DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[sour_grapes]

I racked the cleared DB for my first-ever batch, then did some trials on backsweetening. For my 6-gallon batch, I added 2 cups of sugar. We actually liked this pretty well, but I then did some bench-testing. I made up the equivalent of 2 cups, 3 cups, 4 cups, 5 cups, and 6 cups. We liked 4 and 5 the best, so I split the difference, and made it 4.5 cups. Hey! Just like Danger Dave! Whaddya know?

I needed the carboy, so I went ahead and bottled it. Hopefully no bombs!

 

[ckvchestnut]

From what I know pectic enzymes shouldn't hurt your batch at all

 

[ckvchestnut]

I racked the cleared DB for my first-ever batch, then did some trials on backsweetening. For my 6-gallon batch, I added 2 cups of sugar. We actually liked this pretty well, but I then did some bench-testing. I made up the equivalent of 2 cups, 3 cups, 4 cups, 5 cups, and 6 cups. We liked 4 and 5 the best, so I split the difference, and made it 4.5 cups. Hey! Just like Danger Dave! Whaddya know?

I needed the carboy, so I went ahead and bottled it. Hopefully no bombs!

Haha! No bombs! You'll drink it too fast lol

 

[jamesngalveston]

rosa, i have no idea what that is are what it is from...feel the carboy to the neck and use a wine baster to draw it off...

 

[Rosa321]

rosa, i have no idea what that is are what it is from...feel the carboy to the neck and use a wine baster to draw it off...

Thanks, James....... I must have done something wrong............. or just figured out a crazy chemical reaction.......or had dumb luck!!!

I have extra wine. I will suck up that crud and fill it up tomorrow. I was waiting to see if somebody knew what it was. The extra space makes it a little easier to add something and stir......

 

[bkisel]

I racked the cleared DB for my first-ever batch, then did some trials on backsweetening. For my 6-gallon batch, I added 2 cups of sugar. We actually liked this pretty well, but I then did some bench-testing. I made up the equivalent of 2 cups, 3 cups, 4 cups, 5 cups, and 6 cups. We liked 4 and 5 the best, so I split the difference, and made it 4.5 cups. Hey! Just like Danger Dave! Whaddya know?

I needed the carboy, so I went ahead and bottled it. Hopefully no bombs!

That 4.5 seems to be the magic number. At least I hope so because that is what I used to back sweeten between stabilizing and clearing.

Though we started our batches, I think, within a day or so of each other you're now ahead of me. I'm thinking about racking to a clean carboy this Monday, sit for two weeks, bottle and wait two weeks before trying a full glass. If I indeed do rack this Monday I'll take a little taste, I'm excited about that.

About how long are you thinking to age in the bottle before opening one?

 

[jamesngalveston]

3 to 4 weeks is what i try for......i have so much bottled i could wait forever.
i start giving away are drinking after the 3 are 4 weeks.

 

[Julie]

lol good discussion! As a science teacher, these are the conversations I have with students all the time! haha

Quick question.... Tonight I racked, degassed, and stabilized my jet blue. When I added the second packet of the'super kleer'....... I dissolved it in warm water, and added it like it said. Only last time it all fell to the bottom right away. This time, I have lots of spongy floaters! This is only my second DB ever, and my first Jet Blue. Is something wrong, is this normal? Will the crud fall to the bottom?

Rosa, you should give superklear a couple of weeks to work. Sometimes it works within a couple of days and sometimes not.

In the future if you have a problem, take a pic and post it in a new thread. I think you will get a whole lot of people helping you then.

 

[sour_grapes]

That 4.5 seems to be the magic number. At least I hope so because that is what I used to back sweeten between stabilizing and clearing.

Though we started our batches, I think, within a day or so of each other you're now ahead of me. I'm thinking about racking to a clean carboy this Monday, sit for two weeks, bottle and wait two weeks before trying a full glass. If I indeed do rack this Monday I'll take a little taste, I'm excited about that.

About how long are you thinking to age in the bottle before opening one?

I am ahead of you only because I rushed the bottling! DD's directions have one waiting an extra week at this step. However, I have a CC kit in primary that needs to come out today!

I intend to wait one month before trying it. I am mostly planning to consume it this summer, though.

 

[jamesngalveston]

I do agree with Julie, give super kleer at least 2 weeks....even though it may clear in a few days, if you use sorbate it will drop out as a real fine brown film, and it will take 2 weeks to do so.

 

[Rosa321]

Rosa, you should give superklear a couple of weeks to work. Sometimes it works within a couple of days and sometimes not.

In the future if you have a problem, take a pic and post it in a new thread. I think you will get a whole lot of people helping you then.

Thanks, Julie!!!
I guess I was spoiled last time, because it worked right before eyes and BAM! It was clear!

I will have to muster my patience and let it set a while. No need to rush it. I have another carboy I can play around with in the mean time!

And thanks for the tip.....I'll start a newbie thread the next time I hit something curious. Which I'm sure won't be too far down the road!

 

[barbl72]

Help please! I pulled out my carboy of DB today to rack and back sweeten - it's been clearing for a week. But it's still fermenting and smells yeasty. Now what do I do?

 

[Rosa321]

Help please! I pulled out my carboy of DB today to rack and back sweeten - it's been clearing for a week. But it's still fermenting and smells yeasty. Now what do I do?

Somebody wiser will be along soon, I'm sure.... It might not even be an "issue"!
But what was your SG when you put it in the carboy?
Are you SURE You remembered the Kmeta and Ksorbate???


In the mean time, my best advice is to just STAY CALM and DRINK ON!
I am having issues in my latest (2nd) batch. It's hard to be patient. I want it fixed NOW lol. But a lot of people on here wait 1 year or more before ever even bottling. I hope I work up that kind of tolerance! hahaha

 

[Julie]

barbl72, as stated above what is your hydrometer reading and what was it when you started.
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/members/barbl72

 

[jamesngalveston]

helps to have more info.
starting sg
current sg
did you add clearing agent
did you degass
did you add sorbate and kmeta/campden
lots will help with that info.

 

[barbl72]

helps to have more info.
starting sg
current sg
did you add clearing agent
did you degass
did you add sorbate and kmeta/campden
lots will help with that info.

Starting SG 1.75
Current SG .990
Degassed and added Potassium Metabisulfite and Potassium Sorbate and superkleer last Monday per instructions.

this is my third batch of DB and never had problems in the other two.
This batch was 9 lbs of triple berry and 2 bananas. the others were 6 lbs of berries no bananas...

 

[jamesngalveston]

what makes you thing its still fermenting....try degassing a gain.
how did you degass, drill, vaccum.

 

[barbl72]

what makes you thing its still fermenting....try degassing a gain.
how did you degass, drill, vaccum.

degassed with a spoon as always. It is still bubbling, not quite clear and smells yeasty
I beat it to death by hand.

 

[Rosa321]

Starting SG 1.75
Current SG .990
Degassed and added Potassium Metabisulfite and Potassium Sorbate and superkleer last Monday per instructions.

this is my third batch of DB and never had problems in the other two.
This batch was 9 lbs of triple berry and 2 bananas. the others were 6 lbs of berries no bananas...

Hmmm.........I'm sure it's just a coincidence but I used 9lbs of berries and 2 bananas in this latest batch, too! Would clearing take longer if more berries were used?

 

[jamesngalveston]

i doubt it. I double the fruit on every batch, and have no problems clearing db.
if i make a peach i do it from concentrate with saved peach skins for color and even that clears very fast.
if its strawberry i use three times the fruit and it clears....