DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[wineforfun]

Does anyone ever check the ph of their must and attempt to bring it in range with other fruit wines?

I don't with DB or other variations of it. Never had a taste issue so I just roll with it.

 

[vennge]

Ferementing room

I just did a batch of DB up in what i thought was a 7g pail from my brew store. After topping it all up and adding an extra cpl pounds of berries (9lbs approx total) I am lucky to have 2" of room at the top of the pail. Will I have foaming/fermenting issues touching the top. My skeeter pee rises pretty high for fermenting. Will this be similar.

I don't have a local brew shop so to the shop and back is a 3hour round trip. Also the local hardware store has the 20g Rubbermaid Brute garbage cans that many suggest to use for doing larger batches. Should I move into this? Looking for suggestions. Or do I just strain off a cpl inches from the pail and deal with it?

Thanks in advance.

Vennge

 

[willie]

I just did a batch of DB up in what i thought was a 7g pail from my brew store. After topping it all up and adding an extra cpl pounds of berries (9lbs approx total) I am lucky to have 2" of room at the top of the pail. Will I have foaming/fermenting issues touching the top. My skeeter pee rises pretty high for fermenting. Will this be similar.

I don't have a local brew shop so to the shop and back is a 3hour round trip. Also the local hardware store has the 20g Rubbermaid Brute garbage cans that many suggest to use for doing larger batches. Should I move into this? Looking for suggestions. Or do I just strain off a cpl inches from the pail and deal with it?

Thanks in advance.

Vennge

Started a new batch yesterday and it is 2-3" from the top and the towel on the bucket is a little damp. As long as I can stir with out splashing it all over I will just let it be. Maybe I won't have to top it off in the carboy. Or not much anyway's.

Will

 

[wineforfun]

I just did a batch of DB up in what i thought was a 7g pail from my brew store. After topping it all up and adding an extra cpl pounds of berries (9lbs approx total) I am lucky to have 2" of room at the top of the pail. Will I have foaming/fermenting issues touching the top. My skeeter pee rises pretty high for fermenting. Will this be similar.

I don't have a local brew shop so to the shop and back is a 3hour round trip. Also the local hardware store has the 20g Rubbermaid Brute garbage cans that many suggest to use for doing larger batches. Should I move into this? Looking for suggestions. Or do I just strain off a cpl inches from the pail and deal with it?

Thanks in advance.

Vennge

Go with what you have for now. If you find it is running over the sides when stirring, you may have to get rid of some. If you are using EC-1118 yeast, it doesn't foam up real bad like some others. Just stir easy and I think you will be fine.

 

[vennge]

Will and D.J., thanks for the replies. I did that exactly that just left it as is. I am at approx 2" from top and the bag of berries was touching the lid. But after squeezing it a bit more it is all good. I'm sure if it touches the lid a bit all is good. Things were sanitized very well. Looks good and smells even better.

Cheers!
Vennge

 

[bkisel]

You shoul be ok, it just may take a little longer. This is, of course, assuming you are using EC-1118. 59-86 degree fermenting range.

Yes, EC-11118. Thought it'd be okay. Thanks.

 

[MrAtom]

just thought I'd come through and put down what I just did for a 10L batch

so everything is in metric as I'm in New Zealand and loving this website,

so .....

500ml freshly squeezed Lime Juice
1kg of mixed berries
1/4 tsp tannin
10g pectolase
1/4 tsp yeast nutrient

Let all that sit for 24 hours then pitched my champange yeast

day 2 so far no noticeable change, Looks very nice though, was so tempted to just drink it as lime and berry juice haha

 

[Trooper307]

Dark DB

So here is my third batch of Dave's Dragon's Blood i have made but this time it seems a lot darker. Here were my changes"

followed the recipe and made a 5 gallon batch.

Mixed bentonite for 5 gal batch, let sit over night then added it to the must.
6 lbs frozen triple berry mix.
48oz Lemon Juice
Spring water
1 can frozen white grape juice concentrate
15c. Morena Pure cane sugar (Starting S.G. 1.075)
1 tsp Tannin
1/2 tsp sulfite
3 tsp pectic enzyme
3 tsp yeast Nutrient (divided 1tsp before pitching yeast. 1tsp when fermentation has fully started and the last 1 tsp when S.G reached 1.049)
2 tsp energizer
Lalvin RC-212 yeast

average fermentation temp was 77 degrees.

Racked to secondary when S.G. Reached 1.028
Racked again when S.G. was .098 for two days.
Added sulfite, sorbate, degassed, then added Sparkalloid.

This photo is the DB after 72 hrs of clearing today has been 7 days clearing and it still looks pretty dark. will allow it to sit for another week then rack and sweeten.

what do you guys think?

 

[NorCal]

Trooper, looks excellent!

 

[wineforfun]

Do you always make it with 1lb. per gallon?

That is the change I made to the recipe, I use 1 1/2lbs. per gallon for more flavor.

Otherwise, looks good.

 

[Trooper307]

Do you always make it with 1lb. per gallon?

That is the change I made to the recipe, I use 1 1/2lbs. per gallon for more flavor.

Otherwise, looks good.

So I am actually using 1.2 pounds per gallon since I make mine for a 5 gallon carboy not six. I will increase the fruit to 1.5 per gallon on the next batch and compare the difference. I am interested to know if anyone else has used RC-212 yeast with their DB? I have read that the yeast help bring out the color from dark fruits.

 

[Trooper307]

Does anyone ever check the ph of their must and attempt to bring it in range with other fruit wines?

I have checked the ph and acid levels in Dave's DB the first time I made a batch and the must was spot on. Since then when I make this recipe I do not test it unless I make changes to the original recipe like more berries or pineapple juice instead of lemon. If I make a wine from a recipe I find online, I always test the must the first time and write the numbers down on my printed copies for future reference. Hope thus helps.

 

[wineforfun]

So I am actually using 1.2 pounds per gallon since I make mine for a 5 gallon carboy not six. I will increase the fruit to 1.5 per gallon on the next batch and compare the difference. I am interested to know if anyone else has used RC-212 yeast with their DB? I have read that the yeast help bring out the color from dark fruits.

Never used RC-212 with DB. Curious to see how yours turns out. I have only used EC-1118 and 71-B.

 

[HarvestWine]

I've got a batch on the go right now and I have a question.

I've removed my fruit at 0.998 SG and I'm waiting for it to stabilize. It's been at 0.990 for the past 2 days but I have to leave tomorrow for 3 days.

Can I leave it for the 3 days? I will have no one around to check on it or stir. Or, should I check it again late tonight and if still at 0.990, rack it and complete step 4?

TIA

 

[bkisel]

Started, I believe, what is my 6th batch of DB. My first since moving to our new home in Wellsboro, PA. Wonder if DB made in PA is going to be better than DB made in CT?

 

[ceeaton]

I know the water is good around that area. We had our well tested before any drilling happend in our area for a baseline water quality at our cabin in the Canyon. The tests showed it to be "pristine" which is rather rare any more. I love our well water up there for making beer. Medium low hardness (79 mg/L CaCO3) and 8.2 pH.

 

[Trooper307]

I've got a batch on the go right now and I have a question.

I've removed my fruit at 0.998 SG and I'm waiting for it to stabilize. It's been at 0.990 for the past 2 days but I have to leave tomorrow for 3 days.

Can I leave it for the 3 days? I will have no one around to check on it or stir. Or, should I check it again late tonight and if still at 0.990, rack it and complete step 4?

TIA

If it is in a primary fermenter bucket with no airlock. I would rack it to the carboy attach an airlock and it will be fine till you return.

 

[MrAtom]

So I've just added kmeta and sorbate and added an extra 1kg of sugar but I've got a really odd taste. Like very high acidity taste not sure why. Only put in 500ml of lime juice which could be the case

 

[dangerdave]

Surprise!!!
The triple berry lemon combination is tart by nature. It's designed that way. Back sweetening will balance it out in the end. As with any wine, it will mellow over time. For me, six months seems to be the peak of flavor. Most of it doesn't last that long!

 

[gotbags-10]

So I just did a batch of all blackberry DB with 71-B. I really wanted a killer blackberry flavor so I got some of the blackberry concentrate from my LHBS that's made for beer or wine. BIG mistake! I even only used half the recommended amount. My DB now tastes like cough syrup. Bummer. Back to the original I guess