Rhubarb Mead Acid Concerns

[the_rayway]

I've got a batch of Rhubarb-berry mead going and have just run across this information about the oxalic acid being bad for you. When I started this batch I didn't have an acid test kit, and even now that I do, checking light coloured wines is difficult for me.

What I'm trying to figure out is: is this mead going to hurt me or anyone else? How do I figure this out? If it is, is there any way to fix it? I'm getting close to bottling time.

6 Gal recipe:
10Lbs Rhubarb, frozen then thawed
4Lbs mixed berries (strawberry, blueberry & blackberry)
1 can strawberry daiquiri mix
12 Lbs honey
2 Lbs sugar
2.5 vanilla beans
tannin, yeast nutrient, campden tabs, pectic enzyme

I apologize if this has specifically been covered somewhere else, I haven't been able to find a definitive answer yet.

 

[GreginND]

You have nothing to worry about. Most of the oxalic acid is in the leaves. Your recipe uses less rhubarb than most wine recipes. Enjoy it and share it without concern.

 

[jensmith]

If you used the stalks and not the leaves you are good to go. Safe and very tasty!!!!! When it is done try a glass chilled. It will slide down like water on a hot summer day!

 

[the_rayway]

Thank you so much for the replies! What a relief, I only use the stalks as I've been told all my life that the leaves are poisonous - so no worries there!

Is there a general rule of thumb for how many pounds of stalks are safe in a wine?

 

[jensmith]

As many as you want! I used about 18 pounds in a five galleon batch last time. Taste wise it is perfect. No ill results from drinking the wine. Just the normal, "one more glass please?"
Enjoy!

 

[Arne]

If you are using lots of the rhubarb and worried about the acid, you can go to Luc's site where he has a rather involved method of getting rid of most of the acid. You can do a search on here and find a link to his site. He is in Denmark, his tutorials all are in Danish, but if you scroll down on them, he has them translated to English. Arne.

 

[the_rayway]

Thanks Arne & jensmith!
Do you sweeten your Rhubarb at all? Or do you drink it dry? I'm trying to decide where I should go with it.

 

[rhartwel41]

I think it was jack Kelly who had a really easy way of removing the acid from his rhubarb wine. It was done over a few hours adjusting as needed. I love rhubarb wine on the dry side but not totally dry or what I would say was was semi sweet either. It's somewhere in the middle. There is a winery about an hour away that makes a fantastic rhubarb wine. I can't help but buy a few bottles when I'm in that area. I'm planning to make some this spring when it comes back in season here in indiana.

 

[jensmith]

I do my wines dry. The first rubarb wine I had fun adding a tablespoon of dextros every so often just to watch it foam up! The last two tablespoons did not foam up so I gues that was my backsweeting. 2 tablespoons in five galeons can hardly be called sweet however! My fall batch is not done yet, but I will probely leave it dry as well.

 

[the_rayway]

I think I'm going to go for around the 1.005-7 mark as that is about what my popular white zin is at. I'm basing this off of the fact that the mead is pink - nothing else I will bench test just to be sure! In a year or so I should have something yummy to share with friends!