dragon blood - first timer

[lccmo]

This is my first time making wine and I choose Dragon blood, Im wondering if I messed up something already. Day 1 I had SG 1.075 - which followed the direction, lastnight I added my yeast. this morning I checked it and no foam not change in SG. Is this normal or did I mess something up?

 

[Boatboy24]

It can take a day or two for the fermentation to kick off.

 

[lccmo]

OK thanks for the fast reply!

 

[freqflyer]

Make sure it's warm. 75 degrees or so.

 

[lccmo]

It was 73 when I checked it this morning

 

[homesteader26]

Good luck with it - next week I'm going to try making it - good luck - hope your fermentation kicks off.

 

[reefman]

ICCMO
How is it doing today?

 

[Elmer]

Wrap the bucket in a blanket and get it warm, then stir everything up.

If you go a few days and have nothing make a yeast starter.

Sometimes the lemon can make it difficult to start, also if any of your ingredients had sorbate that can slow it down

 

[lccmo]

It took off late yesterday.

 

[homesteader26]

How did it turn out? Are you enjoying it yet?

 

[lccmo]

It just hit the 1 week after bavksweetening and seems to have a very good flavor. It does seem a little cloudy compared to purchased wines. Is that normal.

 

[dangerdave]

Cloudy wine is never normal. Never bottle cloudy wine.

I will say it again. I'm on my 135th six gallon batch of wine. Every time I have had a wine that would not clear, it ended up being pectin haze. That is corrected with a 3 tsp dose (in six gallons) of pectic enzyme. This is also the most common reason for cloudy wine. And the enzyme will not effect the wine.

If it's still sitting on the lees from the clearing agent, rack it off the lees and hit it with some pectic enzyme (stirring well). It will be clear a about a week.

 

[homesteader26]

I am in the process of clearing my wine and appreciate the info on pectic enzyme if it doesn't clear! I have not back sweetened yet but so far it is looking clearer today (added clearing agent yesterday)

Hopefully soon we will both be sipping clear Dragonblood!

 

[lccmo]

I added pectic enzyme at the begging of the process, adding more wont hurt anything? Also how would I know its pectin haze?

 

[homesteader26]

I would try it seeings how the advice comes from the man who created the recipe! Good luck! Keep us posted