Dragon Port 2013

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dangerdave

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Ok, I'm experimenting with this as a port. If it works out right, I'll post it to the recipe section.

Here's what I'm doing to try and make a port style wine using a modified form of the Dragon Blood Recipe. I wanted to keep as true to the DB recipe as possible, while producing a full-bodied, heavily oak, tannin loaded, fruitful, sweet desert wine. So, here we go!

Date: 12/18/2013

DangerDave's Dragon Port : Ingredients for primary for thee gallons:
  • 18 lbs of Wyman's Frozen Triple Berry Blend (blackberry/raspberry/blueberry); kept frozen, then microwaved until warm, placed in three bags, juice and all added to primary
  • Two large bananas (including peel) sliced and placed in a bag
  • 20 oz of red raisins, pulsed in blender along with lemon juice (below), placed in mesh bag
  • 8 oz (one cup) of Realemon Juice, added to raisins in blender
  • 1 tsp bentonite
  • 2 tsp yeast nutrient
  • 1/2 tsp yeast energizer
  • 2 tsp pectic enzyme
  • 1/2 cup untoasted powdered oak
  • 4 lbs (8 cups) of sugar
  • Water up to three gallons; I only had to add about 1/2 gallon
  • SG = 1.130
I let this concoction sit for 24 hours, then pitched a packet of EC-1118 yeast. The yeast was rehydrated for 15 minutes in 1/2 cup of warm water with a tbsp or two of the must added in. The yeast went right at it! Signs of fermentation was observed in the primary the next morning.

Hope I'm doing this right! Any questions or concerns?:wy
 
Dave i think you have a winner there......
Ill do the same my next batch....
Also...i had a 3 gallon batch of db that was cleared.....just to test i added super kleer to it....and got about 1/2 of sediment, from as all ready clear wine.
 
Sounds really good Dave. Do you think you'll be OK with the level of acid using only a cup of lemon? I guess you can always add more later, but you can't take it out. :D
 
Good question, Jim! I plan to add a good dose of tannic acid in the secondary, so I decided to ease up on the lemon juice up front. I'll have a year to taste it out along the way.

I know some of you already seen it, but here's the label...

Dragon_Port.jpg
 
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I would add a cup of mft chips to primary. What numbers are you getting? You have to watch your acid. I would think 3.4 to 3.5 would be best. Are you going to stop or take to dry then backsweeten?
 
I'm going to let it ferment down to SG = 1.050 (12.4 brix), then add sugar to increase by SG 0.010 (to 1.060 = 14.7 brix). Calculations say to add about 10oz of sugar for this. The original SG would give me about 17% ABV, so I'm going to chaptalize twice during fermentation with 10oz of sugar and a dab nutrient/energizer to keep things going. That should get me up near 20%, right at the EC-1118 limit. I want to see where the SG stabilizes.

It's all very interesting! I like learning new wine making techniques! :sm
 
i hope he stops it and not adds sugar are flavor, resulting in a better port.
please please please....


do what you want dave...it is your recipe..
 
That means I need brandy/everclear/vodka/whatever, correct? I was hoping not to have to add any, but that seems to be the best way to stop it at around 1.010 (like my DB). Is there another choice? The kits always say to ferment dry, stabilize, and then add the flavored f-pack at the end.

I could make a concentrate from some more berries and use that as an f-pack to enhance flavor, but that wouldn't be much different than halting fermentation, since that's what's in there already.

Hmmm....
 
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After a slight delay, I was able to catch the Dragon Port at about 1.010, and rack it with some blackberry brandy. It's now going to sit quietly while I watch it. Port is sooooo boring! :re
 
I never have to add any sugar are back flavoring with my ports..
how does it taste with the blackberry port....
 
I did get the port racked again, after I got my new 3 gallon carboy. I topped up with a little blueberry infused vodka I had on hand. I also added some tannin after tasting. I want this wine to be broad on the pallet.

It is tart and fruity and potent and oaky, slightly sweet. Now it's going to sit there for a few months and see how it comes around.
 
have you tasted it yet....im dying to know what you think...

Og original gravity
sg specific gravity
eg ending gravity...

i check before sure, at sugar, and after sugar.
 
James: "It is tart and fruity and potent and oaky, slightly sweet." I tasted it last night. It needs some time, definately. Since this is my first hand at home made port, my expectations are low.

Shawn: I check SG and temp. Did you have other numbers in mind? If you're wondering about acid level, no, I do not check those. I need to save up some cash for a decent tester, so I'm more of a taster than a tester for now. It's how I learned to make wine.

I started with an SG of 1.130. It fermented without a brew belt at about 64F-68F. When it got down to around 1.020, I added two pounds of sugar, which got it back up to about 1.060, then I hit it with the blackberry brandy at 1.010. That gave it a nice hint of sweeteness.

I'm more of an artist that a chemist, so aside from the SG, I really kinda wing it on taste. It seems to have worked so far. :i
 
dave i will give you my reciepe for a concord port, if you will follow it...
no bananas,raising,choroform,bells are whistles....it is every bit as good as some of my vintage ports that i buy.

I think it will not only impress you, but you will make more.....
 
I'd love to try it, James. PM it to me. I promise to follow your recipe to the tee...the first time.
 
dave i will give you my reciepe for a concord port, if you will follow it...
no bananas,raising,choroform,bells are whistles....it is every bit as good as some of my vintage ports that i buy.

I think it will not only impress you, but you will make more.....

I wouldn't mind trying this recipe.....
 
Me three! I have concords galore at my place would follow to the t as well :)
 

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