DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[Rosa321]

You can go a long way with a DIY whip if you have access you a drill/driver and a plastic coat hanger. Not too long ago I did an article about around the house wine making tools that included this trick. Look it up, it really works. I degass with a combo of the coat hanger & drill/driver and transferring with my All In One wine pump and its awesome how quickly I can get an absolutely still and clear batch.

Now if I could only find a good balance between my two jobbies (job/hobbies i.e. wine making and couponning) that both get done efficiently and effectively, I'd be great!

Thanks, girl!!! I'm always re-purposing SOMETHING around the house
I THINK my dad may have a drill I can borrow.....I definitely have a plastic coat hanger. I will have to look into this!

My other hobby is gardening. Organic, natural gardening. So I'm always cutting, moving, bending, borrowing, or bringing something outside to the garden lol. I get it!!!

 

[Rosa321]

Thanks I had forgotten about that one. I found it and it says 3tsp of acid blend for a full batch of dragonette.


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Just make sure you taste along the way.
I don't know that I would make dragonette again.....I made it with a berry blend (strawberry, raspberry, and blackberry) this time
I found it a bit flat. So I added more acid blend. It's good now hehe.....but I do think I prefer ones with the lemon juice, SO FAR.... Although I am cold stabilizing my dragonette and will get it bottled next week.

I do, however, have "Mad Mango" on the horizon. I am ready to start any day. PoppaCork says it's really good and really smooth and he only ever makes it with acid blend, so I was going to see about making it as per his recipe.

However, we LOVE jet blue in my house (I have tons of blueberry bushes, pick my own, use 9lbs up front, and 3more for an f-pack for color and flavor when clearing) and I ALWAYS use lemon juice for that.

So much luck and happy drinking!! Just keep an eye out on the acidity!!!

 

[buffalofrenchy]

New batch being bottled tonight. Hopefully not as sweet as previous one.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

My first batch of DB has fermented to dry at .990 so I added the Potassium Metabisulfite and Potassium Sorbate yesterday and started to degas. I use a drill and degas rod/stick (because I just ordered my All in One Wine Pump and it won't be here until later in the week). Anyway, I have at least 3 hours in to the process and I swear there is no end in sight to the fizz and bubbles! Is something else going on or do I just need to keep at it?

 

[maurtis]

My first batch of DB has fermented to dry at .990 so I added the Potassium Metabisulfite and Potassium Sorbate yesterday and started to degas. I use a drill and degas rod/stick (because I just ordered my All in One Wine Pump and it won't be here until later in the week). Anyway, I have at least 3 hours in to the process and I swear there is no end in sight to the fizz and bubbles! Is something else going on or do I just need to keep at it?

That seems like a bit much, how often/long did you stir it during primary fermentation and was the SG stable for at least a few days before racking? I stirred mine using a long handle plastic spoon in a figure 8 motion once per day while fermenting (about a week) until I hit about 0.995. Then waited three days to rack into my secondary.

When I racked I used a degassing tool http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Bottle-Express-Wine-DeGasser/dp/B007RT8U1S for just a few minutes. No fizz, not many bubbles.

Cleared in about two weeks.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

That seems like a bit much, how often/long did you stir it during primary fermentation and was the SG stable for at least a few days before racking? I stirred mine using a long handle plastic spoon in a figure 8 motion once per day while fermenting (about a week) until I hit about 0.995. Then waited three days to rack into my secondary.

When I racked I used a degassing tool http://www.amazon.com/Clean-Bottle-Express-Wine-DeGasser/dp/B007RT8U1S for just a few minutes. No fizz, not many bubbles.

Cleared in about two weeks.

During primary, I stirred it every day with a kitchen whip to introduce more oxygen. The wine has been stable at .990 for 3 days now. I racked into my secondary yesterday and added the stabilizing chemicals.

I have the very same degassing tool and that's what I have been using.

I don't know if it is actually still fermenting....can it ferment past dry? Unless I have done something wrong and/or anyone has any suggestions about what is going on, I think I will just leave it be for a few days and then try degassing again. By then I should have my AIOWP and can use that to get the job done quickly.

Thanks!

 

[bkisel]

New batch being bottled tonight. Hopefully not as sweet as previous one.

How much sugar last time and how much sugar this time?

My third DB batch just started fermenting a few hours ago. This time around I'm going to take an SG reading after adding my 4.5 cups of sugar just like the pros around this forum do in order to repeat or adjust to a specific back sweetening.

 

[dangerdave]

I need to get some more DB going, myself! When the supply gets low, my wife gives me that look...

 

[Rosa321]

I need to get some more DB going, myself! When the supply gets low, my wife gives me that look...

hehe My mom is my "best customer". When she gets low, I get a call!

 

[buffalofrenchy]

How much sugar last time and how much sugar this time?

My third DB batch just started fermenting a few hours ago. This time around I'm going to take an SG reading after adding my 4.5 cups of sugar just like the pros around this forum do in order to repeat or adjust to a specific back sweetening.

First time was original recipe plus 6 cups of sugar when back sweetening. My wife really liked it but I always thought it was too sweet. This time, I doubled the fruit in the primary and only added two cups of sugar during back sweetening. If it was up to me, I would keep it dry. I tasted it and liked it dry but since nearly all our "grape wines" are dry, my wife is pushing to keep the other fruit ones sweet.

 

[buffalofrenchy]

Corks are in. All set for this one.

 

[bkisel]

Corks are in. All set for this one.

Looking good!

 

[willie]

Corks are in. All set for this one.

Those bottles do look great. Sunday I did my first rack on a batch of tropical. The first batch of DB that wasn't red in color.
Will

 

[datcv]

This is non-DB related but I bottled my first 100% strawberry wine (25 lbs which yielded 11 bottles) and I used a vinbrite filter pad - very easy to use and definitely makes a difference in the appearance. Hopefully no pectin chunks in this one.

Planning to do a Viognier wine kit and a DB next!


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[bkisel]

This is non-DB related but I bottled my first 100% strawberry wine (25 lbs which yielded 11 bottles) and I used a vinbrite filter pad - very easy to use and definitely makes a difference in the appearance. Hopefully no pectin chunks in this one.

Planning to do a Viognier wine kit and a DB next!

Looks awesome!

Wow, so it would take about 70 lbs to yeild 6 gallons. By 100% you mean no water used, correct?

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Hi everyone! I just added the SuperKleer to my first batch of DB and am thinking ahead to the next step of backsweetening. It fermented to dry at .990 and when I tasted it, I actually didn't mind it without any added sugar. Can others share some of their own backsweetening thoughts? For instance:

1. Does anyone ever leave it dry? If so, does the berry flavor come forward after some aging? I have lots of friends that prefer a dry wine so I would like to have a few bottles of that variety if there are some that find it drinkable that way.

2. What FG do you backsweeten to and do you find that it gets sweeter in the bottle with age?

3. From reading the forum, it seems that lots of people shoot for a gravity reading of around 1.010 but some prefer 1.007...if you have ever tried both, I would love to hear your comparison.

I am actually thinking about doing a few different "sub batches" when I backsweeten, leaving a few bottles dry and stepping up from there. Keeping in mind that everyone's tastes are different, I would still love some input.

Thanks!

 

[bkisel]

I like your idea of sub batches. Me, I just back sweeten with 4.5 cups of sugar as Dave mentioned he does for his DB. I will take a reading with this current batch I'm making to see what SG I get.

 

[JetJockey]

Val,
I went through the same questions as you. My first batch was backsweetened to SG corrected of 1.01. I liked it but prefer drier, but a lot of friends really like it! I did get some comments that the 1.01 was a little too sweet.

My next batch I fermented dry to SG corrected of .994 and that was a little too dry and not the fruit flavor I was looking for (although still new, the fruit will come out). I then back sweetened it to SG corrected of 1.00. To me that was the best balance. I have friends that like the sweeter and I like the drier (1.00).

I just did a batch of triple berry and am going to compromise to keep the masses happy! I wanted more fruit so I went with 3# fruit/gal. I'll split the batch and sweeten half to 1.00 and the other half to 1.008! The 1.00 has never lasted long enough (maybe 1 -1 1/2 months) to see if the fruit flavor comes out more! I really like both the 1.00 and the 1.008, but of course I don't turn down many wines. I found that I have to really taste them side by side to pick a preference.

 

[Jstokerjr]

Just racked my first batch. Need to make a trip to the shop for some clearing stuff. It smelled so nice I planned on not tasting but had to and I could drink it up now.
Cheers


Lol my guest room is turning into a lab . I really need a space for my stuff.

 

[Jstokerjr]

Just racked my first batch. Need to make a trip to the shop for some clearing stuff. It smelled so nice I planned on not tasting but had to and I could drink it up now.
Cheers


Lol my guest room is turning into a lab . I really need a space for my stuff.