DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[Aeludor]

I am drinking some right now. It turned out wonderfully, at least for my taste. I’ll give you some details if that’s what you’re looking for.

Sure, I'd be interested in seeing your mix!

 

[KCCam]

Sure, I'd be interested in seeing your mix!

My berries and cherries were rinsed and air-dried, then frozen.

For a 6 gallon batch:

• 4 kg (8.8 lbs) Evans cherries
• 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) blueberries
• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) frozen bananas (6) with skin
• 32 oz Real Lemon.
• EC-1118 yeast
  
  
• About 6 kg (13 lbs, 30 cups) sugar to make 25 L (6.5 gal) @ 1.110 SG
  (Note: that's higher ABV than most enjoy, about 16.5% when fermented to 0.990, so pick your desired ABV and use enough sugar to suit)
• I used 1 Tbs tannin instead of 1 tsp that the recipe calls for.
• Kieselsol/Chitosan (i.e. SuperKleer, DualFine, Claro K.C.) for clearing.

Notes:

• I hadn't planned to add the blueberries, but just had a hunch that the colour and flavour of the cherries could use some help. This was just a guess and I plan to do a batch this year with only cherries to compare.
• This fermented dry to 0.990.
• 3/4 cup sugar per gallon for backsweetening left the SG at 1.004 (do bench trials)

Now you have to come up with a cool name for it for me. I am so not creative that way.

 

[Aeludor]

My berries and cherries were rinsed and air-dried, then frozen.

For a 6 gallon batch:

• 4 kg (8.8 lbs) Evans cherries
• 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) blueberries
• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) frozen bananas (6) with skin
• 32 oz Real Lemon.
• EC-1118 yeast
  
  
• About 6 kg (13 lbs, 30 cups) sugar to make 25 L (6.5 gal) @ 1.110 SG
  (Note: that's higher ABV than most enjoy, about 16.5% when fermented to 0.990, so pick your desired ABV and use enough sugar to suit)
• I used 1 Tbs tannin instead of 1 tsp that the recipe calls for.
• Kieselsol/Chitosan (i.e. SuperKleer, DualFine, Claro K.C.) for clearing.

Notes:

• I hadn't planned to add the blueberries, but just had a hunch that the colour and flavour of the cherries could use some help. This was just a guess and I plan to do a batch this year with only cherries to compare.
• This fermented dry to 0.990.
• 3/4 cup sugar per gallon for backsweetening left the SG at 1.004 (do bench trials)

View attachment 64469

Now you have to come up with a cool name for it for me. I am so not creative that way.

That looks very nice! Thanks for the recipe, I'll have to give it a shot. When you say 4kg of cherries, do you include the pits in the weight (just don't break them) ?

And the banana, how do you put that in? Whole and mashed? peeled and broken?

I never would have thought of putting banana into a wine.

Jay

 

[KCCam]

That looks very nice! Thanks for the recipe, I'll have to give it a shot. When you say 4kg of cherries, do you include the pits in the weight (just don't break them) ?

And the banana, how do you put that in? Whole and mashed? peeled and broken?

I never would have thought of putting banana into a wine.

Jay

4 kg with pits. I froze the cherries whole. Originally DangerDave's recommendation was to microwave the frozen fruit to defrost it. It seems that recently I've read that might not be necessary, or even recommended. But for this batch that's what I did. Not enough to cook it, just defrost. It was still cool when I took it out of the microwave. Cooking the fruit can set the pectin (bad), which might be why I've read to just let the frozen fruit thaw at room temperature.

So, whole cherries, blueberries, and sliced frozen bananas with the skin on but without the 2 ends, all go into the nylon knee-high stocking. I almost needed 2 stockings, but didn't have another, so I made it fit into one. Dollar stores were closed due to COVID, so I paid $8, I think, for 2 pair at a grocery store. And I got runs in them putting the fruit in. I never got runs in my Dollar Store knee-highs @ $1.25 for 4 pair (thanks for that, @dangerdave). There is some controversy as to whether to include the banana skins, but that is what was originally suggested to me. It IS important that the bananas be very overripe. As a banana ripens the starch (not fermentable & causes starch haze) is converted to fermentable sugar.

Just to be clear, there is no magic in those numbers. I used every cherry I picked, and every frozen blueberry that I happened to have stashed in my freezer. But it did seem about right. DB calls for 6 lbs fruit. A lot of people double that, I used 9 lbs in my first batch. Bananas are mentioned a lot as a way to add mouthfeel without affecting the flavour at all. Raisins are also a common addition.

Since I used mostly my own fruit, I wanted to see how much I could keep the cost down. I got 31 bottles, 17% ABV, for about $14 CANADIAN. That's less than $0.35 US per bottle. Cheaper than Skeeter Pee!

OK, I did my part. You owe me a clever name!

 

[RocketBee]

"Canuckistan Slam", apologies @KCCam ...best I could do after my bedtime.

 

[Yooper🍷]

Day 9 hit .993. Needed my primary so had to rack it into carboy still bubbling away. Will continue to monitor Sg until it stays the same and will then stabilize, clear and back sweeten. Can’t wait. Color looks like it will be awesome.

 

[Johnd]

Day 9 hit .993. Needed my primary so had to rack it into carboy still bubbling away. Will continue to monitor Sg until it stays the same and will then stabilize, clear and back sweeten. Can’t wait. Color looks like it will be awesome. View attachment 64512

Don’t forget to get it topped up somewhere in the last three steps. adding sugar will account for some volume, probably not all of it, though.

 

[Yooper🍷]

Will do that after I see where sugar addition will bring it. Also starting another batch of DB. With chokecherry and blueberry. Going to get it started tonight. Soaked chokecherry for past 24 hours. Will keep you all informed.

Did start it — 8:30 pm. —very light (chokecherry-blueberry Rose’). Tasted it - knock your socks off good. Hope it comes out that way.

 

[Aeludor]

4 kg with pits. I froze the cherries whole. Originally DangerDave's recommendation was to microwave the frozen fruit to defrost it. It seems that recently I've read that might not be necessary, or even recommended. But for this batch that's what I did. Not enough to cook it, just defrost. It was still cool when I took it out of the microwave. Cooking the fruit can set the pectin (bad), which might be why I've read to just let the frozen fruit thaw at room temperature.

So, whole cherries, blueberries, and sliced frozen bananas with the skin on but without the 2 ends, all go into the nylon knee-high stocking. I almost needed 2 stockings, but didn't have another, so I made it fit into one. Dollar stores were closed due to COVID, so I paid $8, I think, for 2 pair at a grocery store. And I got runs in them putting the fruit in. I never got runs in my Dollar Store knee-highs @ $1.25 for 4 pair (thanks for that, @dangerdave). There is some controversy as to whether to include the banana skins, but that is what was originally suggested to me. It IS important that the bananas be very overripe. As a banana ripens the starch (not fermentable & causes starch haze) is converted to fermentable sugar.

Just to be clear, there is no magic in those numbers. I used every cherry I picked, and every frozen blueberry that I happened to have stashed in my freezer. But it did seem about right. DB calls for 6 lbs fruit. A lot of people double that, I used 9 lbs in my first batch. Bananas are mentioned a lot as a way to add mouthfeel without affecting the flavour at all. Raisins are also a common addition.

Since I used mostly my own fruit, I wanted to see how much I could keep the cost down. I got 31 bottles, 17% ABV, for about $14 CANADIAN. That's less than $0.35 US per bottle. Cheaper than Skeeter Pee!

OK, I did my part. You owe me a clever name!

Thanks for all that! I like when the cost is so minor. Just the time involved, and it's still worth it.

How about... Cherry Peeler(s).

 

[G259]

'Canuchistan Slam', a down vote, an Islamic nation would not allow wine, so . . .

Cherry Berry Jubilee (all I could think of!)

Although not, jubilee refers to a long anniversary celebration, 25-35 years.

Cherry Berry Smash!

 

[KCCam]

'Canuchistan Slam', a down vote, an Islamic nation would not allow wine, so . . .

Cherry Berry Jubilee (all I could think of!)

Although not, jubilee refers to a long anniversary celebration, 25-35 years.

Cherry Berry Smash!

Not bad.

I was thinking maybe Cherry Baby? But doesn't go with the Dragon theme.
Cherry Bomb? Kinda like that one.

Or considering the price per bottle (in Canadian $), unrelated to cherry, a play on words:
50 Cent Peace?

 

[Aeludor]

Not bad.

I was thinking maybe Cherry Baby? But doesn't go with the Dragon theme.
Cherry Bomb? Kinda like that one.

Or considering the price per bottle (in Canadian $), unrelated to cherry, a play on words:
50 Cent Peace?

What about calling it M80 (going with the cherry bomb theme)

 

[Digger]

Bottled my first batch a couple weeks ago. Came out crystal clear after using a vinbrite filter. Drank/gave away prob 18 bottles of 30 so far. Went to get some out last night and every bottle looks like this now. None of the others had this problem. All stored on their side in a closet. Any ideas?

 

[KCCam]

Bottled my first batch a couple weeks ago. Came out crystal clear after using a vinbrite filter. Drank/gave away prob 18 bottles of 30 so far. Went to get some out last night and every bottle looks like this now. None of the others had this problem. All stored on their side in a closet. Any ideas?

Hard to see in the picture, but is it just cloudy, or is there stuff floating in the wine? Could it be fermenting? All of yours are like that, so have you checked any of the bottles you gave out? What was your final SG? Was it stable? Did you use the proper dose of sorbate?

 

[Digger]

Stuff floating. I checked every bottle we opened and gave out and nothing like this. The ending SG was .992 and we backsweetened and waited 3 weeks before bottling. No sign of fermentation before bottling. I did use sorbate according to the instructions.

 

[KCCam]

Stuff floating. I checked every bottle we opened and gave out and nothing like this. The ending SF was .992 and we backsweetened and waited 3 weeks before bottling. No sign of fermentation before bottling. I did use sorbate according to the instructions.

Hopefully someone here has seen that before. Did you use a clearing agent? Which one? I’ve read Sparkaloid can cause “whispy” sediment after bottling. So it doesn’t taste fizzy or sharp on the tongue? Your process seems right on. You added sorbate before or with the sugar, right? Not 3 weeks after when bottling?

 

[Digger]

I did use sparkolloid. Not fizzy or sharp tasting. I added sorbate before the sugar. I let it clear after adding sorbate for a couple weeks before back sweetening

 

[Digger]

I also noticed it’s in my strawberry wine I bottled the same day. Any way it’s something from the corks? Strawberry is the same as In the first half of the bottles didn’t have it and it was perfect you clear fit a month before bottling. Used wine conditioner to back sweeten it. Used sugar to back sweeten the DB

 

[KCCam]

@Digger, Do you use Campden tablets or powdered k-meta?

 

[Digger]

For the strawberry it was 5 campden tablets. In the DB it was powder