DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[bkisel]

Started mine this past week used lavlin 71b. Looking forward to bottling and tasting. Is this good dry or is it only good as a semi sweet? Wife likes sweet to semi and I like dry.

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Let me see. What would I do? Wife likes it sweet and I like it dry. Wait, don't rush me. I'm thinking. I''m thinking. I'm th...

 

[ckvchestnut]

jkrug - Split your batch! Rosa - I never feel the need to add an f-pack when I use 10 to 12lbs of fruit. Lots of flavour. Will have to get started on a new batch this weekend.


Carolyn

 

[sour_grapes]

Dang, nab-it! I left the bags of frozen fruit out to thaw on the kitchen counter while I went out for the evening with friends. The fruit thawed and leaked juice all over the place. I regret the loss of juice. Good thing my soapstone kitchen counters are bombproof.

 

[datcv]

Starting a batch of Raspberry Wine

6 x 12 = 72 oz Red Raspberries (4.5 lbs)
2 lbs of sugar
1/4 tsp Wine Tannin
1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
1 Campden Tablet
About 3/4 gallon of water (to 1.5 gallons total)
1 Cup of Passion Fruit Juice

I am going to pitch the yeast tomorrow after the campden tablet has done its job and I am trying decide on which type of yeast to use. I have on hand packets of

Pasteur Red
Pasteur Champagne
Cote des Blancs

Any suggestions?

 

[windshield_king]

My first batch of DB all bottled and in its new home,taste great. followed the recipe to the tee,now to have some fun!

 

[bkisel]

My first batch of DB all bottled and in its new home,taste great. followed the recipe to the tee,now to have some fun!

Looks great. Did you age your DB at all or straight from cleared to bottle to drinking?

Thanx...

 

[windshield_king]

I bulked aged for 3 weeks

 

[bkisel]

Just back from Super Stop & Shop where I bought sugar, spring water and lemon juice. There was no 48 oz RealLemon on the shelf. I bought a 32 oz and a 15 oz of the store brand. Both brands are labeled "100% Lemon Juice" BUT also say "FROM CONCENTRATE WITH ADDED INGREDIENTS"! Added ingredients are SODIUM BISULFATE (PRESERVATIVE), SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE) and LEMON OIL. Am I okay with this stuff or do I need to bring it back and try to get the lemon juice from maybe a health food store?

Thanx...[ Looking to start my DB tomorrow if the lemon juice is okay to use.]

 

[PoppaCork]

My first batch of DB all bottled and in its new home,taste great. followed the recipe to the tee,now to have some fun!

Congrat's on your first batch of DB. But it is not time to relax just yet, you need to start another batch now, this stuff don't last...

Nice wine rack too!

 

[ckvchestnut]

Looks great. Did you age your DB at all or straight from cleared to bottle to drinking?



Thanx...

Yes you're fine. That's what everyone uses and that's why you have to wait 24 hours after adding the lemon juice and frozen fruit or concentrates end fire adding you yeast. It's hens mentally as having to wait after using k-meta for wild fruit and then waiting 24 Hrs for it to dissipate before adding yeast.

That said, I just started a new modified dragonette version today. I was dismayed that they were all out of my quad berry fruit, but I had 1 full bag in the freezer. So I bought 1 bag of blueberries and 1 bag of strawberries instead to go in it.

My question is since Dragonette calls for acid blend instead of lemon juice with sulfites, can I pitch my yeast same day?? I looked all over each bag of fruit and it says nowhere anything about sulfites. Only ingredients are the fruit. Aren't there laws that state that sulfites must be claimed on food labels if used?? So this should mean there aren't any and I would be safe to do it? Or should the pectic enzyme really have that head start on the fruit? I was just curious how Dragonette would taste vs traditional.


Carolyn

 

[ckvchestnut]

My last post was meant for bkisel's post on the lemon juice!


Carolyn

 

[bkisel]

My last post was meant for bkisel's post on the lemon juice!


Carolyn

Thank you so much for the explanation. You'd think that after 13 months of doing this I'd know it all.

I'm excited about starting this, my first, non-kit wine. I did a racking of my last batch tonight that was actually scheduled for tomorrow so that I could clear the decks and be able to concentrate on starting the DB.

 

[bkisel]

20 cups of sugar...

Domino® Granulated Sugar

5 lbs. ------------- 11 1/2 cups

So if the chart is right and my math is right I take 3 cups out of the 10 pound bag of sugar I bought and that will leave me 20 cups called for in step 1 of the DB recipe, right?

[Yes, I know, a I'm asking for a little to much hand holding but having only done kits up to this point I'm just a bit anxious to get this DB done correctly.]

Thanx...

 

[ckvchestnut]

Have you measured out 5lbs to determine this? I put 4 - 2kg bags of sugar in mine which is 6.5gals and the SG reading came to 1.084 I like mine a bit more abv than the called for sugar makes. My last batch I made was too heavy on the sugar at 34 cups or 4 1/4 - 2kg bags.

No worries on the hand holding! I asked so many questions myself I must have annoyed some people! Lol


Carolyn

 

[ckvchestnut]

Just measure out your sugar in a 4 cup measuring cup. Put 5 of those in, stir thoroughly and check your SG... Check if that SG reading will give you the final abv you're looking for and of not add more in 2 - 4 cup amounts at a time. Until you have the SG you're looking for.


Carolyn

 

[Rosa321]

jkrug - Split your batch! Rosa - I never feel the need to add an f-pack when I use 10 to 12lbs of fruit. Lots of flavour. Will have to get started on a new batch this weekend.


Carolyn

Thanks Carolyn!

I think next time I will double the fruit up front.....I like stronger fruit flavor.
But all in all......not bad for a first run through!

 

[ckvchestnut]

No problem! I've read many posts from Dave and other DB makers that the fruit flavour comes forward again after a few months in the bottle so all is not lost! Try it again in a few months and see what you think!


Carolyn

 

[Winenoob66]

SODIUM BISULFATE (PRESERVATIVE), SODIUM BENZOATE is bad especially the SODIUM BENZOATE. If you haven't started this yet I would try to replace that lemon juice. If you have already started it, I hope it works out for you ok

 

[ckvchestnut]

Yes it's a preservative but it's the only kind I can get in my stores... I don't have access to organic lemons or juice out here too often. But that said if you're only worried about whether it works or not - it does! I also don't see how it's any worse than sulfiting your wine...


Carolyn

 

[bkisel]

SODIUM BISULFATE (PRESERVATIVE), SODIUM BENZOATE is bad especially the SODIUM BENZOATE. If you haven't started this yet I would try to replace that lemon juice. If you have already started it, I hope it works out for you ok

Crap! I was going to finish this cup of coffee I'm drinking and then starting the DB. Are you saying that the RealLemon has different preservatives that are not an issue for making DB?

I read Carolyn's response as it being okay to use, that the wait before pitching the yeast is what makes it viable.

HELP!