DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[JetJockey]

I agree adding more fruit gives fruitier taste. I've settled at 9# for 6 gal. Didn't try 12 because 9 was enough for my tastes. I also try to keep ABV higher, 13.5-14%. Just my preference.

 

[wineforfun]

Specs on my dragon blood batch:

Pitched 10/4; SG = 1.082 @ 74*F
Racked 10/13; SG = 0.990 @ 72*F

Used 1 pound berry blend per gallon ... 6 pounds total for my 6 gallon batch. Only deviation from original recipe was 1 cup less lemon; back sweetened with 3.75 cups of sugar.

Will work on determining what my abv is.

Looks good. Only change I have made over the years is to use 1.5# of fruit per gallon and finish with an ABV around 12.5-13%. At the 3 mo. mark the fruit really comes forward.
With those numbers your ABV should be approx. 11.8-12%, right on the money for most DB drinkers.

 

[chasemandingo]

I second the 1.5 # per gallon.....and if you like more body add 4-5 cans of welch's white grape to a 5 gallon batch. Just remember to adjust sugar accordingly. Those 11.5 oz cans have loads of sugar in them.

 

[HeadWatersWine]

Here is my version of tropical dragons blood in carboy. Degassed, sorbated and sulphated, ready to clear. Not sure I am going to add Sparkolloid or another version of such. Any comments?

 

[JSquared]

Here is my version of tropical dragons blood in carboy. Degassed, sorbated and sulphated, ready to clear. Not sure I am going to add Sparkolloid or another version of such. Any comments?

Yours looks pretty much like mine and I have added Super Kleer! Mine has been sitting for about 2 months now. I've even racked it again! I really wish it would clear! I'll follow any advise you get!

 

[Jericurl]

Yours looks pretty much like mine and I have added Super Kleer! Mine has been sitting for about 2 months now. I've even racked it again! I really wish it would clear! I'll follow any advise you get!

Is it cold where you are?
Do you have an area you could put the carboy where it gets fairly cold but won't freeze?
Maybe you could cold crash it that way and see if that aids in clearing it a bit.
If it still doesn't clear...don't sweat it. It's not made to be served in Buckingham palace!

 

[JSquared]

Is it cold where you are?

Do you have an area you could put the carboy where it gets fairly cold but won't freeze?

Maybe you could cold crash it that way and see if that aids in clearing it a bit.

If it still doesn't clear...don't sweat it. It's not made to be served in Buckingham palace!

Well, I live in South Carolina so cold isn't something we do well. It has been cool the last few nights. I'll move it into the garage tonight and see if that helps. It will get below 60 degrees in the garage tonight.

 

[willie]

Last Feb. I had a heck of a time getting a 6 gal. batch of Strawberry wine to clear and it was suggested to me that it may be Peptic Haze and to try adding 3 tsp. of Peptic Enzyme and by golly that did the trick. Cleared up in days.

Will

 

[JSquared]

Last Feb. I had a heck of a time getting a 6 gal. batch of Strawberry wine to clear and it was suggested to me that it may be Peptic Haze and to try adding 3 tsp. of Peptic Enzyme and by golly that did the trick. Cleared up in days.



Will

I actually added more pectic enzyme to it a while back hoping that was what it was. I now have it "chilling" in the garage. I'm hoping that will shock it enough to clear it. We shall see!

 

[Medic8106]

I had a bottle of the original dragon blood I made Jan 2014 and bottled March 2014 I tried tonight. Yuck! Slight vinegar taste, dumped in sink!

 

[wineforfun]

It's not made to be served in Buckingham palace!

haha
I knew I liked you.

 

[willie]

I had a bottle of the original dragon blood I made Jan 2014 and bottled March 2014 I tried tonight. Yuck! Slight vinegar taste, dumped in sink!

We drink or give away every batch of D.B. before they get no older than 6 months or so. Are experience is after 6 months the wine starts to loose some flavor. Didn't know that it could even get worse than just loose flavor. Thanks for the info.

Will

 

[Medic8106]

We drink or give away every batch of D.B. before they get no older than 6 months or so. Are experience is after 6 months the wine starts to loose some flavor. Didn't know that it could even get worse than just loose flavor. Thanks for the info.

Will

I intentionally left this go. I was going for the year mark but forgot about it. Found it hiding on the rack and tried it. No way it would get that old because it me not drinking it or giving it away.

 

[JSquared]

I finished my Christmas Spiced Dragon Blood! I am very pleased with the results and they are ready for gifting!

 

[WinoNick]

So I'm going to start my first dragons blood this weekend. Is the original triple berry recipe in the attached pdf the up to date recipe? Or is there an improved one? Saw a few people mention 1.5 lb fruit per gallon.
Thanks

 

[willie]

So I'm going to start my first dragons blood this weekend. Is the original triple berry recipe in the attached pdf the up to date recipe? Or is there an improved one? Saw a few people mention 1.5 lb fruit per gallon.
Thanks

The 1.5 per gal. or 9 lbs. for a 6 gal. batch is popular but Dave's original I believe calls for 6 lbs. for the 6 gal. batch because I believe it is a little milder on the stomach. It really is an excellent tasting wine. I make the 6 & 9 lb. batches. I would recommend starting with the original recipe and go from there. It really is a can't miss recipe if you go by each of Dave's steps exactly. Good luck.

Will

 

[WinoNick]

The 1.5 per gal. or 9 lbs. for a 6 gal. batch is popular but Dave's original I believe calls for 6 lbs. for the 6 gal. batch because I believe it is a little milder on the stomach. It really is an excellent tasting wine. I make the 6 & 9 lb. batches. I would recommend starting with the original recipe and go from there. It really is a can't miss recipe if you go by each of Dave's steps exactly. Good luck.

Will

Thanks Will.

I went searching for some of the triple berry blend. No one around me seems to carry it. I can buy individual bags of the berries though. Anyone know the approximate ratios of each?

 

[willie]

Thanks Will.

I went searching for some of the triple berry blend. No one around me seems to carry it. I can buy individual bags of the berries though. Anyone know the approximate ratios of each?

We find the Wyman's Triple Berry Blend at Wally World around here. The blend is red raspberries, blackberry's & blue berries. If you can find something similar at your local super even if is a quad berry blend it will work just fine. The size of the bags you want should be 3-4 lbs. The smaller 1lb. bags can be a little costly.

Will

 

[WinoNick]

Just started my first batch of DB using the original recipe but using 9 lbs instead of 6 lbs of berries. And it took a whole 10 lb bag of sugar, 21.5 cups.

The added berries raised the must really close to the top, within a couple inches. I ended up taking about a quart or 2 out after taking this picture...



Just I case...

 

[Jdub]

I have made 3 batches of Dragons Blood. The second is a cherry-berry blend with half cherries and half 4 berry mix. It has cleared and I just tasted it. The cherry didn't come thru as much as I wanted. I bought another bag of cherries and am going to let them soak in it for a week or two. I was wondering about technique. My 3rd batch is done with primary and coming out of the bucket tonight. I could put the cherry batch back in the bucket and add the fruit bag. Or I could just put the cherries in the carboy. If I add them straight to the carboy do I mush them up first? Should I puree them?
Thanks!