DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[PoppaCork]

I've been testing my new batches with less sugar. I have a batch I just bottled yesterday. This one had only 1/2 cup of sugar per gallon. It sat in the carboy for a month before bottling, and it's great! I'm to the point now where I always make two or three batches at a time. If I'm doing one, it doesn't take much extra effort to make another right beside it...or three together in the Brute!

Dave,
My first batch of Dragon Blood we only used 2-1/2 cups to back-sweeten(+ the juice from another 3lb bag of triple-berry) We like it on the dry side and wanted to be sure it didn't sweeten up too much as you cautioned it could.(not much chance of it getting better in the bottle though, we are already down to 10 bottles out of 29, and it was just bottled on Nov, 29th!) We are happy with the results and plan on using only 2-1/2 cups on the next one too.
Going to start a 12-18 gallon batch after the first of the year to try to get ahead of the game. I just need to order a 20 gal brute.(our local HD doesn't stock the 20 gal)

On a side note, I thought your name sounded familiar..., I used to ride atv's at WNF all the time and rode a few times with the WNF Gang, MikeyV, Wrecks, Resqu, Yellow Rose, RoboBob, and others.(your name was often mentioned) I think I met you during a fall ride a few years ago riding with the gang at WNF while eating 'slaw dogs' at Ma Bears.

 

[dangerdave]

Small world, ain't it, Greg! That is indeed me! I still ride regularly in WV with some guys from NC. They come up, I drive down. We meet near southern WV around the Hatfield & McCoy Trails. We do a couple three or four rides each year. A few of the old Wayne Gang have followed me down there. "The Punisher" (Jeff) rides with us regularly, now. On the last ride we had around Thankgiving, "Mr. Ed" showed up! I hadn't seen him in years! You may or may no have met those two. The rest of the Gang kinda disolved over time. The complete grooming of the Wayne trails took alot of the fun out of riding in Ohio.

On the wine making front, I'm very glad you enjoy the recipe. It's a favorate around here. Have you tried any of the many variations? The straight blueberry is very good!

 

[wineforfun]

Just reporting back in on a bottle of my first batch of DB. It was bottled 12-20-2012. I used the original recipe, which called for double the lemon juice we now use, and only 1lb. of fruit per gallon, to which I use 1 1/2 per gallon now.

Anyway, it is incredible. So smooth. I only used 1/2 cup sugar per gal. to backsweeten and it is what I would call a semi-sweet to sweet wine. Reminds me of a white zin with much more flavor and depth.

If you can hold onto some of your DB for a year, it is well worth it. I have a few more bottles of DB variations that I am holding onto for the year mark.

 

[PoppaCork]

I do remember The Punisher and Mr. Ed's jerky! I hope they all are doing well.

About the blueberry, Monday evening I back-sweetened a 6 - gallon batch of blueberry.
It came in at 16% ABV so I added 2-1/2 cups of sugar and the juice from an extra 3 lb. bag of blueberries to it to try to bring the flavor back up a bit.(although I am still happy with the results, the next batch gets double fruit in the beginning) Can't wait for it to clear.

Now I've got to start a 12 - gallon batch of original.(only 4 bottles left!)

 

[jamesngalveston]

the next batch gets double fruit in the beginning)

smart move....i double the fruit every single time...
the fruit in the original gives a very light summer wine, but if you add ice to it, it changes rapidly...I make mine double the fruit, and with a few ice cubes its still very refreshing.
I just bought a japanesse ice baller, just for my dragon blood this year.

 

[Winenoob66]

James did you get the plastic mold for one or the aluminum one, to be sure your not gonna ice pick em out. lol

 

[jamesngalveston]

I got a stainless steel one...http://www.cirrusproducts.com/collections/ice-ball/products/2-00-cirrus-press

 

[Winenoob66]

nice I didn't know they had the stainless steel ones

 

[wineforfun]

I got a stainless steel one...http://www.cirrusproducts.com/collections/ice-ball/products/2-00-cirrus-press

WHAT? You paid $429 for an ice maker? Tell me it ain't so.

 

[jamesngalveston]

had to...i am hosting part of a parade krew for mardi gras..i have to have 100 green,100 purple,100 gold ice balls.....so i will make ahead with this thing and freeze them for use in march.

 

[keahunter]

This will be my first db and I want to follow the directions to the tee. I noticed that the directions specifically say not to attach a lid or airlock, does that hold true the whole time until you rack into the secondary?

 

[jamesngalveston]

yes...cover with a muslim cloth are something....

 

[ShawnDTurner]

When I made my variant I did use a lid and airlock. If you have a fruit fly or many they will find it. The variant fermented just fine. Cheers

 

[keahunter]

Thanks, I appreciate it.

 

[jamesngalveston]

follow the recipe..end of story.

 

[mromilio]

Hey guys, Happy Holidays and best wishes for a Happy, Healthy and prodigious winemaking New Year.

I am ready for my next Dragon Blood batch (have 3 gallons clearing after dosing with Sparkolloid yesterday), and I'd like to try a 1 gallon batch of Dragon Blood, but using a mix of tart and sweet canned pie cherries for the fruit.

I want to stick to the form and function of the DB recipe, but my questions to the intelligent members of this forum are:

1 - Should I use lemon or lime juice? I saw some cherry wine recipes that suggest to pair it with lime juice

2 - I've never done a cherry wine, so I'm wondering if the pulp this fruit will create will cause clearing issues not evident with the frozen triple berry blend? My first wine was fresh strawberry, and it generated so much pulp that it took forever to clear.

Thanks, guys. I'm excited to try a Cherry wine, and I hope the the tried and true DB recipe method will pay dividends.

Mario

 

[jamesngalveston]

you do know that it is just as easy to make a 3 gallon as a one gallon...
i have no idea about canned fruit, i would make sure to add all to a bag, for easy removal.
canned fruit is all ready cooked to death, so i would imagine there will be lots of sediment.
if it has sorbate in it, be carefull, its a little harder to ferment, but will none the less.

 

[mromilio]

you do know that it is just as easy to make a 3 gallon as a one gallon...
i have no idea about canned fruit, i would make sure to add all to a bag, for easy removal.
canned fruit is all ready cooked to death, so i would imagine there will be lots of sediment.
if it has sorbate in it, be carefull, its a little harder to ferment, but will none the less.

Thanks, James. Out of 3 gal carboys and I enjoy making small batch wines anyhow....

Will definitely add fruit to a muslin sack. I intend to use the presser method very carefully on these cherries.

Want to make sure I clarify, I am not using cherry pie filling, I'm using Oregon red tart cherries in water, as well as Oregon Dark Sweet cherries in syrup, no Sorbate in the ingredients. Gonna aim for 1.085-1.090 for a starting SG.

Any thoughts on the Lemon or Lime juice question? Thanks again for your reply.

Mario

Primary: none

Clearing: Triple Berry Dragon's Blood (3 gal)

Bulk Aging:
Welch's Concord Grape (1 gal)
Welch's White Grape & Berries (1 gal)
Fresh Strawberry Wine (1 gal)

 

[fabrictodyefor]

20 gallon brute trash cans, that make great primarys.
.

Is "brute" the brand name? Does it have to be any specific type or brand of plastic 20 gallon trash can? Decided my next batch of DB I may as well do a double as it goes very fast! If I do a double batch do I also add double the yeast??

 

[cintipam]

Yes, Brute is the brand name. They are food safe. The best price by far is at Home Depot as they are 20 bucks including the lid. Most places charge more for the can alone, and a crazy price for the lid. I bought 2 and use one as a back up just in case. In the mean time it corrals my light weight large size winemaking stuff to neaten up the wine making corner.

Pam in cinti