubarb.
My olds had a massive rhubarb plant/bush/tree when I was growing up. Used to have it for breakfast.
Love the sourness which is probably also why I love sauerkraut, salt, frozen margaritas.........

Anyway, I took the kids to the plant nursery today to pick out some plants to make a little vege garden for them. Got all the usual suspects like Lettuce, Carrots etc, and then I spied Rhubarb. Had to have it.

Got home, showed them how to make a garden, planted all the seeds, then got thinking about the rhubarb.
I wonder if rhubarb could be combined with beer ? Logical thought for a brewer isn't it ?

Well I'll be damned. There is even a commercial Rhubarb beer.
Ruddles make one
 of someone drinking it.
mmmmm, still tempted ? Of course.

I wonder if someone has done it on a home brewing scale ? Yep
I wonder if it was any good ? Can't have been too bad

Well that is two. Any others ?

From the BeerAdvocate forum



> email JavaJoe
> Providence, Rhode Island
> Posted: Jun 27, 2007 - 12:36:53 UTC (10 months ago)
> 
> I just finished transferring my second batch of "Rhu-Brew" into secondary last night. I'm a big fan of the stuff--a Belgian wheat/wit serves as the base, lightly hopped with hallertau and styrian goldings. The trick is putting the juice of 2-3 lbs of rhubarb (cooked down, thinned with about a quart of water, and then strained through cheesecloth) in at secondary. It produces a delightfully tart, refreshing summer brew, and helps clear up the back-yard rhubarb patch.



So, if i'm lucky enough that the single rhubarb plant doesn't die (or get eaten by the rabbits roaming our neighbourhood), I'm thinking a rhubarb weizen/wit/berliner weize will be my next experiment.

I can see the colour and taste it already.

Doc


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## Doc (4/10/08)

So fast forward to today.
I kegged the inaugural rhubarb beer.

I added the rhubarb when the beer had pretty much finished fermenting.
I cooked up 800gr of rhubarb let it chill overnight in the fridge and added it straight to the primary.

I expected it to add more colour (even some colour), but it doesn't appear to have.
If I do it again I'll make sure there is more liquid in the rhubarb mix that I add to the fermenter.

As for the taste, there is an awesome tart/sourness that isn't over powering, and is slightly addictive. Very similar to a Berlinerwiess. Yum.
Waiting for the keg to chill and carbonate 

Attached are the pictures of the fermenter after kegging the beer.

Doc


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## blackbock (4/10/08)

What was the recipe Doc? 

I like your thinking about the Berliner Weisse possibilities. You could always fake the colour...


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## Doc (4/10/08)

blackbock said:


> What was the recipe Doc?
> 
> I like your thinking about the Berliner Weisse possibilities. You could always fake the colour...



The Base Recipe is my Bav Weizen fermented with WB06.
Was thinking about faking the colour too with a little Red Food Colouring 

Beers,
Doc


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## Thirsty Boy (4/10/08)

Mate,

Thats awesome. I have no reservations about weird beer after drink a beetroot beer from both Quintrex and Spillsmostofit.

I'm 100% sure that a rhubarb beer could be great - definitely let us know how it comes out once cold and fizzy

Thirsty


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## SpillsMostOfIt (4/10/08)

A couple of weeks ago I was given a stubby of what was called Rhubarb Champagne by its maker. No added yeast, so the something that made it bubbly must have come from within. It was very drinkable and my new garden has lots rhubarb in it...

If you're boiling your rhubarb beforehand, it won't interest you at all, I guess.


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## raven19 (4/10/08)

Doc,
By using the rhubarb, does this lead to an increase in fermentable sugars and hence more alcohol?
Effects on OG and FG?
Keen to hear your expansion on the above - it sounds like something I would also be interested in brewing at some stage...
Cheers!


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## /// (4/10/08)

DOC

As a potential rhubarb dealer i put a few extra rhubarb plants in the garden for you this week. Seems the kids have discovered they like rhubarb Jam. Its growing like crazy down here; the new plants are little'ns, but by the current plant that is just a matter of days, not months.

Remember also on the colour, the yeast can take up to 25% colour out of beer and flavour, hence why alot of belgian brewers have switched to inline additions of fruit extract.

Scotty


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## Doc (5/10/08)

SpillsMostOfIt said:


> If you're boiling your rhubarb beforehand, it won't interest you at all, I guess.



Yeah, I boiled it down before adding to the fermenter.



raven19 said:


> Doc,
> By using the rhubarb, does this lead to an increase in fermentable sugars and hence more alcohol?
> Effects on OG and FG?
> Keen to hear your expansion on the above - it sounds like something I would also be interested in brewing at some stage...
> Cheers!



Not really sure. I added the Rhubarb at 1.013 and the FG was 1.009
There wasn't enough liquid in the cooked down rhubarb to do a gravity reading. But I guess that would have been the gravity of the liquid not the mass.
Interesting thought.



/// said:


> Remember also on the colour, the yeast can take up to 25% colour out of beer and flavour, hence why alot of belgian brewers have switched to inline additions of fruit extract.



Will definitely put a drop of red colouring in a glass for effect.
Not sure if Rhubarb extract is available though.

Doc


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## katzke (5/10/08)

Doc said:


> Was thinking about faking the colour too with a little Red Food Colouring
> 
> Beers,
> Doc



Looks like an addition of a bit of grain for color next time. Ruby Red Rhubarb, I claim the name, ha.


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## BrissyBrew (5/10/08)

Doc said:


> So fast forward to today.
> I kegged the inaugural rhubarb beer.
> 
> I added the rhubarb when the beer had pretty much finished fermenting.
> ...


Doc for colour I would have added the rhubarb to the boil (probably like a late edition hop), the bitterness would be balanced nicely by low hop levels and malt.


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## matti (5/10/08)

I am looking forward for the tasting notes.
Ate a lot of Rhubarb raw in summer School holidays in Finland.
My Aunty made the best Rhubarb soup.
The texture is certainly special.

Matti


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## Thirsty Boy (5/10/08)

/// said:


> DOC
> 
> As a potential rhubarb dealer i put a few extra rhubarb plants in the garden for you this week. Seems the kids have discovered they like rhubarb Jam. Its growing like crazy down here; the new plants are little'ns, but by the current plant that is just a matter of days, not months.
> 
> ...



Scotty,

Sort of inline with the Rhubarb idea - but extending a little. What do you think of using Jams/Marmalades as a flavour adjunct and fermentables source in beers? I have been considering just adding a portion of a jar of say rhubabr, or strawberry/plum/blackberry jam to the end of primary or into secondary. Figure you would get an OG boost and a whack of quite concentrated fruit flavour - all pre-boiled and sanitised in the jam making process.

What do people think? would a jar of jam work and save a lot of boiling and mucking about with fruit additions?

TB


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## katzke (7/10/08)

Thirsty Boy said:


> Scotty,
> 
> Sort of inline with the Rhubarb idea - but extending a little. What do you think of using Jams/Marmalades as a flavour adjunct and fermentables source in beers? I have been considering just adding a portion of a jar of say rhubabr, or strawberry/plum/blackberry jam to the end of primary or into secondary. Figure you would get an OG boost and a whack of quite concentrated fruit flavour - all pre-boiled and sanitised in the jam making process.
> 
> ...



All I would worry about are preservatives and pectin. The first is easy to look for on the label, the second fixed with enzyme or just live with a bit of haze in the beer.


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## Kai (7/10/08)

/// said:


> Remember also on the colour, the yeast can take up to 25% colour out of beer and flavour, hence why alot of belgian brewers have switched to inline additions of fruit extract.
> 
> Scotty



The pH difference between the fruit and the beer can also alter the colour a little.



Thirsty Boy said:


> Scotty,
> 
> Sort of inline with the Rhubarb idea - but extending a little. What do you think of using Jams/Marmalades as a flavour adjunct and fermentables source in beers? I have been considering just adding a portion of a jar of say rhubabr, or strawberry/plum/blackberry jam to the end of primary or into secondary. Figure you would get an OG boost and a whack of quite concentrated fruit flavour - all pre-boiled and sanitised in the jam making process.
> 
> ...



I've never tried it myself but Grumpy's Hoegaarden kit called for a jar of marmalade if dried peel was too difficult, and it was a very popular recipe.


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## Fourstar (7/10/08)

Ive been thinking about this with a cranberry wheat ill be making for the chrismas period. Should i go with the frozen cranberries, reconstituted dried cranberries or cranberry sauce/jam?!? Decisions decisions! Will be good with some turkey!


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## Doc (11/10/08)

Tucked into a few pints of this last night.
There is a hint of colour, but you have to look for it.
There is mild tartness there, and it is very drinkable.
I added a little food colouring to give it some more colour but over did it a little. Kept topping up the pint glass (after leaving just ~75mls) in the bottom each time and by about the third pint the colour was perfect 
Planted some more rhubarb today (possums got the last plant), so fingers crossed I have a more ready supply in a couple of months.

Doc


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## Doc (12/8/09)

My rhubarb experiments have come of age.

This Saturday I'll be brewing my Doc's Belgian Breakfast Blonde with the brewers (Keith and Craig) at the Potters/Hunter Beer Co.
It is going to be their Spring Seasonal Release.

Stop by if you are in the area.

Beers,
Doc


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## glennheinzel (12/8/09)

Nice work, Doc. Happy brewing!


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## eric8 (12/8/09)

Damn Doc, 1 beer at the Taphouse and 1 at Potters, what's next?
Well done!! :super:


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## petesbrew (12/8/09)

Awesome work Doc,
Have a great time!


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## Doc (12/8/09)

eric8 said:


> Damn Doc, 1 beer at the Taphouse and 1 at Potters, what's next?
> Well done!! :super:



Good things come in three's. So what is going to be the third ? mmmmmmm.............. 

Doc


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## brettprevans (12/8/09)

Doc said:


> Good things come in three's. So what is going to be the third ? mmmmmmm..............
> 
> Doc


your barley wine?


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## Doc (12/8/09)

citymorgue2 said:


> your barley wine?



My Wheatwine ?
Yeah that would be awesome to do commercially.

Doc


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## O'Henry (27/10/09)

I am making something like this and will be adding the rhubarb tomorrow or Thursday. Across the stuff on the net that I have read there is no real consitancy with how much to add or how to 'process' it before hand. I will just be doing a gallon batch as a trial and am using a Hefeweissen with NZ Hallertau as the base. Was hoping to add a tart/souness. No worry if the colour doesnt come through. Something refreshing.

The other thing is when to add the rhubarb. I have the hefe on the go now and it has been 4 days (OG 1048/SG 1027). Am fermenting on the low side aiming for less banana and more clove. I was going to rack on to the fruit in a demijohn and am really wondering at what point to do this. At 1020, 1015 or less? I doubt it will go lower then 1008 due to my mash.


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## Jazzafish (27/10/09)

I was lucky enough to try the or a version of Rhubarb Beer at the HBG meeting tonight.

Very nice indeed!


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## scoundrel (28/10/09)

been thinking about throwing some fruit through a beer, ive got a hold of some honey murcott mandarins maybe threw a ginger beer? on maybe a a saison yeast just to accentuate the murcott twanginness?


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## Doc (28/10/09)

[quote name='O'Henry' post='543634' date='Oct 27 2009, 09:55 PM']The other thing is when to add the rhubarb. I have the hefe on the go now and it has been 4 days (OG 1048/SG 1027). Am fermenting on the low side aiming for less banana and more clove. I was going to rack on to the fruit in a demijohn and am really wondering at what point to do this. At 1020, 1015 or less? I doubt it will go lower then 1008 due to my mash.[/quote]

Hey O'Henry. I gave you all the info at the Paddy's Brewers Festival the other week.
Like Jazzafish says in a later post, I have a new version that takes it up another notch again, and it is damn tasty. Although this drunken rhubarb I'm having for breaky is very tasty too.

Doc


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## petesbrew (28/10/09)

Doc said:


> Hey O'Henry. I gave you all the info at the Paddy's Brewers Festival the other week.
> Like Jazzafish says in a later post, I have a new version that takes it up another notch again, and it is damn tasty. Although this drunken rhubarb I'm having for breaky is very tasty too.
> 
> Doc


Enjoyed it last night Doc. A nice tart feel to it. Too bad I was driving, as a full glass would've gone down beautifully.


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## Andyd (28/10/09)

One of our guys did a Rhubarb brew for our annual dinner this July gone - the raw rhubarb was added to the mash and the fermentor from memory... but the flavour didn't really come through for me over the slightly vegetal notes. I would be inclined to stew the rhubarb at a moderate temperature and then strain off the liquid and pitch that in...

Andy


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## Doc (28/10/09)

Checkout this blog entry of mine for some background info.
I'm up to version 5 of this beer, and don't plan on making any further changes to it.
The changes since that blog entry are to:
- when stewing down the rhubarb, add water to half the volume of the rhubarb in the pot
- stew with the lid on to keep the liquid in the pot. You need this to get the colour in the beer
- I've up'ed the amount of rhubarb to 1.25kg for a standard 19-20 litre batch.

And my latest was with the S-33 (SAF Ale) yeast.

There is a piccy of it just before I kegged it here
You get more colour showing in a glass that holds more volume.

Beers,
Doc


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## Andyd (28/10/09)

Cheers Doc - nice to see my thinking was on the right track...

Andy


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