Got Rhubarb? Make Beer... or Bars!

Rhubarb Beer

(Recipe quoted to me by David...)

Before you start, all equipment should be sterilized using 1 T. regular household bleach to 1 gallon of water. You can purchase supplies from MidwestSupplies.com online. You will want to read the entire recipe before you start making this beer. You may have to order some of the ingredients, but Midwest Supplies is pretty quick to get them to you.

7 lb. cut-up rhubarb, previously frozen and then thawed to allow the most juice to be extracted (save these for later in the process)

6 lb. gold liquid extract

3.1 lb. wheat liquid malt extract

2 oz. Cascade whole hops

3 gallons of water

Boil gold and wheat extracts, hops and 3 gallons water together in a pot that will hold all of those ingredients. Keep at a 'rolling' boil for 1 hour (it will foam, so be sure your pot is large enough to allow that, and avoid having to clean up your stove top)

Cool to 90 degrees F.

Strain mixture through a strainer to remove hops. Add cool water to make 5 1/2 gallons of total liquid. The temperature after adding the cool water should be between 60 degrees and 70 degrees F.

Add 1 package of Salfale US-05 dry yeast (Midwest Supplies has this also)

Let ferment in a closed container with an airlock for one week. David uses a 6-gallon plastic bucket with a lid and airlock (pre-sterilized, of course). 

Siphon off the top (clear liquid), leaving the yeast and other non-clear elements behind. Run the siphon tube into a pre-sanitized 6 gallon glass jug with an airlock. If there is more liquid than will fit into a 6 gallon jug, you may want to have a 1 gallon glass jug pre-sanitized and ready to take the excess. It will also need an airlock.

Add all the juice you can extract from the thawed rhubarb pieces. Mash the pieces in the bottom of a large strainer to extract as much of the juice as possible. Repeat as necessary to get all of the rhubarb 'juiced.'

Add 3/4 lb. corn sugar (available from Midwest Supplies)

Let ferment in container with an airlock for 1 week or until it stops bubbling.

Boil 1 c. corn sugar and 1 pint water for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add to rhubarb mixture. (Don't stir after adding because you don't want to add air at this point. It will incorporate into the rhubarb mixture on its own.)

Bottle the beer and cap the bottles. Store at least 2 weeks before drinking.

Enjoy!