DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[gaboy]

Dana355,

This sound like an omen. You should make the sacrifice and drink it.
On the other hand, it may have had some residual sugar and wasn't quite finished. Or not gassed off good. I always leave my bottled wine to stand upright for several days to let the gasses escape in case I didn't do a good job de-gassing.
Maybe someone else will gesture a guess?

Beano Joe

I assume that is CORKED for the several days? (New to This!)

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Just had a bottle pop the cork off bottled 4 weeks ago first time this has happened.

I think I would visually check all bottles from that same batch and then open at least one bottle to see if the wine has any fizz or whether there was some pressure/escaping gas. I would want to see if this was a fluke or whether you need to take some preventative action to make sure you don't have more bottles popping their corks.

 

[Dana355]

Thanks everyone

 

[dangerdave]

Bottle bombs suck! To avoid them, make sure you have fesh sorbate (less than a year old). Make sure you degass very thoroughly. Make sure the wine is completely clear. Filter!

I use a Vinbrite filter, and I have not had a bottle bomb (knock, knock!) since I started filtering. The Vinbrite is relatively cheap, and very easy to setup and use. It really makes your wine shine, and gets the last of any stray yeasties out of there.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

I don't know if you all remember back to my Concord Grape DB version, but it was one that gave me problems clearing even after 2 doses of SuperKleer. Well, it has turned out to be my husband's and my brother's favorite batch and one that I will definitely make again when I get my hands on some more grapes. My only problem....last night I noticed that it has dropped a lot of sediment in the bottle, even though I thought I had finally gotten it clear before I bottled. What do you all suggest, just pour carefully? I have heard of some people rebottling but I would imagine that comes with a risk of infection or oxygenation.

 

[wineforfun]

I don't know if you all remember back to my Concord Grape DB version, but it was one that gave me problems clearing even after 2 doses of SuperKleer. Well, it has turned out to be my husband's and my brother's favorite batch and one that I will definitely make again when I get my hands on some more grapes. My only problem....last night I noticed that it has dropped a lot of sediment in the bottle, even though I thought I had finally gotten it clear before I bottled. What do you all suggest, just pour carefully? I have heard of some people rebottling but I would imagine that comes with a risk of infection or oxygenation.

If the taste is to your liking then just pour carefully. Interesting to hear as SuperKleer usually takes care of all the sediment.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

If the taste is to your liking then just pour carefully. Interesting to hear as SuperKleer usually takes care of all the sediment.

I have had two batches so far where SuperKleer just hasn't done the trick...at least not quickly or well. The first was this concord grape and the second is a plum version I have waiting to clear right now. I am seriously considering adding bentonite to everything other than berry versions in the future...or maybe giving Sparkalloid a try.

 

[bosco500]

I have had two batches so far where SuperKleer just hasn't done the trick...at least not quickly or well. The first was this concord grape and the second is a plum version I have waiting to clear right now. I am seriously considering adding bentonite to everything other than berry versions in the future...or maybe giving Sparkalloid a try.

I had the same thing happen to a gallon of mead I made. I had 3 separate but similar gallons going at the same time. Added the same dose of superkleer (from the same packet) to all three gallons at the same time. All 3 of them were fairly clear to begin with. Two cleared up immediately, the other got very hazy and has been clearing for over a month now. I never figured it out but it definitely had something to do with the superkleer.

 

[RaymondoChin]

I'm getting ready to start a batch of peach DB. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to add my pectic enzyme to my frozen peaches in layers when I put them in a bucket to thaw. If so, how long should I wait to add the Kmeta ? Also as I understand it the Pectic is the only chem I cant really over do, so would it be a good idea to up the dose the recipe calls for on these peaches ? These are peaches I destoned, cut up and froze.
Thanks, Mark

 

[wineforfun]

I have had two batches so far where SuperKleer just hasn't done the trick...at least not quickly or well. The first was this concord grape and the second is a plum version I have waiting to clear right now. I am seriously considering adding bentonite to everything other than berry versions in the future...or maybe giving Sparkalloid a try.

That is funny because when I first started making DB and others(a couple years ago), all I used was Sparkalloid. It was leaving these "whispy" swirls of sediment. Wine was crystal clear when bottling, then this stuff would appear a month or so later. Once I switched to Superkleer, never had them again. It seems to compact the lees much tighter than Sparkalloid.
Keep me/us posted on how you solve your issue.

 

[bkisel]

I'm getting ready to start a batch of peach DB. I was wondering if it would be a good idea to add my pectic enzyme to my frozen peaches in layers when I put them in a bucket to thaw. If so, how long should I wait to add the Kmeta ? Also as I understand it the Pectic is the only chem I cant really over do, so would it be a good idea to up the dose the recipe calls for on these peaches ? These are peaches I destoned, cut up and froze.
Thanks, Mark

I've made a peach DB variation but spritzed with k-meta solution before freezing. Pectic enzyme was added as per DB recipe - day one with all the other stuff.

 

[RaymondoChin]

Thanks Bill. I just had it in my mind for some reason that some extra pectic would be good for peaches. Not sure why.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Thanks Bill. I just had it in my mind for some reason that some extra pectic would be good for peaches. Not sure why.

I think peaches, plums, and from what I recently discovered, concord grapes, could all maybe use an extra dose of pectic enzyme. From my experience, wines made with these fruits are slow to clear so adding a bit more pectic enzyme at the start might help in the long run.

 

[cmason1957]

I think peaches, plums, and from what I recently discovered, concord grapes, could all maybe use an extra dose of pectic enzyme. From my experience, wines made with these fruits are slow to clear so adding a bit more pectic enzyme at the start might help in the long run.

I think you can add pears and sometimes apples to that list as well.

 

[knifemaker]

I think you can add pears and sometimes apples to that list as well.

cmason, you've got that right! this fall was the first time I've ever had to pour out wine. I started with several buckets of winter pears, ground and pressed them into juice and started the fermentation. I came home from work the next day to find billowing clouds of slime oozing over the top of my fermentation buckets, and all over my kitchen floor. I've never seen this before, as i've never used winter pears, only bartletts. The winter pears must've had an unusually high level of pectin in them, as it all turned into a gel! having to dump 15 gallons of pear juice really made my day. Dale.

 

[RaymondoChin]

That's probably why I had the thought of extra pectic enzyme. We ran into the same thing with the concord I helped my wife make. We had a white swirly sediment drop out out after bottling. All though we did miss a racking. I was thinking maybe the peaches might do better with some extra. I think I will give it a try. Am I thinking right about holding off a day on adding my kmeta so as not to interfere with my enzymes or am I confusing that with bentonite ?
Mark

 

[RegarRenill]

Add the kmeta, wait 12 hrs, add pectic enzyme, way 12 more hrs and add yeast, nutrients, etc.

 

[bkisel]

Thanks Bill. I just had it in my mind for some reason that some extra pectic would be good for peaches. Not sure why.

I should add that for my peach (~14 lbs.) DB variation I did, for the first time making DB, use Bentonite in the primary. Might be the reason that the recipe amount of pectic worked for me while others need/needed more to get peaches to clear. I did in fact decide to use Bentonite because of folks like those above mentioned clearing challanges when using peaches and such.

 

[RaymondoChin]

Thanks again to everyone for your input
Mark

 

[gaboy]

I sweetened my initial DB last week and started to bottle it today. It is still too dry for my taste, so the question I have is: Can I resweeten it again before bottling, used sorbate before and if I sweeten again I would assume to sorbate it again?? Thanks for the help!!