Rhubarb wine, 1886

Rhubarb wine, homemade, 1886

Collected in 2011

Currently on display at Wakefield Museum

A small glass bottle, discoloured by the previous rhubarb contents. It is pointed at the base and has a cork stopper

Rhubarb has been a popular ingredient in food and drink for centuries.

Rhubarb root comes from Ancient China. It was originally powdered and used as a medicine. The type of rhubarb we eat and bake with today was introduced into England in the 1800s.

Rhubarb was also made into botanically brewed drinks, carbonated water and homemade wines. This bottle was made by E.P. Shaw and Co. Ltd., a Wakefield glass manufacturer. They particularly made bottles for fizzy drinks, which became popular from the 1800s.

Whatever its original contents were, it was used to store homemade rhubarb wine. It was labelled ‘rhubarb wine March 1886’. It still contains some of this wine today!

A plentiful supply of rhubarb food and drinks is one of the key attractions at Wakefield’s annual Rhubarb Festival.