DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[roboto65]

Bottled and have given some out and drank some at a party we had went over great with Crawfish. Also started a Tropical Dragons Blood wine we will see how that turns out looks great.

This is a clear bottle came out very red. My daughter did the labels.

 

[Jal5]

I like the labels. That did come out very red, mine is more like a rose colored wine.

 

[detlion1643]

I put together a slight variation of this, using 8 lbs strawberries and probably about 5 gallons of water, maybe 5.5. It's about 6-6.5g all together. I can still add some lemon juice but haven't yet. Ferment has only been going about 24 hours and activity is noticeable. In pure fruit wine, 8 lbs is on the very low side for a batch of about 5-5.5g (after removing the fruit). Does the lemon juice make that big of a difference in taste? I don't want it to come out too "thin" as previous wines from concentrates I've made are always too "thin"... This is my first time with real fruit...

 

[Monty Knapp]

I put together a slight variation of this, using 8 lbs strawberries and probably about 5 gallons of water, maybe 5.5. It's about 6-6.5g all together. I can still add some lemon juice but haven't yet. Ferment has only been going about 24 hours and activity is noticeable. In pure fruit wine, 8 lbs is on the very low side for a batch of about 5-5.5g (after removing the fruit). Does the lemon juice make that big of a difference in taste? I don't want it to come out too "thin" as previous wines from concentrates I've made are always too "thin"... This is my first time with real fruit...

I'd add the lemon juice. I always assumed the lemon juice is required for a good acid level/balance. I've made five 3 gallon batches of Dragon's Blood and use 20 oz lemon juice (for 3 gallon). Final pH is usually 3.1 to 3.2, and total acid ~0.60-0.65%.
I'm not sure what you mean by "thin". This is a blush with plenty of flavor.

 

[detlion1643]

I'd add the lemon juice. I always assumed the lemon juice is required for a good acid level/balance. I've made five 3 gallon batches of Dragon's Blood and use 20 oz lemon juice (for 3 gallon). Final pH is usually 3.1 to 3.2, and total acid ~0.60-0.65%.
I'm not sure what you mean by "thin". This is a blush with plenty of flavor.

By "thin" I mean watery, like you can tell what flavor they are, but it's not a lot of flavor, and the whole batches tasted very watery and had no substance/body to them. As mentioned, this is my first time using real fruit over concentrates.

 

[Jal5]

Here is mine from four berry frozen fruit. Not much fruity taste yet but if we can leave it alone it will get there. LOL.
Happy Easter to all and thanks for this great thread.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Filtered my Quad Berry today.
Will bottle in a few days.

 

[crooked cork]

4 berry blend comes out darker red and much better flavor than triple berry. I have also in the past added 1 gallon of unsweetened Rhubarb and then sweetened the whole batch, I have done this twice and a big hit with the locals,
i call it Bumble Berry.

Yes add the lemon juice.

 

[detlion1643]

Thanks for the opinions, I did opt to add in about 20oz of lemon juice to the active ferment tonight. Let's hope it helps!

 

[detlion1643]

Took a reading and sample this morning. Already at 1.010 so it's moving along really fast and really smooth - no troubles at all. The sample, albeit still very very early, tasted sweet and slightly fruity. The strawberry flavor didn't really come through that much. I might add some strawberry extract when I transfer to secondary (I already have it) in hopes it'll brighten it up. I am planning on backsweetening it as well and know that the flavor should develop some more in secondary and bottle.

 

[Monty Knapp]

I did a strawberry using 6 lbs of frozen strawberries in a 3 gallon batch. I too had the strawberry flavoring ready to add, but after backsweetening, I decided it didn't need the flavoring.
Tasted pretty good immediately. Think it's going to be a great in a few months. Going to be popular, so I'm planning a 6 gallon batch soon.
Good luck with yours.

 

[detlion1643]

Took another reading today - down to 1.000... I'll probably rack on Monday to secondary since tomorrow is all day family with Easter. I also took another sample and it was the same as yesterday just a little bit less sweet.

 

[detlion1643]

So this morning I decided to rack into secondary. I squeezed as much out the bag of strawberries as I could - won't be doing that again. The texture and mess, not worth it... I made a simple syrup of 6 cups of sugar and 3 cups of water and poured that into the primary as well as 2 1/2 tsp of sorbate... I then racked into the secondary and dropped in 3 campden tablets (probably not needed but I'm always worried about oxidation after primary. Took a reading from the secondary and sitting at 1.010. Tasted the sample, same as before, thin and myself I couldn't really taste the sweetness of it yet. Then I opted to add a few drops of strawberry extract to increase flavor. Well, I didn't have my coffee yet and there are no "drops" it just pours out. So, in a pre coffee stupor, the secondary got probably 1 tsbp of strawberry extract, oops... It's a dark pink right now and the race is on to clear.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Bottled my Quad Berry DB today. Came out 0.50%TA, which is a little lower than usual. Usually 0.55 to 0.60%. Don't know what caused that. Maybe fruit was just different ripeness. Maybe because I used a 5 gallon bucket for a primary (3 gallon batch). Wasn't a lot of surface area with fruit bag floating on top.
Oh well, it tastes just fine.

 

[willie]

Took another reading today - down to 1.000... I'll probably rack on Monday to secondary since tomorrow is all day family with Easter. I also took another sample and it was the same as yesterday just a little bit less sweet.

So this morning I decided to rack into secondary. I squeezed as much out the bag of strawberries as I could - won't be doing that again. The texture and mess, not worth it... I made a simple syrup of 6 cups of sugar and 3 cups of water and poured that into the primary as well as 2 1/2 tsp of sorbate... I then racked into the secondary and dropped in 3 campden tablets (probably not needed but I'm always worried about oxidation after primary. Took a reading from the secondary and sitting at 1.010. Tasted the sample, same as before, thin and myself I couldn't really taste the sweetness of it yet. Then I opted to add a few drops of strawberry extract to increase flavor. Well, I didn't have my coffee yet and there are no "drops" it just pours out. So, in a pre coffee stupor, the secondary got probably 1 tsbp of strawberry extract, oops... It's a dark pink right now and the race is on to clear.

Bottled my Quad Berry DB today. Came out 0.50%TA, which is a little lower than usual. Usually 0.60 to 0.65%. Don't know what caused that. Maybe fruit was just different ripeness. Maybe because I used a 5 gallon bucket for a primary (3 gallon batch). Wasn't a lot of surface area with fruit bag floating on top.
Oh well, it tastes just fine.
View attachment 47793 View attachment 47794

Your bottled DB looks great. I have been making Danger Dave's Triple Berry with Wyman's Triple Berry blend sense 2013 and we love it. Can you give me more details on what Quad Berry brand? We are alway's looking to try something new. We have the Triple Berry and Dave's Sweet Strawberry Tart in the works right now.

Will

 

[Monty Knapp]

Your bottled DB looks great. I have been making Danger Dave's Triple Berry with Wyman's Triple Berry blend sense 2013 and we love it. Can you give me more details on what Quad Berry brand? We are alway's looking to try something new. We have the Triple Berry and Dave's Sweet Strawberry Tart in the works right now.

Will

I call it "Quad Berry" just to differentiate it from "Triple Berry". It's Walmart Great Value brand "Whole Berry Medley" frozen fruit - strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry.

 

[willie]

I call it "Quad Berry" just to differentiate it from "Triple Berry". It's Walmart Great Value brand "Whole Berry Medley" frozen fruit - strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry.
View attachment 47796

Thanks Monty, I was thinking that was the Quad you mentioned cause we shop Wally World some too. Enjoy your wine. Dragon Blood is such a wonderful recipe. So many variations. Such a great thread.

Will

 

[Monty Knapp]

Thanks Monty, I was thinking that was the Quad you mentioned cause we shop Wally World some too. Enjoy your wine. Dragon Blood is such a wonderful recipe. So many variations. Such a great thread.

Will

Yes, love this recipe.
I've got a straight blackberry version that is about cleared and ready to rack. Color looks great.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Thanks Monty, I was thinking that was the Quad you mentioned cause we shop Wally World some too. Enjoy your wine. Dragon Blood is such a wonderful recipe. So many variations. Such a great thread.

Will

Yes, love this recipe.
I've got a straight blackberry version that is about cleared and ready to rack. Color looks great.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Here are 2 different "Quad Berry" Dragon's Blood wines.
The one on the left was made with 3 lbs of frozen fruit, in a 3 gallon batch.
The one one the right was made with 4 lbs of frozen fruit, in a 3 gallon batch.
No difference in color.
Just bottled the right one yesterday. In a few months I will be able to compare taste. The older one should have an edge, but I'll be able to judge the difference in fruit flavor intensity .