DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[dangerdave]

I've started a blackcurrant one of these! I'm only making a 5.6lt batch (the size of the carboys here in New Zealand that I have) so everything is scaled down in measurements - except the fruit (which instead of 700g I put in 2kg) and the pectin (which I added according to the weight of the fruit). I can't wait to see how it turns out!

I love currants! They are not very popular here in the USA...it's an old story of misinformation and paranoia in the early years of our counrty. Embarrassing, really.

But I have used dried currants to flavor some of my red wines. Very good.

I'm glad you found a fruit you can use that you like. Keep us posted on the outcome. I'd be interested to try a batch myself.

 

[Elmer]

So I just racked my 6 gallon blue-rasp, and I nearly overflowed my 6 gallon carboy (6.5 really)

How did I gain almost 1/2 gallon of volume?
Does all the sediment from squeezing the berries add to the volume?

I know I did not mis-measure.
I added 48 oz of lemon, then filled to the 6 gallon line, which I have measured time and again.



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[dangerdave]

You get about half a gallon of juice from squeezing the fruit. Keep it on the side for topping up later.

Blue-raspberry. I gotta try that one, too!

 

[bkisel]

So I just racked my 6 gallon blue-rasp, and I nearly overflowed my 6 gallon carboy (6.5 really)

How did I gain almost 1/2 gallon of volume?
Does all the sediment from squeezing the berries add to the volume?

I know I did not mis-measure.
I added 48 oz of lemon, then filled to the 6 gallon line, which I have measured time and again.

Same with my first batch. Wound up discarding about .8-1L.

I'm 6 days into my second batch so having learned from the first batch I cut back a bit on the water added. Stopped a bit shy of the fermentor's 6 gallon mark. Adding the berries pushed me over the line but I'm thinking when I rack I'll be back down pretty close to 6 gallons.

 

[user 31015]

I love currants! They are not very popular here in the USA.

What is this strange story of currant hatred??

Ta for the encouragement. I am looking forward to seeing how this turns out. I am hoping for a good, strong currant flavor, but I figure I can f-pack it if at racking it seems light on taste. Well, that's the plan, anyway!

Question - the K-Met and K-Sorb step will stabilize the wine sufficient to allow the safe addition of the sugar? I figure so, but wanted to check.

It is interesting that one stabilizes so soon in this recipe. I am used to other recipes where the wine is bulk aged unstabilized for a long time.

 

[beggarsu]

Making 2 times 4 gallon batches successively - two different brands/kinds of 4-berry packs.

For the first 4 gallon batch I squeezed the fruit in the muslin bag and ended up dumping the fruit in the mix on the last or second last day.

I just wanted every last bit - waste not, want not. I racked it into 3.2 litre glass jugs (as carboys) + some reserve with no problem - I developed a method for filtering out the gross less and stuff. Not a big deal.

I just picked up a tip - I'll put a muslin bag over the end of the auto-siphon - I was thinking a wire mesh sphere - but I'll try the muslin - or maybe something like both together - something to hold the Muslin out like a small sphere..

Did the same thing with the second 4 gallon batch yesterday Squeezed it every day to get the juice then threw it in at the last to get every bit of flavour.

I am about to rack it tonight.

It ferments fast and second batch was down to .989 to .990 SG.

The second batch got a slurry from the first - took off like a rocket within an hour or two made the yeast starter superfluous but I added it anyway.

After I put the slurry in I was surprised to see there had been dehydrated berries in it which rehydrated.

I added yeast nutrient gradually over a few days rather than add it all at the beginning. Didn't bother with energizer. Worked well.

 

[dangerdave]

What is this strange story of currant hatred??

Ah, this is a story of greed and fear and misinformation. One web site describes the tale this way...

"Until April 2003, black currants had been referred to in the United States as the "forbidden fruit," since farming bans in several states prevented it from being harvested. As a result, this once-popular berry, not readily available in the U.S. for the past 100 years, fell out of favor in American diets.
How did all of this controversy begin to brew around one innocent berry? In 1705, Lord Weymouth shipped U.S. white pine seedlings to England and, as the tree spread across Europe, blister rust, a disease affecting these pines, appeared in Germany. Unaware of the cause, the United States began re-importing European white pine seedlings, since U.S. forests were being depleted. Unfortunately, the white pine disease came with them.
Plant pathologists demonstrated that this tree disease, which allegedly threatened the U.S. timber industry, did not jump from white pine to white pine, but from white pine to black currant bush to white pine. By 1911, U.S. regulations were passed which led to the farming ban of this once popular berry. Though based on incomplete scientific knowledge of the disease, the ban still stands today in several states."

 

[user 31015]

That is the strangest thing I've heard today!

 

[fabrictodyefor]

That is a strange story! We had black currants growing up, my grandparents grew them back in IL. Maybe I'll have to look into growing some!

 

[shrive22]

I'm trying to make 6 gal of original recipe DB but I only have about 12 cups of sugar. Is there anything else I can use to boost sg? Tartaric acid? Citric?


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[shrive22]

I also have brown sugar and sugar in the raw. I just ran out of white sugar.


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[user 31015]

just add the rest of the sugar after a trip to the shops!

 

[shrive22]

Should I add tannin, k meta, fruit now and just *** rest of sugar after I wait 24 hours to pitch yeast ?


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[corinth]

I just finished my first batch of Dragon Blood. Wow! I added some black currant concentrate it to the wine and then back sweetened it. all I can say is...[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr2PWgmCNTI"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rr2PWgmCNTI[/ame]

Another one bites the dust!
Coronth

 

[user 31015]

Should I add tannin, k meta, fruit now and just *** rest of sugar after I wait 24 hours to pitch yeast ?

I'm no expert, but I would make it to the instructions (but short on sugar) and add the rest of the sugar as a liquid (as in, cook the sugar in a little water to turn it into a liquid) when you have it?

 

[sour_grapes]

I agree with Tiny Pirate -- you can get going with the recipe, using all ingredients except that you are low on sugar. The yeast will get started. Then, when you get more sugar add it. TinyPirate is suggesting you add this sugar in the form of a simple syrup, which seems like a fine idea to me.

In answer to your post #1610, no, only sugar should be used.

 

[shrive22]

Thanks sour_grapes. I added some 'sugar in the raw' which has some molasses in it. I hope that doesn't affect it too much


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[calvin]

In answer to your post #1610, no, only sugar should be used.

The sugar in the raw may give it some "funny flavors"




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[shrive22]

So far I've added 5lbs of white and 2 of raw. Sg is at 1.067 in going to add white to get to desired sg. Hopefully the small ratio doesn't produce too much of an off flavor. Next time I'll make sure to have enough on hand.


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[BernardSmith]

That is a strange story! We had black currants growing up, my grandparents grew them back in IL. Maybe I'll have to look into growing some!

Strange perhaps but not really very unusual. I believe that gooseberries until very recently could not be planted in many states and my understanding is that in NY , for example I cannot grow many varieties of gooseberries because there is still legislation in force to prohibit such crops because they were viewed as harboring specific pests and diseases. I come from Scotland and we grew up eating and cooking with all kinds of currants and berries that are incredibly hard to find over here...

And yet....... black currant jam is sold in our local supermarket under what I thought was a national brand name