DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

My straight blackberry Dragon Blood got bottled today! I made half of the bottles "dry" and the rest sweet.

 

[bkisel]

That looks awesome! The wine, the labels and even the overall photo layout.

About the labels... Did you design and print them out yourself or use a label service? If you did them yourself how did you go about getting the ragged edges?

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

That looks awesome! The wine, the labels and even the overall photo layout.

About the labels... Did you design and print them out yourself or use a label service? If you did them yourself how did you go about getting the ragged edges?

Thanks, Bill! Yes, I design and print out the labels myself. I just found the edging scissor recently on Amazon to make the ragged edges...it is works good and I love how it looks! It does take a little extra time, but it gives me something to do when I sit and watch TV in the evening. Besides, I love creating my labels almost as much as I love making the wine

 

[bkisel]

Thanks, Bill! Yes, I design and print out the labels myself. I just found the edging scissor recently on Amazon to make the ragged edges...it is works good and I love how it looks! It does take a little extra time, but it gives me something to do when I sit and watch TV in the evening. Besides, I love creating my labels almost as much as I love making the wine

I find designing and making custom labels for those to whom I'm going to gift a bottle of wine particularly rewarding. Downside (?) is you'll seldome get negative feedback on your wine when its gifted with a custom label made just for that person.

 

[willie]

Maybe your outcome will be more to your liking than mine, Calvin. We all have different taste, as you well know. I have used Red Star yeast before, with good results.

As for aging? I like my DB young. For me, the flavor seems to drop off after about six months. Those that I have saved over a year developed what I could only describe as a "spicey" taste. Not bad in any way, but not what I want in my DB. Not surprisingly, we don't have much problem drinking ours up fairly quickly.

Two days ago my wife and I opened a bottle of Original DB that was almost nine months old and it had lost a lot of that real good berry taste we have come to love. The batches I have made seem to be at peak flavor around 2-4 months old.
I was thinking of aging it longer but now I'm rethinking this and will be drinking and giving away by the time the DB wine reaches 6 months old.

Will

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Two days ago my wife and I opened a bottle of Original DB that was almost nine months old and it had lost a lot of that real good berry taste we have come to love. The batches I have made seem to be at peak flavor around 2-4 months old.
I was thinking of aging it longer but now I'm rethinking this and will be drinking and giving away by the time the DB wine reaches 6 months old.

Will

I have stockpiled lots of DB in the cellar but both yours and Dave's posts are now making me a little nervous. Kind of sounds like I need to be gifting lots of wine over the holidays to make sure it gets drank during its prime!

For anyone who has managed to save a bottle for the 1-2 year range, what is your opinion of the taste at that point? Does it regain some of the berry flavor if you can wait it out?

 

[willie]

I have stockpiled lots of DB in the cellar but both yours and Dave's posts are now making me a little nervous. Kind of sounds like I need to be gifting lots of wine over the holidays to make sure it gets drank during its prime!

For anyone who has managed to save a bottle for the 1-2 year range, what is your opinion of the taste at that point? Does it regain some of the berry flavor if you can wait it out?

Hang in here Val, Kim said said they will be posting tasting results of their 2 yr. old bottle on here shortly.

Will

 

[bmwr75]

My first 6 gallon batch is ready to bottle. Has anyone bottled DB in 1 gallon jugs instead of 750 ml bottles? If yes, is this a good idea if it will be consumed pretty quickly once opened (say withing 1-2 weeks)?

 

[toddrod]

I bottle in 1 gallon jugs and it might take me 1.5 weeks to drink it all. I do not notice any difference in flavor

 

[Medic8106]

My straight blackberry Dragon Blood got bottled today! I made half of the bottles "dry" and the rest sweet.

I just opened my first bottle of straight blackberry dragon blood tonight and it's fantastic! I back sweeten 1 cup per gallon.

 

[bkisel]

I just opened my first bottle of straight blackberry dragon blood tonight and it's fantastic! I back sweeten 1 cup per gallon.

Congrats! Was that with 6 pounds of blackberry?

Ps. Often pass through Carlisle on my way to and from family hunting property near exit 180 off the Pennsy Tpk.

 

[Medic8106]

Congrats! Wa that with 6 pounds of blackberry?

Ps. Often pass through Carlisle on my way to and from family hunting property near exit 180 off the Pennsy Tpk.

I had 5 pounds of fresh picked berries and made just over 3 finished gallons with them. Also added two bananas to the initial must.

I work for the PA Turnpike at the central office in Harrisburg. I live right of the turnpike near the Carlisle fairgrounds which you pass and can see from the pike.

 

[cdevrard]

Well, my first six gallon batch is at 1.012 this morning and 65.5 deg. Getting close! Looking forward to getting this into secondary so I can start my next batch of peach wine. There is only so much room in the kitchen!

Btw, I too drive through Carlisle on a fairly regular basis from the other direction. I live down outside of Williamsport Maryland. We go up to the Carlisle fairgrounds for some of the car shows and my wife (college professor) has done events/held forums at Dickenson.

Cheers,

CE

 

[bkisel]

I had 5 pounds of fresh picked berries and made just over 3 finished gallons with them. Also added two bananas to the initial must.

I work for the PA Turnpike at the central office in Harrisburg. I live right of the turnpike near the Carlisle fairgrounds which you pass and can see from the pike.

Filled my anterless tag last time out. Will be passing through Carlisle tomorrow morning with hopes of getting a nice buck over the course of the next few days. I prefer not to be in the woods, even on private property, during gun season.

 

[bkisel]

... Looking forward to getting this into secondary so I can start my next batch of peach wine. There is only so much room in the kitchen!
...
Cheers,

CE

Will that peach wine be a DB variation or another recipe entirely?

I made a DB peach variation last time around. It came out okay but left plenty of room for improvement.

 

[geek]

My peach mango still hazy and far from clear after adding 3 tsp of pectic enzyme....grrrr


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[bmwr75]

Racked and sweetened my first 6 gallon batch with 4 cups of sugar today. Even the wife was pleasantly surprised with the flavor!! Ordered 30 clear bottles for next weekend.

 

[dangerdave]

Racked and sweetened my first 6 gallon batch with 4 cups of sugar today. Even the wife was pleasantly surprised with the flavor!! Ordered 30 clear bottles for next weekend.

Give is a few weeks, it will be even better!

Great job, though. Note to you...START SOME MORE NOW!

 

[boozehound]

I love that sayn Dave. "Start some more now". It is so true. Love this stuff!!!!


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[Medic8106]

I see Jack Keller acknowledged Dave's Dragon Blood wine in his wine blog for Nov 9th. Congrats!

http://winemaking.jackkeller.net/wineblognew.asp#110914B