Rhubarb Champagne !

Rhubarb Champagne !

Last week when Kev did the shopping he bought some rhubarb he really loves rhubarb and I'd had just recently came across a recipe for rhubarb champagne, so I thought what a great opportunity to make some ..So as you can see by the photo above I did just that..I did a google and there were lots of different recipes 

The one I used I changed it a little to suit myself ..as I usually do ...

3 &1/2 cups of chopped rhubarb (I had 3 sticks which was just perfect)

3 cups of white sugar. (original recipe was 3 & 1/2 cups)

5 litres of rain water.

1 whole lemon with skin on finely sliced.

2 cups of kombucha ( I had a bottle that I had let go to vinegar)

the original recipe was 3/4 a cup of apple cider vinegar.

 So I washed and finely diced the rhubarb and put it into a big stainless steel pot  with the sugar and water and sliced lemon and kombucha ..and stirred it to mix it all up well.

I covered the pot with a tea towel and secured it with an elastic band and left it for 48 hours the mixture needs to gather the natural yeasts in the air to start the fermentation process.(apparently you must not leave it any longer or the rhubarb will sour the drink and it will be ruined).

I did mine at 10 am on Monday and strained it at 10am Wednesday .I then bottled it up in some saved plastic cool drink bottles that I've had for quite a while that I got a friend to save for me that I use for my ginger beer...I then put the bottles in my pantry and when using plastic when they feel really firm to touch you know its ready ..It should be ready in about 3 days  - 2  weeks, depending on how fizzy you like your drinks and the weather.. Chill before serving.I was surprised how quick it took to be ready ..especially as its winter here in Oz..

The recipe said to discard the rhubarb either by giving to the chooks or in the compost I thought to myself what a waste..So I put it into a sauce pan added some peeled and chopped apples, some water  and cooked it up it was delicious ..Kev had his with ice cream I had it with some milk kefir, yummy..This amount makes 5 and a half litres..This would make a very refreshing drink in the warmer months..and looks really pretty pink in glasses it would be nice for parties etc...Kev loved it but I found it a little bit too sweet, but I was thinking you could top it up with either water or sparking mineral water..When I make it again I might use less sugar ..