The need to backsweeten is typical of fruit wines, so I'm not surprised at your situation.
DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine
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This is why I think this is great recipe to play with. It's fast so you can get to sampling. You can change up the type of fruit, the ratio, the sweetness, all to your preferences. I used the recipe to make a carrot wine. Haven't tried it yet, but I labelled it carrot blood to distinguish it from the other methods I tried.
I'll stick to the original recipe because of my lack experience with anything other than a kit. I'm tired of drinking the same kit wines (black cherry, raspberry & blackberry) and this will give me options. Of course, without the past posts and advice I'm getting here on WMT I would not probably try this.
My only other question or concern about the recipe is it appear people are just pouring in the sugar to stir and not warming or heating it up in water to help dissolve the sugar. I'd prefer to heat up the water .... is that ok?
Yes, you can make a simple syrup (usually 2 parts sugar to 1 part water, heated almost to boiling and stirring constantly until clear) both to add sugar to the must pre-fermentation and when you backsweeten.
I tried just stirring it in and I liked the result so I started doing it that way to save myself some steps.
Absolutely, start with the recipe, but as you say, you are tired with the same old kits. You always have room to play when you get more comfortable.
You can certainly heat up the water to incorporate the sugar. I have, but it is not required. I have very cold well water to bring the temps down to where you want for pitching. You might have to let the sugar water cool a bit, use Ice cubes, or just wait till the must cools before pitching.
Funny the question of dissolving the sugar comes up now. I decided to make a simple syrup for my apple wine today. I now have a 7 lb brick of sugar in my pot!
Time to go back to the store.
Time to go back to the store.
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Did you mix up the recipes for simple syrup and rock candy?Funny the question of dissolving the sugar comes up now. I decided to make a simple syrup for my apple wine today. I now have a 7 lb brick of sugar in my pot!
Time to go back to the store.
Heating the water is not a problem -- it's heating fruit that may cause issues. Heat can activate pectin in fruits containing pectin (wine will be cloudy until treated with pectic enzyme), or you can get a "cooked" flavor in the wine.
When I make a second run wine*, I use hot tap water and have no problem dissolving 2 lbs sugar in 1 gallon water.
* a second run wine is a wine made from the pomace of a wine. For every 2 gallons of wine extracted from the first run wine, add 1 gallon water, 2 lbs sugar, 1/4 tsp powdered tannin, 1 tsp acid (blend or tartaric), and let it ferment. This produces a lighter bodied wine that ages quicker. Typically this cheaply extends the amount of wine produced by 50% -- if you're making DB, you're ok with a lighter bodied wine.
All good now. I must have not added enough water. I added more and let it sit on the heat for a while. It’s clear liquid now.Did you mix up the recipes for simple syrup and rock candy?
@Shurt1073 congrats for expanding away from kits. You'll do fine, but good luck anyway.
One benefit of back sweetening is you can have multiple sweetness levels from the same batch. I suggest you have your other half there when sweetening. My "sweet" is sometimes another's "Oh God yuck that's dry." And I'm smart enough to know that saying "Well, why don't you make your own wine?" is never ever under any circumstance a good thing to say.
One benefit of back sweetening is you can have multiple sweetness levels from the same batch. I suggest you have your other half there when sweetening. My "sweet" is sometimes another's "Oh God yuck that's dry." And I'm smart enough to know that saying "Well, why don't you make your own wine?" is never ever under any circumstance a good thing to say.
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I needed to order tannin, yeast energizer, & pectic enzyme which arrives at the end of this week. Going to Sam's for my 3 berry bags and sugar tomorrow, so I'm going to make this next weekend. Its exciting because this is my first wine without a kit plus its a blush and we have no blushes in our wine racks. I love the idea of back sweetening to taste. I've spent hours reading the DB posts and I'm ready! (maybe)
Hi,
What type of bag do you use to keep tbe fruit inside ? İs there a specific type of fabric that could play nicely with the increasing alcohol ? Can you please share some links ? Also do you squeeze the bag everyday with your hands ?
What type of bag do you use to keep tbe fruit inside ? İs there a specific type of fabric that could play nicely with the increasing alcohol ? Can you please share some links ? Also do you squeeze the bag everyday with your hands ?
There are so many out there. Here's one:
https://www.amazon.com/Bellamei-Reu...y43NiIsInFzcCI6IjMuNjYifQ==&sr=8-2-spons&th=1
If you use them, yes, it's a good idea to work them with your hand daily.
I use them off and on in primary but I always use them as a strainer when I transfer to secondary.
I use similar bags.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XL9JH52/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use surgical no powder gloves, every time I squeeze the bag. New gloves every time.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07XL9JH52/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I use surgical no powder gloves, every time I squeeze the bag. New gloves every time.
I found a nylon bag at Sherwin Williams paint store after Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot had nothing. Bags from Amazon are in my future. Sam's had my lemon juice and Triple Berry Blend so I'm closer than I was to making this. Chemicals should arrive on Wed / Thur and then its game on!
I've been cleaning bottles like "my hairs on fire" because I have two low 7% ABV wine cooler kits working plus the DB which should all be ready to bottle in December. Guessing 84-90 bottles. I'm so pumped about this Dragons Blood wine.
I've been cleaning bottles like "my hairs on fire" because I have two low 7% ABV wine cooler kits working plus the DB which should all be ready to bottle in December. Guessing 84-90 bottles. I'm so pumped about this Dragons Blood wine.
dangerdave
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After using commercial reusable nylon bags for years, I eventually went with disposable nylon lady’s stockings. They are super cheap, and when I’m done, I just toss the bag with the dregs (or whatever that stuff is called).
Thanks for trying the recipe. I know your peeps will enjoy it!
Thanks for trying the recipe. I know your peeps will enjoy it!
@dangerdave himself makes an appearance! Look at what you have wrought! Thank you - your recipe has obviously given more than a decade of delicious joy!
Look at what you have wrought! Thank you - your recipe has obviously given more than a decade of delicious joy!
You like fruit wine, so I think you will be happy with it. The fruit is very forward in it. Lots have described it like an alcoholic fruit punch.
I'm glad you're excited, but be aware. If you are anything like me or @BigDaveK, you will find you have made 60+ gallons over a 8-9 month span.. Now, do I regret it? No! But I have dreams about making wine....
A man can dream!
