# Someone please explain Dragons Blood



## dburling (Oct 12, 2013)

Having been on the forum for about 5 months now, I have seen numerous posts about DB. While I am intrigued and honestly thinking about making a batch, I have some concerns. 

What is the flavor profile like? From the recipe, i figure it is something along the lines of a Boones Farm wine. Am i correct?

i mainly drink red wine so should i even consider this ?recipe,am thinking


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## GreginND (Oct 12, 2013)

Actually, I think it's better than Boone's Farm. It is refreshing. Kind of a fruity adult lemonade. Definitely not a serious red wine. But it has its place.


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## WI_Wino (Oct 12, 2013)

Think a fruity tom collins out by the pool. Not to drink with a hearty Italian meal or steak IMO.


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## CBell (Oct 12, 2013)

It's cheap, light-bodied, fruity, unpretentious. 

It is not a big red, not sophisticated, and does not taste like a traditional wine.


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## dangerdave (Oct 13, 2013)

Ditto on all of the above! Women universally love it! It won a silver medal at the 39th Annual Craftmasters of LA Amateur Wine Competeion last year (mainly becasue two of the three judges were women!).

Call it a cheap silver medal wine to drink while your gold medal wines are aging.


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## dburling (Oct 13, 2013)

Thanks folks! I guess I will give it a shot and see if I can impress my wife. Lol


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## bambiying (Oct 13, 2013)

Just beware, you might not like it right away. I found it's better if it ages a little, even if just a month or so. I didn't like it at first, but I'm finding myself addicted to it now. I'm down to my last bottle, and I'm craving it, but don't want to drink it yet. I just bought a new carboy today, so I might need to start a new batch.


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## Elmer (Oct 13, 2013)

If you make an entire batch and don't like it, even after aging I will gladly drink it for you!


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## wineforfun (Oct 13, 2013)

dburling said:


> Thanks folks! I guess I will give it a shot and see if I can impress my wife. Lol



Just remember that if you are hoping or wanting a merlot or cab like wine, this is not it. I like the heavy reds, and I like dragon blood too. It is a different type. I usually tell people it is similar to a wine cooler on steroids(higher alcohol than wine cooler). The beauty of it is you can do so much with it. There are endless variations that can be made.
And like was said earlier, give it a month or two in the bottle and it is completely different than when bottled.


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## Crown_King_Robb (Oct 13, 2013)

bambiying said:


> Just beware, you might not like it right away. I found it's better if it ages a little, even if just a month or so. I didn't like it at first, but I'm finding myself addicted to it now. I'm down to my last bottle, and I'm craving it, but don't want to drink it yet. I just bought a new carboy today, so I might need to start a new batch.



We just had this experience last night. 1 month ago at about 3 months of age, it was tart and too much berry flavor and I was going to dilute it, I just wasn't happy. I had altered Dave's recipe so I was paranoid to begin with. Had folks over last night, tried it again and we drank 2 liters of it. Hard to believe it was the same stuff. 

We had 4 or 5 bottles of other wine open and the comment was made that db was different but just as good as anything else we were drinking.


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## Tess (Oct 15, 2013)

I will be starting a new batch this week. My family loves it male and female. 
Im only doing higher end kits and DB from here on out. I like mine after a couple month in the bottle myself! Hard to describe it but its definitely better then boons farm!! OR any of the store bought cheap fruity wines!!


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## Floandgary (Oct 16, 2013)

I have tasted DD's DB and it compliments his label. Good stuff and easy to enjoy anytime.. Go for it!


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## jamesngalveston (Oct 16, 2013)

for me its like a fruity kind of white zin, are a fruity blush.
excellent with fruit in the glass, and ice cold.
If not for me finding the DB recipe, I would not have made so much and so many wines.
Word of Caution,Caution,Caution............and mor caution.
If you wait for about a month...and try it.
You will make more>>>>period>>>>> lots more.


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## Tess (Oct 18, 2013)

Agreed! I doubt boonsfarms drinkers would even be here to be honest!


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## wpt-me (Oct 18, 2013)

@ Tess

I don't know about Boones Farm, but drank many a bottle of
Rippple (pagan pink). lol

Bill


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## Tess (Oct 20, 2013)

I have to disagree that it does not go with a steak. My Black And Blue version is perfect with a good steak!


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## Arne (Oct 21, 2013)

wpt-me said:


> @ Tess
> 
> I don't know about Boones Farm, but drank many a bottle of
> Rippple (pagan pink). lol
> ...


 
Been a looooong time since I even thought of Ripple. LOL, Arne.


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## jamesngalveston (Oct 21, 2013)

ripple...do you remember sloe gin....it was great when i was 16...it was like 1.40 a pint...was alcohol syrup...lol


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## Elmer (Oct 21, 2013)

Tess said:


> I will be starting a new batch this week. My family loves it male and female.
> Im only doing higher end kits and DB from here on out. I like mine after a couple month in the bottle myself! Hard to describe it but its definitely better then boons farm!! OR any of the store bought cheap fruity wines!!



Tess,
I am doing the exact same thing.
High ends and DB/SP
My Cellar is going to have the extremes of the spectrum, classy high end stuff and inexpensive lemon/berry stuff.

As far as Boones goes, I drank it when I was younger, because the women always liked it.
I can remember in college we would chug the stuff (because we could). Boones was slightly flavored alcohol water!

Once I got older I no longer had a use for it.


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## Tess (Oct 21, 2013)

wpt-me said:


> @ Tess
> 
> I don't know about Boones Farm, but drank many a bottle of
> Rippple (pagan pink). lol
> ...



lol well this is better then that


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## dburling (Nov 5, 2013)

I finally have all supplies on hand to start my first batch. I am off tomorrow so I will get everything going then. I have the triple berry thawing in a covered bowl that I sanitized beforehand. Does anyone see a problem with letting this sit at room temp overnight? My thought is that this will help get the batch warmed up to fermentation temp much quicker. Thoughts?


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 5, 2013)

it would be better sitting n a little water with some pectin enzyme.
which breaks down the fruit.
follow the recipe....


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## dburling (Nov 5, 2013)

Thanks James!


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## iVivid (Nov 5, 2013)

Batch No. 1 is bottled and a third consumed (lol).
Batch No. 2 just racked from Primary to Secondary.
Batch No. 3 required!


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## Rodnboro (Nov 6, 2013)

I've been making wine about 2 years and decided to try some about a month ago. I cut back just a little on the lemon juice and followed the recipe on the rest. Mine tastes great. It has just a hint of lemon taste with a "creamy" fruity taste. It's about 10% abv. It'll sneak up on you fast.


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## Medic8106 (Nov 6, 2013)

I am interested in making a batch of this too, however I have a few questions...

The recipe is for 6 gallons. I only have 6.5 gallon carboys to use. Would I be ok just following the 6 gallon recipe not worrying about the extra head space at the top since it will not be sitting for very long in the carboy or should I just add some extra water to the recipe to get it closer to the top?

Is this bottled in standard wine bottles after completion?

I first have to get a larger primary as my primary is only 5 gallons.


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## wineforfun (Nov 6, 2013)

Medic8106 said:


> I am interested in making a batch of this too, however I have a few questions...
> 
> The recipe is for 6 gallons. I only have 6.5 gallon carboys to use. Would I be ok just following the 6 gallon recipe not worrying about the extra head space at the top since it will not be sitting for very long in the carboy or should I just add some extra water to the recipe to get it closer to the top?
> 
> ...




I would add a little extra fruit and water to make up the difference.

Yes, you can use standard wine bottles or any other type of wine bottle. Some people bottle them in 375ml bottles. 

No. You can cut the recipe back to 3 (1/2 of everything recommended)or 4 (2/3 of everything recommended)gallons if that is all you have for a primary.

Good luck and welcome to the club.


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 6, 2013)

I would go buy a brute trash can from home depot, there food safe.
then i would add doulbe the fruit, 
i would cut back on the lemon, to just 1/2...per recipe...this is just my opinion.....

the tricky part: if you add the fruit then the water, then the sugar you will have lots more then 6.5 gallons.


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## Medic8106 (Nov 6, 2013)

Yeah, I think I am going to buy one of those brute trash cans at Home Depot which are 10 gallons then I'll be good to go. I'll add some extra fruit and water to fill my 6.5 carboy.

Jame - Are you saying for the six gallon recipe to cut back the lemon to (1) 48 oz bottle? 

Thanks for the help!


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 6, 2013)

yes.... cut back the lemon...u have to remember this was daves early recipe, he has changed it somewhat..


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## reefman (Nov 8, 2013)

What is Dave's updated recipe?? 
I was searching for it earlier, and only found the old version.


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## dangerdave (Nov 8, 2013)

I'm going to get a current recipe up on the site later today. Stand by!


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## reefman (Nov 8, 2013)

thanks Dave, I was hoping you were following this thread.


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## JEmesPA (Nov 9, 2013)

dangerdave said:


> I'm going to get a current recipe up on the site later today. Stand by!



Did you get a chance to put one together Dave?
I'm looking for gallon recipe that's not to lemony....


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## jamesngalveston (Nov 9, 2013)

yes he did, here is the link

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f2/dangerdaves-dragon-blood-wine-41825/index2.html#post465826


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## dangerdave (Nov 11, 2013)

Thank you, James. DB fans assemble at the above thread. We'll discuss our obsession there!


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## dburling (Jan 26, 2014)

Alright, I get it now! I bottled my first batch of Dragons blood 2 weeks ago. Opened the first bottle tonight. Very nice surprise! My wife who is a red wine snob couldn't stop drinking it and commented that she thought it would be a great wine for summertime and vacation at the beach. 

I'm converted and so is my wife. I see a second batch in the works very soon! Thanks Danger Dave!


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## ckvchestnut (Jan 26, 2014)

JEmesPA said:


> Did you get a chance to put one together Dave?
> I'm looking for gallon recipe that's not to lemony....



Hi there... for what it's worth, I don't like some things too lemony either and if you follow Dave's recipe to a t but use 40oz it will be fine... at least it is to me... the lemon really doesn't have a flavor after the ferment at this amount.


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## olusteebus (Jan 27, 2014)

I had some concord grape concentrate/blackberry jam SP and it was pretty bad about a month after bottling. Tried it tonight and it is very good.


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## ckvchestnut (Jan 27, 2014)

Hmmm sounds good! Endless combination possibilities!


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## bkisel (Jan 27, 2014)

I've got a kit in the wings, getting ready to start in a few days, and am thinking after that try making DB. It would be my first non-kit wine making experience.

Now please don't hate me for this but is there a more descriptive/less gross name to give this wine? Triple berry something or other? To me the name is cool but I wouldn't want to turn anyone off by referring to it as Dragon's Blood.

Thanx...


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## ckvchestnut (Jan 27, 2014)

To vary things up a bit il also calling mine berry fusion I have a cosmopolitan type label for it.


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## grapeman (Jan 27, 2014)

Just for the heck of it, I googled dran's blood and one link was to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon's_blood
and now you know all about Dragon's Blood LOL

Here is an excerpt
In American Hoodoo, African-American folk magic, and New Orleans voodoo, it is used in mojo hands for money-drawing or love-drawing, and is used as incense to cleanse a space of negative entities or influences. It is also added to red ink to make "Dragon's Blood Ink", which is used to inscribe magical seals and talismans.[5]
In folk medicine, dragon's blood is used externally as a wash to promote healing of wounds and to stop bleeding. It is used internally for chest pains, post-partum bleeding, internal traumas and menstrual irregularities.[5]
In neopagan Witchcraft, it is used to increase the potency of spells for protection, love, banishing and sexuality. In New Age shamanism it is used in ceremonies in a similar way as the neopagans use it.[_citation needed_]
Dragon's blood incense is also occasionally sold as "red rock opium" to unsuspecting would-be drug buyers. It actually contains no opiates, and has only slight psychoactive effects, if any at all.[6]


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## dangerdave (Jan 28, 2014)

Awesome, Grapeman! Thanks for that info. That was one of the reasons I called it "Dragon Blood" instead of Dragon*'s* Blood. Trying to avoid confusion.


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## dangerdave (Jan 28, 2014)

dburling said:


> Alright, I get it now! I bottled my first batch of Dragons blood 2 weeks ago. Opened the first bottle tonight. Very nice surprise! My wife who is a red wine snob couldn't stop drinking it and commented that she thought it would be a great wine for summertime and vacation at the beach.
> 
> I'm converted and so is my wife. I see a second batch in the works very soon! Thanks Danger Dave!


 
Very good! Another convert! Welcome to the obsession. Some day, we'll have tee shirts.


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## reefman (Jan 28, 2014)

bkisel said:


> I've got a kit in the wings, getting ready to start in a few days, and am thinking after that try making DB. It would be my first non-kit wine making experience.
> 
> Now please don't hate me for this but is there a more descriptive/less gross name to give this wine? Triple berry something or other? To me the name is cool but I wouldn't want to turn anyone off by referring to it as Dragon's Blood.
> 
> Thanx...



well, you could go back to it's origin. It evolved from Lon's "Skeeter Pee" into Dave's Dragon blood.
You could call it Triple berry Skeeter Pee.


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## dangerdave (Jan 28, 2014)

Doug is absolutely right. Lon's recipe was a big inspiration for the DB recipe. I give him all the credit he deserves.


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