Rhubarb wine not starting

[JJIVin]

I started a batch of rhubarb wine last week. I started by cutting and cooking 15lbs of rhubarb, added rasins and pectic enzyme, and campden and then let it sit for 2 days. Then I added sugar, water and yeast (Lavalin 71b). I can't currently find my notes because my 2yo hid my notebook and I don't remember starting gravity, but I think it was around 1.104. 4 days after pitching yeast there is no sign of fermentation starting. I want to try to re-pitch before giving up and am thinking at this point I might press it off the pulp as well. All I have for yeast is rc212 and k1-v1116. I'm leaning towards using the v116 because it is hearty and seems a safer shot at this point.
Anyone have any thoughts on what might have happened, or a better way to proceed?

 

[bernardsmith]

RhubarHi JJIVin - and welcome.
Rhubarb can be very acidic. What was the total volume of your batch? It's also not obvious that rhubarb has enough nitrogen and key minerals that the yeast need to ferment sugars. Did you add any? What about aerating the must? Yeast need O2 to create more biomass.

Not the likely source of the problem but why cook the rhubarb? Were you originally planning on making jam? Cooking the plant will set pectins and sure you added pectic enzymes to help break down those pectins you set but you would have needed far less if you simply allowed the sugar and the pectic enzymes to break down the fibers and extract the juice.

If there is a systemic problem in the batch (and the problem was not with the yeast itself) then re-pitching may result in the same outcome. A far better approach is to create a small starter using whatever yeast you choose and then slowly add the same volume of the stalled wine to the starter. This helps neutralize any problems in the must. You keep on repeating this addition to double the amount of volume in the starter (1 cup becomes 2 , 2 becomes 4 , 4 becomes 8 until the entire stalled batch is actively fermenting in the starter (you only add more from the stalled batch when you can clearly determine that the wine is actively fermenting. Good luck.

 

[JJIVin]

Thanks for the welcome and the input.

The total volume is around 5.5gal, but it is still on the pulp. I had planned on adding nutrient but may have had a bit of a brain fart while rushing to get to the next project. I did aerate the must, I don't think O2 is the issue.
I cooked the rhubarb because that is what most of the recipes I looked at said to do and added the pectic enzyme because it is what I am in the habit of doing.... I had no idea that doing the two together might be counter-productive.
The yeast starter is a good idea. I'll get a starter going, rack it off the pulp and add some nutrient. Hopefully it'll be salvageable.