DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[Johngottshall]

OK stirred tonight SG down to 1.024 from 1.087 on Friday so chugging right along here is a pic from tonight

 

[dangerdave]

Looking good, John. Right on schedule.

 

[Winenoob66]

I back sweetened mine 2 days ago and still have no activity in the airlock so I am gonna bottle tomorrow if everything stays the same.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Anyone cleared DB without any clearing agent at all? I was preparing the last of my sparkolloid on the stove today and forgot about it! After a long time I said to myself: "what's that burning smell??" It was burned dry and black lol

Does DB take the same amount of time to clear as grape wines? Not sure I want to wait 1 or more months to clear this batch.

I do have this clearing package from an old kit but have no idea how to use it... Don't know of the sodium silicate is part of this clearing pkg. but the only instructions are to use pkg 4 (super wine clear) 48 hours after pkg 3 as per pic below. Am I just better off to go to the store and pick up more stuff that doesn't come from a kit?

 

[Winenoob66]

If that is old I wouldn't take a chance. I would go get more sparkloid. Better safe than sorry is my motto.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Ya that's pretty much mine too! Thanks for your feedback!

 

[boozehound]

Question....can a person put together the 'tannin, nutrient, energizer, and enzyme' all at once and than stir? Same with the potassiums can they be combined together? Was just thinking of putting a bunch of premade batches together for making in the future. Or is it that important that they need to be put in one at a time?

Thanks bzh

 

[Winenoob66]

In the early stages you want a lot of stirring to get as much oxygen in it as you can. So i am guessing that's why Dave wrote it out like that to help you get more into it.

 

[jamesngalveston]

I would not use the old chemicals...I would use super kleer, over the sparkoloid...for me super kleer works much much better.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Ya it's on my shopping list James! I've heard great things about it. And you don't have to boil it right? One less hassle...

 

[jamesngalveston]

no boiling is required...correct

 

[Simpsini]

I'm not a big fan of sweet wines. Has anyone made the DB without back sweetening it? I was thinking about pulling off a Gallon & not adding any sugar after it's cleared and then age that for a month and see how it drinks.

 

[ckvchestnut]

James: Seems worth the price in convenience to me...

Simpsini: I barely back sweeten mine. I like my stuff dry... I backsweetened my last batch to 1.002 and it was a tad sweeter for my liking over my previous bench test number of 1.000. BUT! This grew on me like crazy! I didn't mind the sweetness at all and came to be very used to it. I'm also going to go with slightly less sweetening again with this batch to see how I like it... May shoot for .995 or .998

Was looking at those 20 gal brute cans at Home Depot so I can at least start making 12 gal batches instead of 6. It goes too fast. Not sure if the 20 gal would have enough room to do 18gals with the fruit and all. They also have convenient trolleys for these larger cans.

 

[jamesngalveston]

I backsweeten all my db, because i finnish it off at about 15 are 16 %abv.
Pretty strong with that high of abv., but it is good with a little sweetness added to it.

 

[ckvchestnut]

I backsweeten all my db, because i finnish it off at about 15 are 16 %abv.
Pretty strong with that high of abv., but it is good with a little sweetness added to it.

James which yeast do u use again to finish off with the higher abv on the DB? I used EC-1118 but it was past it's due date. My OG shot up to 1.200 with all that fruit and despite stirring twice a day and adding my yeast nutrient every 2nd day it pretty much stopped at 1.000 on the dot. So it's in the carboy now and I'm not in a rush to bottle but I think if it doesn't go any drier, I'll take the route of sorbating and k-meta to keep it from starting up in the bottle. However I'm not too worried as I now have family members bringing me all these empty bottles wanting me to make them batches it goes too fast. If my next batch goes perfectly smooth, then I'll keep some bottles aside for 6 months...

 

[JetJockey]

I'm not a big fan of sweet wines. Has anyone made the DB without back sweetening it? I was thinking about pulling off a Gallon & not adding any sugar after it's cleared and then age that for a month and see how it drinks.

I prefer dry wines, but it seems like a lot of my friends like off dry. I've cut the batch in half and made 1/2 at SG 1.10 and added very little to the other half. I found that a little sugar brings out the berry flavor more.

My current batch is fermenting now. I started at SG 1.10 to get about 14% ABV. I used EC-1118 which is good up to 18%. I'll back sweeten slightly with James fruit/simple syrup mix, but I'll keep it almost dry.

 

[ckvchestnut]

I prefer dry wines, but it seems like a lot of my friends like off dry. I've cut the batch in half and made 1/2 at SG 1.10 and added very little to the other half. I found that a little sugar brings out the berry flavor more.

Were you using the called for amt of fruit or more? This is now my 2nd batch and I used more in both and I find I get a very heavy fruit flavor in both no matter what the SG.

 

[JetJockey]

I had 9 3/4# of blueberries for a 5 gallon batch. I saved about 4 cups of the berries to add at the end.

 

[ckvchestnut]

Btw James: Its between starting another batch of DB and your white grape peach this weekend and I think I'll be trying the wgp! My Dad's wife asked me to do a white version of the DB and yours seems to fit the bill... But I really like the idea of the blush with the added concord for color! Wondering what this one would be like sparkling! Read the other thread on the soda stream with great interest!

 

[ckvchestnut]

I had 9 3/4# of blueberries for a 5 gallon batch. I saved about 4 cups of the berries to add at the end.

Ah... Interesting so used a fair amount but it was just blueberries... And you even added some at the end. Has it been your experience that blueberries like certain other fruits don't carry as much flavor? I'm starting to wonder what's different about mine... The 2 differences in my DB batches are that it's quad berry so has strawberries in it and I add bananas. I do quad berry instead of triple berry because that's the only kind I can get at Walmart in the 1.75kg bags apart from other stuff like fruit blends and straight berries such as blueberries or strawberries. Maybe I just have sensitive taste buds!