DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[ckvchestnut]

Some people feel that for a good country fruit wine you should use 100% juice and no water. But this recipe wasn't intended to be that. It was intended to be an earlier drinker and a lighter body. I'm sure with all juice it would take longer to age and taste smooth.

I would love to hear how the 24lbs works! I've used 10lbs first batch and 12lbs for the next two batches. ) 11.57lbs to be exact if you convert my 3 - 1.75kg bags of fruit plus always 2 over ripe bananas unpeeled. All 3 were quite nice in the flavour. I have seen many posts from some people saying that the 6lbs was a bit too light on flavour off the bat. But then read that the fruit flavour comes forward again in time in the bottle. I suppose then if you'd want a really fast drinker, use more fruit. If you don't mind waiting for your flavour to come back and you want to save money try the 6lbs. However, Dave and James would be the best to answer this because they are most experienced at making it both ways.


Carolyn

 

[bkisel]

Some people feel that for a good country fruit wine you should use 100% juice and no water. But this recipe wasn't intended to be that. It was intended to be an earlier drinker and a lighter body. I'm sure with all juice it would take longer to age and taste smooth.

I would love to hear how the 24lbs works! I've used 10lbs first batch and 12lbs for the next two batches. ) 11.57lbs to be exact if you convert my 3 - 1.75kg bags of fruit plus always 2 over ripe bananas unpeeled. All 3 were quite nice in the flavour. I have seen many posts from some people saying that the 6lbs was a bit too light on flavour off the bat. But then read that the fruit flavour comes forward again in time in the bottle. I suppose then if you'd want a really fast drinker, use more fruit. If you don't mind waiting for your flavour to come back and you want to save money try the 6lbs. However, Dave and James would be the best to answer this because they are most experienced at making it both ways.


Carolyn

So, lets say you use 12 pounds of fruit how do you determine how much water to cut back on? Does the rest of Dave's recipe stay the same?

BTW, the predominant smell I got from the 4 berry must mix is strawberry. Is that normal? I thought I would smell the lemon.

 

[Davolous]

Reply to bkisel

Not a challenge, just want to learn... Why so much fruit when the DB recipe calls for just 6 lbs of fruit?

Thanx...

Bill, I only included 8 LBS of fruit in my Dragon's Blood. I was referring to other fruit wines I have made with 4 LBS of fruit per gallon. One of the appeals to Dragons Blood is I only have about $12 in fruit cost.

However chvhestnut, I may consider a quad fruit dose in Dragon's Blood someday.

Sorry I consider C# my first language and English my second (maybe even third or forth behind Javascipt, html, and some other various computer languages). Sometimes what comes out my keyboard doesn't make sense.

 

[ckvchestnut]

I don't cut any water in the recipe everything else stays the same. I'm doing Dave's Dragonette recipe this time round and it calls for 12lbs of fruit. If you search dragonette you'll find that one also. For me I don't cut water, it just means extra fruit.


Carolyn

 

[ckvchestnut]

Oh and I get the similar strawberry as well. But it all seems to even let a bit. But you'll taste strawberry more apparently using quad berry vs triple berry. Some people have said triple berry is predominantly raspberry. Next time I get to Costco I'll get the triple berry I can't get it a Walmart.

Now I came really close to buying and using frozen cranberries in this as well but only 1 bag or so. Maybe another time! So many choices!


Carolyn

 

[barbl72]

Love reading all these posts - I learn so much! I've made 2 batches - one with 2 bags of triple berrry and one with one bag of triple berry and one bag of quad berry. To backsweeten the first I put only a cup of sugar in the whole batch because I like bone dry wine. I backsweetened with 2 cups in the second batch, plus 1/2 bottle of really sweet pear wine during the process as a top-up. The second batch is much more flavorful and not sweet at all. At least not yet but it's less than a month old. I have no more room to bottle anything right now but I think I'll start one more batch and let it age in the carboy. After reading everything I will add more fruit and a couple of bananas too but so far I prefer the triple berry. The batch with strawberries seemed to have a lot more stuff in the bottom of the bucket.
Also to chime in on some posts above, I measured out 10 cups of sugar to one 5 pound bag so I just use two whole 5 pound bags of sugar at the beginning.
Happy Dragon's Blood everybody!

 

[ckvchestnut]

Hey Barb I guess it's a lot less lees on the triple berry huh? I'll bet I'm going to get a lot more ban usual because this time I had to use 1 bag quad berry, 1 bag strawberry and 1 bag blueberry. We'll see how it goes!


Carolyn

 

[bkisel]

Please tell me a little more about this adding of bananas. How many? I believe I've read several times here to add to secondary. I believe, maybe in this thread, they should be ripe and not peeled, correct? That not being peeled is hard for me to understand.

Thanx...

 

[bakervinyard]

Working on my first batch of DB. Pitched my yeast last Thursday, O.G. 1.075, checked today it was at 1.016. Temps range from mid 60's before brew belt to low to mid 70's now. Sampled a little taste, nice fruity taste with a slight lemon finish. Looking forward to when its bottled. Bakervinyard

 

[bkisel]

Working on my first batch of DB. Pitched my yeast last Thursday, O.G. 1.075, checked today it was at 1.016. Temps range from mid 60's before brew belt to low to mid 70's now. Sampled a little taste, nice fruity taste with a slight lemon finish. Looking forward to when its bottled. Bakervinyard

Are you following the recipe and procedures to the tee or doing some tweaks and adjustments?

 

[ckvchestnut]

I have never added them to secondary. Just the primary. I have added 2 at a time to the regular DB recipe for added mouthfeel and a bit of body. People do use peels but I don't just never tried it with peels added. I didn't want to upset the balance of the regular recipe. The only reason I tried them in the first place was because I was short on sugar on my first batch and it came out really well so I added them last batch also same good results. Sorry that I can't speak on the peels or benefit because I've never used them. The bananas give me a perceived smoothness to this wine. I have been adding them to pretty much all my fruit wines. I added 6 to my tropical version which good results there also. It's something to experiment with...


Carolyn

 

[bakervinyard]

Are you following the recipe and procedures to the tee or doing some tweaks and adjustments?

Bill, I'm following to a tee for my first batch. One question, is my batch fermenting to slow or is it on schedule? Thanks, Bakervinyard

 

[ckvchestnut]

Are you following the recipe and procedures to the tee or doing some tweaks and adjustments?



Bill, I'm following to a tee for my first batch. One question, is my batch fermenting to slow or is it on schedule? Thanks, Bakervinyard

It's looking good for the temp you have it at! It's almost done!


Carolyn

 

[Rosa321]

I'm starting a new batch, and I'm using wild blueberries that I picked myself over the summer.

I know I have to add 1/4 tsp of K-meta, but I'm unsure how to add this to all the berries. Do I have to "mix" It with the berries prior to putting it in the bag? Or is it ok to sprinkle the K-Meta on top and stir it in?
OR.........maybe I'm completely over thinking this and either is just fine! hahahaha
I just want to make sure I kill any possible wild yeast before I add my happy yeast.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Well is it gonna be all fruit or fruit and water? If fruit and water do like the DB recipe says so the K-meta and other stuff in the water first...


Carolyn

 

[Rosa321]

Well is it gonna be all fruit or fruit and water? If fruit and water do like the DB recipe says so the K-meta and other stuff in the water first...


Carolyn

Sorry, should have mentioned it is Dragon's Blood.......but with Frozen Wild Blueberries.....Jet Blue!

I am looking at my Dragon's Blood Recipe now, and it doesn't say to add K-Meta until fermentation is done, SG is stable at <1.000, and I'm ready to clear......

BUT.....I'll assume it's ok if I dissolve the 1/4tsp in the water? I just wasn't sure if it needed to be mixed IN the fruit to kill the yeast there, or if it would be a strong enough concentration if it was in the water and then the fruit bag was added....... Again, I'm probably over thinking this, as I tend to do that in life

 

[ckvchestnut]

Hey Rosa, sorry for not being clear... I didn't want to offend you by saying that since the original DB uses frozen commercial fruit and lemon juice with preservatives that's the reason for no kmeta til end of ferment. Bi since you are using wild fruit put your 1/4 tsp in the water and that will be fine. No need to mix it with the fruit.


Carolyn

 

[ckvchestnut]

Oh and Rosa, I want to see pics of that jet blue when it's finally bottled! Want to see the colour!


Carolyn

 

[Rosa321]

Hey Rosa, sorry for not being clear... I didn't want to offend you by saying that since the original DB uses frozen commercial fruit and lemon juice with preservatives that's the reason for no kmeta til end of ferment. Bi since you are using wild fruit put your 1/4 tsp in the water and that will be fine. No need to mix it with the fruit.


Carolyn

Awesome! Thanks!

 

[barbl72]

Hey Barb I guess it's a lot less lees on the triple berry huh? I'll bet I'm going to get a lot more ban usual because this time I had to use 1 bag quad berry, 1 bag strawberry and 1 bag blueberry. We'll see how it goes!


Carolyn

I'm sure it will be yummy! I can't wait to start another batch - probably on Sunday. 2 bananas, peeled added to the fruit at the beginning, right?