DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[JetJockey]

James,
Please give us a review after you have had some experience with them. I'm interested since they appear to make so much sense and look a little shorter than the regular carboy. Thanks in advance!

 

[jamesngalveston]

will be happy too.....i saw them in winemaking magazine..and ordered from midwest...

 

[barbl72]

Oh my goodness this stuff is freaking wonderful! My first batch will be ready to bottle in a few days. I only added one cup of sugar to the entire carboy as I don't like sweet wine. FANTASTIC! I'm already planning on making another batch! Now I get the need for the 20 gallon trash can! Thanks for all the information and help on these pages. My wine making 'hobby' was already out of hand - now it's an obsession!

 

[ckvchestnut]

Oh my goodness this stuff is freaking wonderful! My first batch will be ready to bottle in a few days. I only added one cup of sugar to the entire carboy as I don't like sweet wine. FANTASTIC! I'm already planning on making another batch! Now I get the need for the 20 gallon trash can! Thanks for all the information and help on these pages. My wine making 'hobby' was already out of hand - now it's an obsession!

Haha that's awesome Barb! I want that 20gal can too lol

 

[barbl72]

Haha that's awesome Barb! I want that 20gal can too lol

Not ready for the 20 gallon yet - I do all in my kitchen. The carboy fits under my table - not sure the trash can would fit! LOL! I'll just make more batches. Like tomorrow.....

 

[ckvchestnut]

I do it all in my kitchen too right now it's a big kitchen tho, but it would be annoying looking at a 20gal can sitting on cinder blocks in the kitchen but at least primary fermentation only takes about a week.

 

[Johngottshall]

Day 2 at 1.000 so I should be ready to rack to carboy on Saturday.

 

[PAFruitWines]

This is my second day @ .99
I used Montrachet. Is that why so low?

 

[ckvchestnut]

No anything 1.000 or lower is normal. I am a newbie and I always thought it had to be .990 to be completely dry just because that's how all my previous wines fermented out. This time it stopped at 1.000 probably because I started at 1.120 and the yeasts were done at 1.000

 

[Winenoob66]

Just curious what does everyone back sweeten their DB to. I done mine to 1.002 and it is a little dry. But it was just bottled today so it is young I guess. I have already been told I need to make more. lol

 

[ckvchestnut]

It is so dependent on taste buds! I backsweetened my last batch to 1.002 and it was a tad sweet for us... I would say that based on our likings 1.000 at most... Maybe less and need more tests

 

[dangerdave]

Originally, mine came out at 1.010, but we (Johnna & I) have been trying to cut down on calories, so I've added less sugar to my last few batches. I haven't measured, but it should be around 1.007 or so. It's still very good (for us) that way.

This is a wine for the masses. Tailor it to your liking. It's all good!

 

[freeze06]

I'm doing my first batch of DB and on day 6 in the primary there is very little fruit left with a little crust. I started with 6 lbs of the quad berry fruit, I have a heater wrap holding around 76 degrees, and my last SG reading was 1.032. Should I be concerned that the fruit is almost gone?

Thanks

 

[JetJockey]

Freeze,
I'm on day 7 and I started with about 9 1/2# of fruit. I use a large mesh bag and the bag and fruit (when squeezed out) are only about the size of a softball. It started out being closer to the size of a football and I can really feel the weight difference! I used fresh fruit so the fruit is disintegrating a little slower than when I used triple berry store bought fruit. I'd say its normal because when its done, you only have a few fruit husks and a lot of seeds! Let it go dry according to the recipe and you'll be fine. You probably only have 2-3 days until dry and then take the fruit out and leave it undisturbed until dry for 3 days.

 

[Johngottshall]

My batch has been at 1.000 for 3 days so racked to carboy today. It looks and smells fanfreakintastic. I used super kleer instead of the sparkaloid. Here are some pics

 

[jamesngalveston]

typically gorgeous db...good job john....man if you can let it age to may, it will be killer for the summer...but I would bet it will be gone.

 

[ckvchestnut]

That looks great John! Look what I've been up to today after I finished racking my concord port!

 

[Johngottshall]

That looks great John! Look what I've been up to today after I finished racking my concord port!

View attachment 13293

Lol it looks great

 

[Johngottshall]

typically gorgeous db...good job john....man if you can let it age to may, it will be killer for the summer...but I would bet it will be gone.

No I don't think it will last James my wife informed me last night that she invited a bunch of friends over next month for wine and food pairing with the wines that I have made so I'm sure it will be gone but just gives me more reason to make more wine do I guess its a win win.

 

[jamesngalveston]

chestnut, hows the port taste with out it being aged.