DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[TemperanceOwl]

I started my first batch of Dragon Blood last weekend, with a SG of 1.072, and it dropped below 1.000 yesterday. I removed the fruit (the triple berry blend plus fresh Florida strawberries that were on sale) as instructed, and last night the SG was 0.991 !! My hydrometer only goes to 0.990. How long can it go before the sugar is all used up and the yeast dies?? Tonight it seemed to still be a pinch above the 0.990 mark, so maybe it will level out here. It is VERY dry, as you can imagine.
I will add Dave's recommended 3/4 cup of sugar per gallon, and would like to add some concentrated juice back, as well. It really tasted awesome before the fermentation ever started!

 

[reefman]

You're ready to rack it off the lees, and put in in secondary with an air lock.
Stir really hard to degas now, (follow degas instructions).
Then add your clearing agent.
Personally I would let my batch stabilize for at least a week to clear before I add the potassium sorbate and then back sweeten.
Make sure it's degassed and clear before sweetening. I use frozen juice concentrate in mine as well. It adds some extra flavor.

 

[wineforfun]

Thanks, i'll take your word for it!
Can not wait to try it out.
Hey, i don't have tannin, is it really needed? I know it's to dry, and to add bitterness to the wine but can i go without it?

Yeah, you can go without it if you don't have it. Just pick some up next time you can.
I have made a bunch of DB and variations. You will like it if you liked berry-type wine. The one change I make to it is the starting SG. I always make mine 1.090-1.100. I like more ABV than the recipe calls for.
Also, I add k-meta and superkleer(clearing agent like sparklloid), then once clear, add the sorbate. I believe the instructions have you add it all at once.

I only make 2 gal. batches as I, like you, am one of the only one drinking it and 10 bottles will last me 3-4 months with everything else I make.

 

[wineforfun]

Ah, that sounds so good!!!! Haha! Looking at the reviews, who doesn't love this recipe!
How is the taste of this DB is it strong or is the type that varies on how much sugar you want to add?

Strong as in what? Flavor? If so, it will start out being semi-fruity for the first month or two then after about the thrid month the fruit really comes forward.

Strong as far as alcohol? If so, no, not as the recipe is written. At 1.075-1.080, it ends up around 9%-10% ABV. That is why I mentioned in my earlier post I raise the SG to 1.090-1.1.00 as mine ends up in the 13% ABV range.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

I'm planning to start Strawberry Tart next, I've read a lot of people are having clearing problems, any help and advise from those that didn't have clearing problems? That way I can follow the leader!

I read through the last few pages of the thread and don't see where anyone commented back JSquared. If I missed it, here is just another opinion....

I had read about the clearing issues with this version so I added some extra pectic enzyme before fermentation and I also added a product called Lallzyme C-Max. I did everything else per the recipe and my wine cleared within about a day of adding the SuperKleer. I couldn't be more pleased! I will be checking sweetness today and deciding whether to add more sugar and some extract per the recipie but I am hoping to filter and bottle this week and I just began the batch on about the 21st of March.

I think the good results I got were from the Lallzyme C-Max. It is kind of hard to find, but a Google search should bring it up for you. It takes less than 1/8 teaspoon for a 6 gallon batch so it goes a long ways!

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

I am going on 8 weeks with my strawberry tart in the carboy and still not clearing or clearing very very very slowly. I racked and ran thru a 5 micron filter on sunday with very little lees on the bottom, this is after hitting it with a 3rd dose of clearing agent ( 2 super-kleer, 1 sparkalloid) and extra enzyme 2 weeks ago, smells great and tastes ok , very aromatic just not clearing- hope it wakes up and drops a ton cuz it still looks like fruit punch , anyone with suggestions plz feel free

Any progress, Cheesehead? I had a wine that just wouldn't clear completely but within a few days of running it through the filter, it dropped a ton of sediment. Hoping you had the same result! Other than that, I don't have any advice to offer except waiting it out.

 

[willie]

Mentioned a few days ago about my Strawberry Tart being cloudy and today marks the 14th day sense 2nd rack that it was still cloudy not real bad but just not as clear as it should be so I added 3 tsp. of Pectic Enzyme in case it's pectic haze. So now we will continue to wait some more.

Will

 

[JSquared]

I read through the last few pages of the thread and don't see where anyone commented back JSquared. If I missed it, here is just another opinion....



I had read about the clearing issues with this version so I added some extra pectic enzyme before fermentation and I also added a product called Lallzyme C-Max. I did everything else per the recipe and my wine cleared within about a day of adding the SuperKleer. I couldn't be more pleased! I will be checking sweetness today and deciding whether to add more sugar and some extract per the recipie but I am hoping to filter and bottle this week and I just began the batch on about the 21st of March.



I think the good results I got were from the Lallzyme C-Max. It is kind of hard to find, but a Google search should bring it up for you. It takes less than 1/8 teaspoon for a 6 gallon batch so it goes a long ways!

Thanks for the info, I'm looking into buying Lallzyme CMax! Do you use Lallzyme C Max in all of your wines or just high pectin wines and those that appear hard to clear?

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Thanks for the info, I'm looking into buying Lallzyme CMax! Do you use Lallzyme C Max in all of your wines or just high pectin wines and those that appear hard to clear?

I think I may start adding it to all of my wines. It made a huge difference in clearing for a huckleberry-raspberry DB that I added it to as well, so I definitely feel like it is worth the small expense.

 

[ohchiz]

im brand new to wine but have some beer experience, just made this as my first wine batch last night using this recipe, but I also added a handful of some fresh strawberries (hoping to give it some extra fruit flavor since I saw several reviews of this saying people liked a little more fruit) which I had washed well then froze, and got to thinking about it; most other recipes I read usually have you add campden or kmeta with the intial fruit bag while letting it sit overnight, this recipe does not... is it because the frozen fruit has a lower microbe load from freezing so it is not needed with frozen fruit? are the extra fresh strawberries likely to cause problems since I didn't use kmeta?

I already pitched my yeast this morning too so im guessing it would be too late to add kmeta now without interfering with fermentation

 

[willie]

im brand new to wine but have some beer experience, just made this as my first wine batch last night using this recipe, but I also added a handful of some fresh strawberries (hoping to give it some extra fruit flavor since I saw several reviews of this saying people liked a little more fruit) which I had washed well then froze, and got to thinking about it; most other recipes I read usually have you add campden or kmeta with the intial fruit bag while letting it sit overnight, this recipe does not... is it because the frozen fruit has a lower microbe load from freezing so it is not needed with frozen fruit? are the extra fresh strawberries likely to cause problems since I didn't use kmeta?

I already pitched my yeast this morning too so im guessing it would be too late to add kmeta now without interfering with fermentation

I would not add kmeta to your wine. It could stall your ferment. Adding the extra fruit in the bag works just fine. I started another batch just yesterday and added another half a bag of the Wyman's Triple berry blend for a total weight of 7.5lbs. But the original 6lb recipe is just great without adding any extra. Welcome to the forum and good luck.

Will

 

[reefman]

im brand new to wine but have some beer experience, just made this as my first wine batch last night using this recipe, but I also added a handful of some fresh strawberries (hoping to give it some extra fruit flavor since I saw several reviews of this saying people liked a little more fruit) which I had washed well then froze, and got to thinking about it; most other recipes I read usually have you add campden or kmeta with the intial fruit bag while letting it sit overnight, this recipe does not... is it because the frozen fruit has a lower microbe load from freezing so it is not needed with frozen fruit? are the extra fresh strawberries likely to cause problems since I didn't use kmeta?

I already pitched my yeast this morning too so im guessing it would be too late to add kmeta now without interfering with fermentation

K-meta additions are typically to kill off wild yeasts so the yeast you add doesn't have to compete. Yeast is everywhere in this world.
My guess is you will be okay, since most wine yeast is cultured to take a leading role in fermentation.
As willie stated adding k-meta now may hinder your fermentation.

 

[ohchiz]

for future reference though if I make this recipe again is it better to add some kmeta before letting the fruit sit overnight or is there some factor in this particular recipe (e.g. the fruit is frozen and enough the microbes wont survive) that doesn't make it necessary?

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

for future reference though if I make this recipe again is it better to add some kmeta before letting the fruit sit overnight or is there some factor in this particular recipe (e.g. the fruit is frozen and enough the microbes wont survive) that doesn't make it necessary?

I have friends who "donate" homegrown fruit and I will use kmeta in those circumstances. Otherwise, if the fruit is store bought or if I have personally picked/cleaned/processed the fruit, I usually don't. I do think the lemon juice concentration probably helps to kill off the random yeasty as does freezing but there are times I would rather be safe than sorry.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Hi, guys. I have a quick question about degassing…

My batch settled out at in primary at 0.991, so I racked it over to a clean carboy tonight, and added the K-meta and potassium sorbate as instructed. The next step is to degas thoroughly, so I used my drill mounted degasser and stirred like crazy for 15 minutes straight. It never let up on the amount of gas coming up. After 15 minutes of that I put my AI1 vacuum pump splash rack bung and attachment in it, stuck my finger over the open end, and started pulling a vacuum on it. It foamed like crazy. In all I've probably run it another 20 minutes, with breaks in between to let it settle down and not overstress the pump. Is it normal for it to off-gas this much after fermentation is complete? (Is this a bad way to use the AI1?)

I have not yet added the Super-Kleer due to the admonition to make sure the wine is fully degassed beforehand. I've stuck an air lock on the top and am thinking of letting it sit overnight and pull vacuum on it again tomorrow night. Overkill? I've just never seen so much gas… There's no harm in letting it sit like that for a week or more before adding the Super-Kleer, is there?

Thanks everybody!! Your comments about this wine are so great, I can't wait to try it.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Oh, one observation to note, the gas is still coming up, but the bubbles are much bigger now. More like bubbles and less like foam.
- T.O.

 

[cmason1957]

Hi, guys. I have a quick question about degassing…

My batch settled out at in primary at 0.991, so I racked it over to a clean carboy tonight, and added the K-meta and potassium sorbate as instructed. The next step is to degas thoroughly, so I used my drill mounted degasser and stirred like crazy for 15 minutes straight. It never let up on the amount of gas coming up. After 15 minutes of that I put my AI1 vacuum pump splash rack bung and attachment in it, stuck my finger over the open end, and started pulling a vacuum on it. It foamed like crazy. In all I've probably run it another 20 minutes, with breaks in between to let it settle down and not overstress the pump. Is it normal for it to off-gas this much after fermentation is complete? (Is this a bad way to use the AI1?)

I have not yet added the Super-Kleer due to the admonition to make sure the wine is fully degassed beforehand. I've stuck an air lock on the top and am thinking of letting it sit overnight and pull vacuum on it again tomorrow night. Overkill? I've just never seen so much gas… There's no harm in letting it sit like that for a week or more before adding the Super-Kleer, is there?

Thanks everybody!! Your comments about this wine are so great, I can't wait to try it.

I wouldn't do that to my all in one. I don't think it will hurt it, but even so, it just isn't needed. I never do "degassing". It just comes out doing the three or four rackings you need to do to make wine.

And to answer your question about letting it set, time makes all wines better.

 

[TemperanceOwl]

Thanks for the response, Cmason!

 

[Ctmaro]

for future reference though if I make this recipe again is it better to add some kmeta before letting the fruit sit overnight or is there some factor in this particular recipe (e.g. the fruit is frozen and enough the microbes wont survive) that doesn't make it necessary?

I don't worry about adding Kmeta because it is already in the lemon juice.
You wait 12 - 24 hrs for preservatives to gas off.

Mark

 

[willie]

I am on here almost every day and it has been a great learning experience.

Will