DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[Hunt]

I have a 1500ml bottle of DB that's over a year old now and discovered a small amount of sediment in the bottom. I'm reading that in some red wines this is normal. Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen.

 

[beggarsu]

I have a 1500ml bottle of DB that's over a year old now and discovered a small amount of sediment in the bottom. I'm reading that in some red wines this is normal. Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen.

Sounds familiar to someone who just filtered with whole house filter and re-bottled about 100 bottles of wine.


Kits - no problem even no filtering only get some smudges.
Home fruits/store fruits without filtering - yes.
Home fruits/store fruits with filtering - don't know.



Was the DB originally filtered?

Solutions?
1. filter
2. or take a year in the carboy to settle (which IMHO is a waste of time unnecessarily locking up drinking it)
3. or just drink as is but some don't look nice on the giveaway after long term.


For filter I'll see next year from whatever I got if one micron was sufficient - then next test is .5 micron.

But why do you have DB left a year later, (just kidding) , I thought this formula was meant for cruising from step zero.

 

[dangerdave]

I have had no problems with sediment since I started filtering. I filter all my white (or clearer) wines, DB included.

 

[barbl72]

I have a 1500ml bottle of DB that's over a year old now and discovered a small amount of sediment in the bottom. I'm reading that in some red wines this is normal. Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen.

Wait. What? You have a bottle of DB that's over a year old?

 

[willie]

Starting our 3rd Batch of DB Original today and was thinking of adding bentonite to the must when I add the yeast tomorrow. Thoughts?

A question about filtering. Using a funnel and paper towels work or not? Oh yeh was thinking about the Vinbrite Wine filter also. We tried our coffee filters and the wine just wont go through them very well. We don't make a lot of wine at least not yet so I can't justify an expensive pump and filter system right now.

Will

 

[dangerdave]

I use the Vinbrite filter. It works perfectly! And if you're just filtering one batch at a time, it's also simple and inexpensive.

 

[willie]

Thanks for the comment on the Vinvbrite. I will get one.
Can you comment on this? --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Starting our 3rd Batch of DB Original today and was thinking of adding bentonite to the must when I add the yeast tomorrow. Thoughts?

 

[dangerdave]

Willie, I will refer you to my comparative study I did on just this subject:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/bentonite-sparkolloid-comparative-study-31849/

Since you are getting a new batch started, you should join in the DB contest:

http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f22/wmt-unofficial-dragon-blood-variant-contest-45315/

 

[willie]

Ok lets see if I got this right. I will be adding the bentonite to the wine along with the Sparkolloid after I have racked it out of the primary fermentation bucket into the carboy?

Will

 

[dangerdave]

When I use bentonite, which I typically do for my white wines, it gets added to the primary, just like most all wine kits have you do. Here's a good article from Winemaker's Academy that explains how and why to use bentonite. http://winemakersacademy.com/bentonite-clarify-wine/

They explain it a lot better and faster than I could. Just follow the instructions if you have them, add the bentonite to your primary, and use the sparkolloid after fementation is complete in the fining stage. I know in the article it says to hydrate the bentonite before use, but I typically just sprinkle it into the primary at the very beginning (like the kits advise, it's the first thing you do) with about a gallon of very warm water, while stirring vigorously for several minutes. Then proceed with your recipe from there.

 

[willie]

This is why I got confused it's from E.C. Kraus.
How Is Bentonite Used?
Bentonite is relatively easy to use. You start out by mixing it with water into a slurry. The slurry will have the consistency of a thin, watery cement mix. A dose of the slurry mix is then stirred into the wine. It should also be noted here that the Bentonite should not be added to the wine until the fermentation is complete.

And I do remember my Raspberry Merlot Kit said to put it in the bucket at the start of fermentation. Crazy. There sure is a lot to this hobby.
I don't feel all that confident in my wine making to be entering in a contest just yet. Thanks Dave.

Will











c.

 

[dangerdave]

There are a lot of experts who will tell you when you must add it to your wine, but the truth about bentonite is that it can be added to your wine at any time. Pick an expert and do what they say. You can't go wrong.

Don't sweat it, Willie. Confidence comes through practice. Then, at some point you will well remember, you realize that in wine making, there are only a few concrete rules. The rest is a strange combination of opinion, possibility, and conjecture.

 

[go_mustangs]

Got it in the carboy stabilized/degassed/sparkolloid, off to Mexico in the morning. Thanks for the help. I'll report the outcome once I return and finish it off.

 

[bkisel]

This is why I got confused it's from E.C. Kraus.
How Is Bentonite Used?
Bentonite is relatively easy to use. You start out by mixing it with water into a slurry. The slurry will have the consistency of a thin, watery cement mix. A dose of the slurry mix is then stirred into the wine. It should also be noted here that the Bentonite should not be added to the wine until the fermentation is complete.

And I do remember my Raspberry Merlot Kit said to put it in the bucket at the start of fermentation. Crazy. There sure is a lot to this hobby.
I don't feel all that confident in my wine making to be entering in a contest just yet. Thanks Dave.

Will

All of the 10 kits I've done has had bentonite slurry as the first thing added to the primary bucket. I've read that besides helping in clearing bentonite in the primary helps to circulate/perk the yeast up and down in the bucket to aid fermentation.

I have not used bentonite in making either of my two DB batches and both batches fermented dry, turned out clear and tasted great without any filtering.

 

[cheesehead]

Yes, we've tried that one, too. Pretty good, but we prefer the muscato.

I also added some greenapple reisling to my pineapple-strawberry-mango-peach-banana TropiGolDaze purely to take up some headspace that was created after racking and decided to try a mixture in a glass, WOW i think i stumbled onto a new future batch, just wonder how many more fruits i could fit into my recipes, lol

 

[jojabri]

Hey all you DB makers! Just wanted to give you a heads up on the upcoming (unofficial) WMT Dragon Blood Variant contest. More info here: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f22/wmt-unofficial-dragon-blood-variant-contest-45315/

Could be loads of fun, and who knows, you could be the next winner!

 

[freqflyer]

I'm getting ready to make my first batch of DB. My local Walmart has two types of fruits. I'm looking for suggestions on which one to use.

Strawberry, peach, mango, and pineapple. 4 poounds for $8.98. Would two packages work or would 8 pounds be too much for a six gallon batch?

Blueberry, strawberry, raspberry. 3 pounds for $9.97.

What are your suggestions?

 

[jojabri]

I'm getting ready to make my first batch of DB. My local Walmart has two types of fruits. I'm looking for suggestions on which one to use.

Strawberry, peach, mango, and pineapple. 4 poounds for $8.98. Would two packages work or would 8 pounds be too much for a six gallon batch?

Blueberry, strawberry, raspberry. 3 pounds for $9.97.

What are your suggestions?

I've done both. As a general rule, you can't use "too much" fruit in a DB unless you're really going overboard. I know a lot of folks double to 2 pounds of fruit per gallon as a standard. The more fruit, the more fruit flavor.

The tropical one is really good! Pineapple and mango tend to throw a lot of lees, just so you know. Sometimes, I use pineapple juice either as a substitute or addition.

The beauty in Dragon Blood variants is there are really no wrong answers and you can let your creativity take over.

 

[calvin]

I've done both. As a general rule, you can't use "too much" fruit in a DB unless you're really going overboard. I know a lot of folks double to 2 pounds of fruit per gallon as a standard. The more fruit, the more fruit flavor.

The tropical one is really good! Pineapple and mango tend to throw a lot of lees, just so you know. Sometimes, I use pineapple juice either as a substitute or addition.

The beauty in Dragon Blood variants is there are really no wrong answers and you can let your creativity take over.

I'd take her advice. I'm just glad she is judging the dragon blood contest. Pretty sure she would beat us all!

 

[jojabri]

I'd take her advice. I'm just glad she is judging the dragon blood contest. Pretty sure she would beat us all!

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I LOVE the Dragon Blood recipe! It suits me, personally, on so many levels.

1) CHEAP! My cheapest batch was about 65 cents per bottle. Now that I'm getting fruit free/on the cheap from the produce stand, it's gonna be even better! I have to mention that I am a hardcore money saver, I coupon, deal hunt, anything I can do to save a buck. Making DB has saved me LOADS of money versus our drinking habits and paying a liquor store.

2) FAST! My personal best was 3 weeks. Also because it's fast, you can use plastic instead of glass. Perhaps it's a sin, but I use 3 and 5 gal water bottles from Wal-Mart.

3) Creativity. Seriously, read the directions... whatever fruit, whatever citrus. You can make it from whatever fruit is in season, which means on sale (going back to point 1). You could try til you die to make every variant imaginable, and you'd never do it.

4) TASTY!!!! <- Self explanatory.

5) I'm sure I could think of other reasons

I don't claim to be a DB expert by any means, but I pretty much dabble in what I can make off the grocery store shelves, and BD defo falls into that category. I do this simply because smart shopping (sales/coupons/incentives) can make it affordable and sometimes downright CHEAP, so I can save money for equipment upgrades and perhaps some kits.

TBH, I'm just stupid lucky that I got to be a judge for the DB contest. My entry to the Welch's contest was just me playing around because I started way after everyone else did, so I was just doing it "in spirit". A few forum members convinced me to join in, so I did. AND if you guys saw how rinky-dink my wine making area is, I'm guessing a good 90% of the members here would either laugh of gasp in horror. *insert crossed fingers here for getting the house we're looking at that WILL have a whole wine/beer making room, prayers and positive vibes appreciated*