DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[cdevrard]

Well my first batch of DB is in 2ndary now I got 5.5 Gal out of six original. The rest went down the drain with the gross lees. In the .5 gal bottle I can already see the sediment dropping out like crazy. I used Super Kleer as it is what I had on hand.

The other pic is just my "bulk aging supply" at the time. There is 4gal +1.5L of Peach Pear, 4.5 Gal of Plum (middle) and the 5.5 Gal of DB on the right. Yay!

 

[bkisel]

Congrats. Nice clear pics.

You used clearing agent in secondary?

 

[calvin]

Last night I added superkleer to my 12 gallons. It was crystal clear this morning. That stuff is amazing!

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Like other people of late, I am having problems getting my Concord Grape DB to clear. It's been 11 days and there has been very little clearing. I have added tannins (I didn't use any to begin with) and extra pectic enzyme. I even moved the carboy into a warmer location in the house thinking my 60 degree bedroom might be a bit chilly for clearing but still nothing. Just debating whether to wait a few more days or to give it another dose of SuperKleer today.

Decided to go ahead and do a second dose of SuperKleer and it is now clearing beautifully...yay!

 

[dangerdave]

...I tried it then began frantically looking around at my freshly bottled blood. Good God it's like some sort of ambrosia of the Gods! It is by far the greatest wine I have ever tasted in my life. And I made it! So first of all wow THANKS DAVE! Secondly damn it Dave now I never want to make any other wine and I want to drink everything and give none away for Christmas. So if no one gets Christmas gifts that is on YOUR shoulders Dave.
And of course I didn't listen when everyone said get your second kit started as soon as the first is in the secondary. Alas I know what I am doing tonight.

Hah! Now that's a great story! Another conversion! I am very sorry, Jocelyn. Maybe I should give more of a warning. I'm so glad it came out good, though. I'm proud of you! You made it!

Now, make some more! I now ferment most of my original DB in my 32 gallon Brute trash can---at about 18 gallons at a time. It's really not much more work than making one batch vs. three. I just triple everything but the yeast, which only takes one packet. Making a triple batch gives me a break in between, or else I'd be making it constantly.

Great job, everyone! I love the stories, pics, and updates. Don't stop! The world needs more Dragon Blood!

 

[beano]

I know ya'll are probobly tired of me by now, so just one last pic (or two) and I'll quit. In 48 hrs., more or less, the SG has gone from 1.110 down to 1.065. Still sound like I'm cooking fried food back there. Smells and tastes good. Back of the house is filled with yeast goodness and aroma.

Beano Joe

 

[MrsJones]

I know ya'll are probobly tired of me by now, so just one last pic (or two) and I'll quit. In 48 hrs., more or less, the SG has gone from 1.110 down to 1.065. Still sound like I'm cooking fried food back there. Smells and tastes good. Back of the house is filled with yeast goodness and aroma.



Beano Joe

It's such a fun fermentation!

 

[knifemaker]

Watching a ferment like that is like staring into a campfire, I just love it! Dale.

 

[bkisel]

Fifth batch was started yesterday. Pitched yeast this AM at about 10:45. Just up from the basement and at 7:15PM the batch is starting to cook.

A bit of indecision as the temp, using a brew belt, is at 78F and trying to decide whether to keep the belt on tonight or unplug the belt and cover the bucket with towels and let the fermentation determine the temp. Basement is at about 65F.

 

[cdevrard]

Yeah, I added the super kleer just prior to going into the secondary. I fermented dry in the bucket, racked off gross lees, degassed and added the clearing agent. Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?

CE

Congrats. Nice clear pics.

You used clearing agent in secondary?

 

[Ctmaro]

So I've been reading through pages of Dave's Dragon's Blood, and haven't found a straight raspberry version. I am thinking about it, but am worried about the acid in raspberries. I'm not sure how much lemon to start with. It will be a little spendy, but well worth the $6/ bottle price.

 

[bkisel]

Yeah, I added the super kleer just prior to going into the secondary. I fermented dry in the bucket, racked off gross lees, degassed and added the clearing agent. Isn't that what I'm supposed to do?

CE

Yes, that is what you're supposed to do and that is what I also do. I see now that our understanding of "secondary" is different. With regards to the DB recipe I understand secondary as the fermentation taking place between when the fruit is removed at SG 1.000 and the wine goes dry at a SG lower than the 1.000. What you describe next is, to my understanding, not secondary but the start of another phase(s) i.e stabilizing, degassing and clearing.

 

[MrsJones]

What do you think of my draft dragon Blood label?

 

[bkisel]

I like it a lot. Being picky... I would round the ABV to the nearest whole number.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

I agree with Bill about rounding your ABV. I do take it out one decimal point on beer but my wines I round to the nearest whole number. But hey, it's your label...you get to do what you want

 

[MrsJones]

Thank you both for the suggestions!

 

[calvin]

Personally I round to the .5. Say 12.5 or 10.5. But I almost completely gave up on labels. Now it's a piece of masking tape. Time is precious.

 

[MrsJones]

Personally I round to the .5. Say 12.5 or 10.5. But I almost completely gave up on labels. Now it's a piece of masking tape. Time is precious.

Thanks for the tip! I just want to label a dozen or so as gifts I don't think I'll get into labeling everything either.

 

[CheerfulHeart]

Love the label! That purple dragon is adorable! Did you draw it?

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

I enjoy the labeling process almost as much as making the wine. Designing the label gives me the opportunity to be creative and, this may sound silly, but I feel like I get to know the "character" of my wine in the process of finding just the right picture and putting it all together. It can be labor intensive and gluing on the labels can be tedious but I just feel that a wine as lovely as a Dragon Blood variety looks (that beautiful color and clarity!) needs a presentation as special as it is. A display of bottles, all labeled and capsuled, brings me a sense of pride and a lot of happiness...topped only by opening a bottle, pouring a glass, and taking a sip...lol.