Dragon Blood: Triple Berry Skeeter Pee

mikeslag said:

Just dropped a batch of this Sunday, pitched yeast Monday and Did my squeezing today. Just curious though, isn't there a worry about contamination from opening this up every day??

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Mike, just my two cents...I personally sterilize the crap out of everything! My hands, holding bucket, top of lid, and anything that might come in contact gets a spray down.

jrvernon said:

Mike, just my two cents...I personally sterilize the crap out of everything! My hands, holding bucket, top of lid, and anything that might come in contact gets a spray down.

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Yeah that's definitely the plan I was just curious about exposing it every day and eliminating that nice bubble of gas in there. Thanks!

Also, I've seen a few suggestions but what does everyone top off with? Water?

mikeslag said:

Yeah that's definitely the plan I was just curious about exposing it every day and eliminating that nice bubble of gas in there. Thanks!

Also, I've seen a few suggestions but what does everyone top off with? Water?

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I have never had to top off, but if I did I would probably top off with juice (squeezed from blend)

Hi Dave,

When you say triple berry blend from the frozen section at grocery stores will any brand work? I thought something like that might have some type of preservatives? I am asking because this will be my first try at making skeeter pee in a couple weeks and i would love to get it right. Thanks for the recipe

Redskins said:

Hi Dave,

When you say triple berry blend from the frozen section at grocery stores will any brand work? I thought something like that might have some type of preservatives? I am asking because this will be my first try at making skeeter pee in a couple weeks and i would love to get it right. Thanks for the recipe

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Yes, from the store. No specific brand is necessary. If there are preservatives, that 24 hour soak prior to pitching the yeast should be enough to let them "blow off" a bit. This is an easy and fun recipe that produces a great, easy drinking fruity wine. Do at least three gallons though, because it'll go fast. Enjoy. I hope to bottle mine next weekend.

I have never made wine from fruit before. What do you use to press the fruit to get the juice out? I would hope to not have to spend to much money on buying more equipment.

When I stir daily, I simply press the bag against the side of the fermenter with my spoon. When fermentation is complete, simply pull the bag out and give it a squeeze with your (sanitized) hands. That's it. The frozen fruit used in these recipes pretty much turns to mush and gives up it's juice easily, so no fancy presses needed.

I like Tripplett's idea for topping up with juice! I've used the juice during backsweetening before, for added fruit flavor.

Like Boatboy said, any brand of fruit---in whatever combination you like---will do. Many different verisons have been created this way.

I wash my hand well, sprits my hands with a little sanitizer, pat dry, and squeeze the daylights out of that bag of fruit. I set the bag in a sanitized bucket while I'm stirring the heck out of the must, and then float the bag back in. I have had no issues thus far (after 20 some batches).

After this wine has cleared nice and you bottle it, how long until it is ready to drink? Right away?

Redskins said:

After this wine has cleared nice and you bottle it, how long until it is ready to drink? Right away?

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Technically, yes. But 2 to 4 weeks in the bottle will do wonderful things.

I whole-heartedly agree with that! Giving it some time in the bottle---a week or two---makes for a better wine. It seems to peak at about three months. I haven't had any of mine last longer than that.

I bottled my quad berry dragon blood tonight. Thanks for all the help from the forum. This was the second wine I've made but the first to make it to bottles. I fought with the twin lever corker a bit but in the end I won. I love the color and flavor of this.

Tripplett said:

I love the color and flavor of this.

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Just curious what SG you back sweetened to?

cohenhouse77 said:

Just curious what SG you back sweetened to?

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I finished fermenting at .994 and back sweetened to 1.004 so I brought it up .01. I don't care for a very sweet wine and my wife said she loved it so I stopped there. Plus it should get a little better in a month.

Thanks. I'm just trying to get a consensus.

The color is nice, Tripplett. Now you see where the Dragon Blood got it's name. Enjoy!

Speaking of...have you come up with a name for your quad-berry version? Such a bold and beautiful wine deserves a good name.

dangerdave said:

have you come up with a name for your quad-berry version? Such a bold and beautiful wine deserves a good name.

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Since the only addition is strawberries I didn't think it warranted a new name. Everyone that tastes this likes it but when I tell them the recipe is called Dragon's Blood most give me a strange look. I guess they don't like to think of drinking blood. I will label it something else and I haven't come up with that name yet. My wife wants to call our wines 'Trippin' Cellar Wines' so that part we got.

On a side note I did get some comments about a strong raspberry flavor, an observation I have made too but I was waiting for a month before mentioning. It could be that I keep forgetting there is 1 bottle of lemon in the mix. As I sit here sipping the remainder of the 1/2 bottle I couldn't cork I actually think that is it. Perhaps next time I need to make a lemon free batch. Or reduce the raspberry and add more strawberries. More experamentation is in order...

I make lemon free batches. They have their own character, for sure. You should give it a go for comparison's sake. Some folks like one, some like the other. I keep both on hand to promote total family-wide euphoria. If I didn't know they already loved me, I'd sware it's the wine!

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...angId=-1&keyword=paint+strainer&storeId=10051

Is this the kind of bag i could use? If so would i leave the elastic string in it or take it out? Thanks!

I am getting excited to do some dragons blood either this weekend or next!

That looks like it would work fine. Good find! You cold use the string to tie it shut maybe. Or take it out a tie the bag up another way. Your choice, I think!

Good luck on the Dragon Blood! You're going to love it!