DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[dangerdave]

Dave, I'm going to try a DB variation with only bananas. I am going to used 30 lbs. of chunked up banana with peels on, and 30 lbs. without peels.(trying for some flavor from this light fruit) I read somewhere that banana peels have a lot of tannin.
My question is, do you think I should use less tannin, or none at all because of the banana peels?(it's a 6 gallon batch) Am I over thinking this?

I have no idea, my good man. What I do know is that you can add tannin later, to your wine, if you think it needs some. I think that's called "finishing tannins". But I have no idea how much tannin you'll get from all those bananas. Enough, I would think.

 

[Julie]

Dave, I'm going to try a DB variation with only bananas. I am going to used 30 lbs. of chunked up banana with peels on, and 30 lbs. without peels.(trying for some flavor from this light fruit) I read somewhere that banana peels have a lot of tannin.
My question is, do you think I should use less tannin, or none at all because of the banana peels?(it's a 6 gallon batch) Am I over thinking this?

I would use the recommended amount. Bananas are fairly low in tannins.

 

[PoppaCork]

Thanks all.

 

[jojabri]

Met a new wine-buddy yesterday when picking up a 15 gal demijohn off Craigslist (which BTW, I got at STEAL!).

We swapped bottles, fortunately I had a quad-berry DB in the van. He and his wife were really impressed by the color. He seemed interested in the recipe, especially after I told him the record from start to bottle was 15 days. My personal record is 21. He may regret selling me that demijohn.

He texted me earlier to say he was excited to try it tonight. *fingers crossed* I'm kinda nervous!

Again thanks Danger Dave!

Oh BTW, the Strawberry DB I made a bit back... bottled it the other night.. wow! Although it was messy, back sweetening with the Bacardi strawberry concentrate really blew out the strawberry flavor and color as well as adding mouth feel! I have full confidence with using this as my sister's baby shower giveaways. For future reference if you ever backs weeten with stuff, strain it through cheesecloth. I didn't realize it had solids in it and dumped it right in. Ended up siphoning it with cheesecloth rubber-banded around the end. Purpose served!

 

[dangerdave]

You are welcome, Gina. Again, great story. And the strawberry is lovely!

Feel free to share the DB recipe with any and all who are interested. Spread the love! It's all about making good wine!

 

[jojabri]

Feel free to share the DB recipe with any and all who are interested. Spread the love! It's all about making good wine!

This was kinda a happy accident.

I kinda goofed up and accidentally bought a 6 lb container of frozen strawberries in sugar water (thinking it was just strawberries) plus anpther 1lb of frozen strawberries. OOPSIE! Realizing this after I had already started, and I couldn't go to the store that late at night *Ahem* (DUI) I pulled the strawberries out of a mixed berry frozen bag I had... So approximately 3.5 lbs.

Anyways:
Started:2.9.14 OG= 1.075 (probably higher because A) adding the berries
6 lb frozen slice strawberries in sugar water
3.5 lb additional frozen strawberries
it took less sugar to reach desired OG- couldn't tell ya how much as I always make it into a syrup and I used less than the normal.

all other ingredients same as original recipe
Pitched: 1 pkt Cotes de Blancs on 2.10.14

2.19.14 FG= .992. Racked to carboy, k-meta/sorbate and sparkolloid as per direction.

3.3.14 backsweetened with 2 cans Bacardi frozen strawberry daquiri mixer + 3 cp granulated white sugar simple syrup.

This was the point where I realized that there were solids in the frozen mixture. so there were solids gloating on top. Hence the cheesecloth around the base of the siphon.

Bottled 3.24.14. Taste is AMAZING! Post sweetening sg= 1.015 (intended to be sweet)

I let this one go slower than a typical DB because the teeny mistakes and for the fact that I know I'll be giving a bunch out for my little sister's baby shower and I didn't wanna look like a total *****.

planning to use this label. Long and hilarious story but the penguin thing, but is her shower theme

 

[Rosa321]

take a hydrometer reading after you sweeten a bottle, now check that with what you have aging. It will be easier for you to fix what is in a carboy than what is in a bottle.

Thanks for the tip!

I just drank my glass empty!
Next time I sweeten, I'll take a reading.

And thanks for hanging around here, Julie and Dave.
I need all the help I can get!!

 

[Rosa321]

Rosa,
This is a forgiving wine and most likely can be saved! If you ever need to WASTE any, I'm only a couple of hours away!

Thanks, Bob!

Just trying not to feel discouraged. My first few attempts didn't go the way I'd hoped haha
But if I ever do give up on a batch, I will absolutely keep you in mind, my friend!

 

[Winenoob66]

And thanks for hanging around here, Julie and Dave.
I need all the help I can get!!

LMAO Dave can't leave he can't find the door !!!

 

[PAFruitWines]

I have 7 gal of strawberry clearing right now. I mixed everything to 6 gal and added 15 lbs frozen strawberries. Wound up with seven gallons! I boiled down 2 lbs strawberries, strained and added 3/4 cup sugar to backsweeten 2 gal. I have 5 gal dry in a carboy that I might have to try the Bacardi mix. Thanks for the idea!


Sent from my iPhone using Wine Making

 

[beggarsu]

I am thinking of using this recipe with frozen juice since I don't think we have this "6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend: here in this small city in Canada - or even in Canada I don't know.

BTW, how much does this "6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend" cost there in the States? I don't think we have anything even comparable. Most fruit here is very expensive and in small amounts.

I was planning to make a wine from just frozen concentrate cans .
I have used a few cans before to value add to my natural picked raspberries since I didn't have enough of them. It worked fine, cans can be bought cheap here sometimes - minute maid brand is currently on sale.
....
1 can makes 1.18 litre juice , I have calculated previously about 4 cans per gallon (more like 3.73) actually 20 cans per 6 Gallons US.


So I was thinking that 20 cans would make 6 gallon maybe 24 cans would be better if just cans for wine. (Anyone have their own recipe for this?)

Anyway skeeter pee uses 116 oz lemon juice for 6 gallon US, and this recipe (Dragon's Blood) uses 48 oz lemon juice so I calculate that means about 58.5 percent make up for fruit juice so that means 12 (11.7) cans.

So how about as a recipe 48 oz lemon juice and 12-14 cans fruit berry (or other similar , I will see what they have) frozen juice concentrate?

Does that seem about right?

 

[jojabri]

A while back I did an experiment with Welch's white grape peach, dragon blood style with the fruit bag filled with frozen tropical fruit consisting of mango, peach, and pineapple. It turned out well. Not my fave right off, so I'm allowing it to bottle age. Hubby gave one to his aunt tonight and she says its her favorite so far. That being said, he also brought her one of each quadberry and strawberry DB and a blue-pom. She opened the Welch's db experiment 1st... soooo... maybe won't be her fave after that.

I'll sift thru my notes and see if I can find the recipe I used. Can't find it this very second. Boo!

Sent from my LT30at using Wine Making mobile app

 

[dangerdave]

So I was thinking that 20 cans would make 6 gallon maybe 24 cans would be better if just cans for wine. (Anyone have their own recipe for this?)

Yes, stick with 4 cans per gallon in the must. Check SG and add extra sugar if desired. Back sweeten with 4 to 6 cans of concentrate (I use four), depending on how sweet you want it. That's what I do, anyway.

Good luck!

Oh, and I get 3 pound bags of frozen fruit here in Ohio for around $10. I use two bags for my six gallon DB recipe, with about seven pounds of sugar (for SG and back sweetening), with a few tsp of additives, and one 48oz bottle of lemon juice. Total comes out to about $30US for the whole batch. Very economical!

I've made so much, I could do it blind-folded.

 

[beggarsu]

Yes, stick with 4 cans per gallon in the must. Check SG and add extra sugar if desired. Back sweeten with 4 to 6 cans of concentrate (I use four), depending on how sweet you want it. That's what I do, anyway.

Good luck!

Oh, and I get 3 pound bags of frozen fruit here in Ohio for around $10. I use two bags for my six gallon DB recipe, with about seven pounds of sugar (for SG and back sweetening), with a few tsp of additives, and one 48oz bottle of lemon juice. Total comes out to about $30US for the whole batch. Very economical!

I've made so much, I could do it blind-folded.

Thanks , yes those prices are quite reasonable.

I'll scour the stores we have here in this small prairie city to see if we have anything comparable in the frozen fruit line. I don't even remember seeing fruit sold like that but I don't shop for it much, I'll see.


If not, I'll use the cans , as I know we have them and often on sale.

 

[Medic8106]

Kinda disappointed...

I started my first Dragon Blood January 27th and bottled about 2 weeks ago. I followed the recipe exactly except I reduced the lemon juice by 1/2 due to the acid and when I back sweetened, I used 1 cup per gallon because I like a sweeter wine. Fruit was 1 pound per gallon as per the recipe. I made a three gallon batch...

I drank 1 gallon of this from the start without bottling and thought it was pretty good. Gave a mason jar full to my parents and a bottle that I bottled to a co-worker. My mom said it was "good". Dad and co-worker didn't like it. My co-worker thought it needed "more flavor".

I'm not sure if I did something wrong or it just doesn't please the taste of "others". I'm happy with the way it turned out for the cost and time involved. But then again, I would consider myself someone who would drink anything and wouldn't be picky on taste. I just want to make something good that others would like. Just starting out making wine, it really is a blow and makes me not want to give anything else I have made away for fear nobody will like it.

I plan on doing another batch, I'm going to double the fruit and use the full amount of lemon.

 

[bkisel]

Last night wife and I each had a glass of the DB batch that was bottled earlier in the day. We were/are very pleased with the results. We'd rate the DB a 8.5 on a scale of 1-10 compared to a 10 for our so far favorite kit wines (Janet RJS VdV Pinot Grigio back sweetened with 500ML simple syrup; me RJS WS Washington Merlot). Oh, and how the frugal in me loves the price!

I can't think of anything that would make the wine much better than what we've got now. If I were to start another batch today the only change I'd make ingredient wise would be to add a little less water. I'd not try a tweak that could mess up this recipe... THANKS DAVE!

Here are my notes:

Started Monday 02/24/2014

Day 1 (Monday) DB started SG 1.075
Day 2 (Tuesday) SG 1.074, Temp 80F +- / Pitched yeast
Day 5 (Friday) SG 1.040, Temp 80F +-
Day 7 (Sunday) SG 1.014, Temp 80F +-
Day 8 (Monday) SG 1.010, Temp 82F +-
Day 9 (Tuesday) SG 0.997, Temp 80F +- / Locked down / Bubble every ~4 seconds
Day 14 (Sunday) SG 0.992, Temp 80F +- / rack from bucket, stab agents, back sweeten 4.5 cups, clearing agents, stir degassing, started vacuum pump degassing / calculated ABV = 10.76%
Day 16 (Tuesday) Racked to Bubbler from glass carboy to get off of clearing sediment. Wine looks pretty clear but will probably drop a bit more sediment. Tasted good even at this early stage.
Day 28 (Wednesday 3/26/14) Bottled 30.5 equivalent. / Some very fine sediment on bottom. Did not suck up but next time rack to bucket to bottle. / Steal taste – thought Janet would say a bit tart and want sweetened but.. surprise… she liked it as is! / Janet and I split the .5 bottle. Very pleased! We would rate as 8.5 on a scale of 1-10.

Lessons Learned: a) Use less water. Had ~800ML over 23L/6 gallon. b) Maybe degas in a bucket a little longer so won’t have to hand vacuum pump? c) Rack to bucket for bottling to double insure no sediment brought into bottle. d) Would mashing/crushing fruit before adding result in a bit more fruit flavor being extracted?

 

[Elmer]

Kinda disappointed...

I started my first Dragon Blood January 27th and bottled about 2 weeks ago. I followed the recipe exactly except I reduced the lemon juice by 1/2 due to the acid and when I back sweetened, I used 1 cup per gallon because I like a sweeter wine. Fruit was 1 pound per gallon as per the recipe. I made a three gallon batch...

I drank 1 gallon of this from the start without bottling and thought it was pretty good. Gave a mason jar full to my parents and a bottle that I bottled to a co-worker. My mom said it was "good". Dad and co-worker didn't like it. My co-worker thought it needed "more flavor".

I'm not sure if I did something wrong or it just doesn't please the taste of "others". I'm happy with the way it turned out for the cost and time involved. But then again, I would consider myself someone who would drink anything and wouldn't be picky on taste. I just want to make something good that others would like. Just starting out making wine, it really is a blow and makes me not want to give anything else I have made away for fear nobody will like it.

I plan on doing another batch, I'm going to double the fruit and use the full amount of lemon.

Let a few bottles sit, the flavors come out with time.
I have bottles that are 9 moths old and taste nowhere near what they were when I bottled it during the summer.

"I'm happy with the way it turned out for the cost and time involved."
This is all that matters!
I have given bottle upon bottle to people looking for them to share my excitement and passion for my wine and all I got was a "meh"!

I make what I like and I make it all for me. Someone wants some, they can have some, but I make it for me & my tastes!

experiment, drink, enjoy!

 

[Elmer]

Here are my notes:

Started Monday 02/24/2014

Day 14 (Sunday) SG 0.992, Temp 80F +- / rack from bucket, stab agents, back sweeten 4.5 cups, clearing agents, stir degassing, started vacuum pump degassing / calculated ABV = 10.76%
Day 16 (Tuesday) Racked to Bubbler from glass carboy to get off of clearing sediment. Wine looks pretty clear but will probably drop a bit more sediment. Tasted good even at this early stage.
Day 28 (Wednesday 3/26/14) Bottled 30.5 equivalent. / Some very fine sediment on bottom. Did not suck up but next time rack to bucket to bottle. / Steal taste – thought Janet would say a bit tart and want sweetened but.. surprise… she liked it as is! / Janet and I split the .5 bottle. Very pleased! We would rate as 8.5 on a scale of 1-10.

Sorry for the back to back posts,
But BKisel, I am fascinated that you back sweeten before clearing?
I am by no means saying it is wrong or passing judgement, However I have always back sweetened after clearing.

My logic has always been, why sweeten what you are only going to toss out!

 

[bkisel]

Kinda disappointed...

I started my first Dragon Blood January 27th and bottled about 2 weeks ago. I followed the recipe exactly except I reduced the lemon juice by 1/2 due to the acid and when I back sweetened, I used 1 cup per gallon because I like a sweeter wine. Fruit was 1 pound per gallon as per the recipe. I made a three gallon batch...

I drank 1 gallon of this from the start without bottling and thought it was pretty good. Gave a mason jar full to my parents and a bottle that I bottled to a co-worker. My mom said it was "good". Dad and co-worker didn't like it. My co-worker thought it needed "more flavor".

I'm not sure if I did something wrong or it just doesn't please the taste of "others". I'm happy with the way it turned out for the cost and time involved. But then again, I would consider myself someone who would drink anything and wouldn't be picky on taste. I just want to make something good that others would like. Just starting out making wine, it really is a blow and makes me not want to give anything else I have made away for fear nobody will like it.

I plan on doing another batch, I'm going to double the fruit and use the full amount of lemon.

Nathan, I feel your frustration. It isn't easy, maybe it isn't even possible, to make a wine that will please everyone in your circle. I've tended to make wines that my wife will more likely like or that I'll more likely like. Stuff we've gifted have generally been a hit but not always. Folks have always appreciated the gesture whether or not they've been thrilled by the taste of the wine. I suggest you focus on pleasing yourself and your wife - assuming you're married.

 

[bkisel]

Sorry for the back to back posts,
But BKisel, I am fascinated that you back sweeten before clearing?
I am by no means saying it is wrong or passing judgement, However I have always back sweetened after clearing.

My logic has always been, why sweeten what you are only going to toss out!

Elmer,

It was a confidence thing. All the RJS kits I've done had instructions to to do it that way. It has worked for me. I know how you do it also works, I've done it that way twice myself (but screwed up the first time by not adding more sorbate), and I understand your logic.

3. Add Pkg. #2A Sulphite to the wine and stir vigorously.
4. Add Pkg. #2B Potassium Sorbate (if your kit contains 2 packages add
both) to the wine and stir vigorously.
5. If your wine kit includes finishing blend or sweetening blend,please refer to label
instructions and add now.
6. Important: Degas wine vigorously for 5 minutes by stirring
with the handle of a spoon or with a drill mounted stirring
device. INSUFFICIENT STIRRING WILL PREVENT THE WINE
FROM CLEARING ADEQUATELY.
7. Add Packet D1 (Kieselsol) to wine and stir for 1 minute. Then add D2 (Chitosan)
and stir well. Important: Do not reverse the order of Kieselsol and Chitosan.
Degas wine for 5 minutes by stirring vigorously.