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Hi all, I started a batch of DB on 12 April fully intending to take it right to dry in the primary. I forgot to get yeast energizer and used about a pound of honey and 3 lbs of white sugar, worried the hone may have slowed the yeast down. SG started at 1.0512 (wanted a lower final alcohol...

I just bottled my latest (3rd) batch of DB, and with this one I didn't back sweeten with honey or sugar. Instead I made a compote out of the same berry mix I used in the primary and added it during stabilization. It hasn't worked quite as well as I'd hoped. This batch is very dry and tart, and...

Hi all, I've got a batch of quad berry Dragon's Blood in the primary, and I'll be ready to clear, stabilize, and back sweeten by Saturday or Sunday. I've got an extra two pounds of berries that I'm planning to simmer for a few hours with a bit of water and use the resting reduction to back...

I just bottled my second batch of Dragon's Blood, and I wanted to see how it came out before mentioning a major tweak that I made to the recipe. I added only half the recommended sugar (10 cups instead of 20). That made for a starting SG of 1.054 and a final of 0.994, resulting in an...

Hi all, Just started my second batch of quadberry (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry) Dragons Blood, thanks to Danger Dave's recipe. Obviously I added a berry type, but that's just the mix that was on sale at Wally World. Actually the bags came in 1.75 kg, so with two I've got .5kg...

Hi all, I started a kit yesterday (CC Showcase WA Merlot), and added the grape pack as instructed, but o gave it a good few squeezes to get as many TDS in the wine as possible. Checked SG: 1.094. Temp was about 18°C (65°F) Because I figured the sugars et al. from the grapes would continue to...

I just bottled this same kit a few weeks ago and liked it so much I went out and got the last one at my LHBS. Starting SG 1.094, but I'll check again tomorrow to allow for the solids from the grape pack to dissolve. Incidentally, I'm very pleased with the packaging of the grape packs in these...

So, after three (more) months away I came home and promptly bottled the CC Showcase WA Merlot that I had started back in August. Wow, what a difference three months makes. All the other wines I've made I usually start drinking after a month or two (not enough inventory built up to keep me out of...

Hi folks, After 3.5 months away for work, I was very excited to start this kit, which I bought just before finding out I had to go away! Luckily our basement is fairly chilly, so I want worried about it sitting there. I asked around, some folks on here said this one was fairly good, and I'm...

Hi all, I've read the DB threads and even downloaded Dave's recipe onto my phone so I could look at it throughout the process, and now it was time to start my own batch! Used a strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, blackberry mix. Followed the instructions to a T except that I only added 17 cups...

Hi all, I've been using my in-laws heated basement to make wine since we moved to freezing Calgary, but the distance/time is inconvenient. So I'm going to get a Brew Belt and set up in my 10C (50F) basement. I explained this to buddy guy in my LHBS, and worried about the explicit Brew Belt...

Bought the above kit on impulse whilst buying bottling supplies (I'll be bottling soon, after all, I need another kit, right!?!) Haven't found any mention of it here, but wondered if anyone had made it and had an opinion one way or the other.

I've got a RJS Grand Cru Int'l BC Pinot Noir going, just racked from primary to secondary today, and lo and behold, I discovered a bag of oak chips I forgot to add to the primary. Having opened the bag, figured I should add them now instead of fussing with sanitizing them before the next...

So I started this kit today, and I once again made a learning experience out of it. I figured this kit was super easy, no grape skins and no oak because it's a pinot, so I blew through the steps, and completely forgot to add the bentonite first thing! Called my LHBS and they said it was no big...

Hi all, I stumbled across a study Daniel Pambianchi did of three degassing tools, and I thought I'd share it. I searched, but didn't see this posted anywhere yet...

I've made an error in judgement, it seems. Based on the kit instructions I should be racking and stabilizing 20 days after starting secondary fermentation, but I'm going to be out of town for a week and a half either side of the estimated date. So here's my question: should I rack and stabilize...

Yesterday (Saturday) I started a RJS Cellar Classic Winery California Cab Sav, which comes with wet wine skins. I likely won't be able to stir the must or squeeze the bag til Friday, when it should be nearly done and ready to rack. Can I squeeze the bag this eve, after just 24 hours? It'll help...

Wanted to get back on here, just moved to a new city and took a little while to get started. I've seen people rave about the Super Tuscan in the RJS Cellar Classic Winery series, but one of the reasons I'm making my own wine is to reduce my carbon footprint, so I went with the Californian Cab...

Hi all, I'm moving from Victoria to Calgary (for work, otherwise I'd never leave...you don't have to shovel rain!) and wondered 1) how many members are in the Calgary area, and 2) does anyone have strong feelings about the LHBS's in the area? We're looking to live in the SW, Winemakers Wine...

I know what some of you may say, that improper degassing can lead to off-flavoured wine and corks coming out. On my first ever batch I only degassed for 4 mins, which I was sure wasn't enough, but, being sorely tempted just a week after bottling, I opened one today. Sure enough there was a...