DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[Monty Knapp]

Just bottled a batch of DB that is all blackberry. Went with 1 cup sugar per gallon, which is a little sweeter than I like, but friends love it that way.
Also, this time I added 3 tbsp of glycerin (to 3 gallons) to improve body. Improved the mouthfeel, but added to the sweetness. Next time I think I'll use just 2.5 cups sugar per 3 gallons.
Compared this to the "Quad Berry" version and the blackberry is noticeably deeper in color.

 

[wildhair]

Just bottled up my first batch of nearly-messed up Dragon's Blood. Turned out pretty good! Since I backsweetened w/ berry juice conc. & white grape juice conc (to add some body and flavor) - it didn't need any extra sweetening for me. But I had to sweeten it up a bit more for my wife. So the white label is mine, the colored label is her's. I also bottled up some Apple for her.

 

[ringmany]

Hi everyone,

I've started creating my first batch. I've just finished my fermentation stage and degassed the wine. I drank a small sample before adding my finings and it's incredibly sour. Gave a few people a sample and their cheeks swelled with the taste of sourness. It wasn't that pleasant, didn't taste fruity either. I'm uncertain exactly what I've done wrong, or if it will simply develop over time.

I had to convert everything to measurements such as grams and ounces. Added the equiveleant of 48 ounches of concentrated lemon juice, making it very acidic, it was fizzing even after fermentation completed. The gravity is currently 0.994.

Looking online, the sourness can be caused by too much acidic, too much tannin, or bacteria infection. I believe everything has been thrououghly sterlised, every time I interacted with the brew. There was a lot of acid in the 48 ounces of lemon juice ofc. Added 1tsp of the wine tannin.

Do you believe it will get better over time, or is the batch ruined? How did yours taste at this stage? If it's ruined, I'd rather toss the lot and start again rather than wait a few weeks to complete and waist more resources.

Spoiler: Dragon Blood batch

IMG_20180512_183751

• ringmany
• May 12, 2018

Thanks.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Hi everyone,

I've started creating my first batch. I've just finished my fermentation stage and degassed the wine. I drank a small sample before adding my finings and it's incredibly sour. Gave a few people a sample and their cheeks swelled with the taste of sourness. It wasn't that pleasant, didn't taste fruity either. I'm uncertain exactly what I've done wrong, or if it will simply develop over time.

I had to convert everything to measurements such as grams and ounces. Added the equiveleant of 48 ounches of concentrated lemon juice, making it very acidic, it was fizzing even after fermentation completed. The gravity is currently 0.994.

Looking online, the sourness can be caused by too much acidic, too much tannin, or bacteria infection. I believe everything has been thrououghly sterlised, every time I interacted with the brew. There was a lot of acid in the 48 ounces of lemon juice ofc. Added 1tsp of the wine tannin.

Do you believe it will get better over time, or is the batch ruined? How did yours taste at this stage? If it's ruined, I'd rather toss the lot and start again rather than wait a few weeks to complete and waist more resources.

Spoiler: Dragon Blood batch

IMG_20180512_183751

• ringmany
• May 12, 2018

Thanks.

There may be nothing wrong with your wine. This wine is meant to be back sweetened. Once it is, the fruit flavor comes out. And don't assume that because it's so sour it needs a lot of sugar. It may not. Sweeten with 1/2 or 3/4 cups of sugar per gallon when it is time. Then taste and add more if you think it needs it.

 

[Monty Knapp]

Hi everyone,

I've started creating my first batch. I've just finished my fermentation stage and degassed the wine. I drank a small sample before adding my finings and it's incredibly sour. Gave a few people a sample and their cheeks swelled with the taste of sourness. It wasn't that pleasant, didn't taste fruity either. I'm uncertain exactly what I've done wrong, or if it will simply develop over time.

I had to convert everything to measurements such as grams and ounces. Added the equiveleant of 48 ounches of concentrated lemon juice, making it very acidic, it was fizzing even after fermentation completed. The gravity is currently 0.994.

Looking online, the sourness can be caused by too much acidic, too much tannin, or bacteria infection. I believe everything has been thrououghly sterlised, every time I interacted with the brew. There was a lot of acid in the 48 ounces of lemon juice ofc. Added 1tsp of the wine tannin.

Do you believe it will get better over time, or is the batch ruined? How did yours taste at this stage? If it's ruined, I'd rather toss the lot and start again rather than wait a few weeks to complete and waist more resources.

Spoiler: Dragon Blood batch

IMG_20180512_183751

• ringmany
• May 12, 2018

Thanks.

If it's still fizzing, it's probably still fermenting. Mine usually reaches a specific gravity of 0.988.

 

[wildhair]

Did you test the ph or Total Acidity (TA) ? I had problems with my first batch of DB as well - It was too acidic and had very little flavor and body - sort of watery. I posted my solutions to the acidity and the flavor issues here -
https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/my-first-batch-of-dragons-blood.64861/ Post #11 & 12.

I used calcium carbonate to reduce the acidity and then backsweetened with Old Orchard Berry Blend Juice concentrate (4 cans) and 2 cans of Welche's White Grape juice concentrate. It gave it more flavor, more body and took care of the acidity.

I have yet to toss a wine - I believe you learn more from your failures than your successes. I would recommend siphoning out a gallon ( or 4 liters) and make your tests on that. If you can fix it, then just scale everything up for the rest of the batch.
Good luck.

 

[opus345]

Just bottled a batch of DB that is all blackberry. Went with 1 cup sugar per gallon, which is a little sweeter than I like, but friends love it that way.
View attachment 48233 View attachment 48234

Great pix.

First batch used 12 lbs of Blackberrys and 2 bottles of Blackberry Brandy while I was back sweeting.

Second batch is using the Blackberry concentrate from homewinery.com + 4 lbs of Blackberrys. I plan to use the Brandy during the back sweeting.

One of my most poplar Dragon's Blood variants.

 

[Trog]

I want to use a sweet cherry puree in the primary. Anybody tried this

 

[willie]

I want to use a sweet cherry puree in the primary. Anybody tried this

Yes we have along with frozen cherry's from Kroger store. The wine turned out great. We drank a bottle of it last night.

Will

 

[Trog]

Well decided to add the 3 lb can of Vintner's Reserve sweet cherry puree to the primary. It's been 5 days and I'm down to about 1.004. Went with KV1-1116 yeast. So far I have a nice color and a fruity smell.

 

[willie]

Well decided to add the 3 lb can of Vintner's Reserve sweet cherry puree to the primary. It's been 5 days and I'm down to about 1.004. Went with KV1-1116 yeast. So far I have a nice color and a fruity smell.

Yep Vintner's Reserve is what we have been using for the Cherry, and Raspberry batches.

Will

 

[Trog]

Willie how much are you using in a 6 gallon batch

 

[willie]

Willie how much are you using in a 6 gallon batch

Just one can plus frozen fruit and some juice that matches the flavor we are making and or even Welches 100% white frozen grape juice to add body. We also on occasion use fresh bananas to the batch to also give the wine more body.

Will

 

[jumby]

Has anyone used this recipe and made hard lemonade with it? I'm thinking about using the basic recipe and substituting 96 ounces of lemon juice for the fruit and making it into hard lemonade. Is there any reason this wouldn't work?

 

[wildhair]

Why not just use the Skeeter Pee recipe?

 

[jumby]

Why not just use the Skeeter Pee recipe?

I made this many times with fruit with great success and my thoughts are this would work. Thoughts?

 

[dangerdave]

Great work, everyone! I’m still learning from you all. Definitely going to try backsweetening with some brandy.

A few notes on DB for those making their first batch. New wines are tart. They lose it with aging. DB is SUPPOSED to be tart, so we’re kind of cheating. We can drink it right away, and enjoy the balance of sweet/tart without guilt. Mine never get to age. Not to say I don’t have a couple of five year old bottles hidden somewhere.
I have never tossed a batch. Nearly any problem can be solved. Never give up! Problem solving will be one of your most valuable wine making skills.
Some folks like theirs with more acid (me). I use the prescribed 48oz per six gallons, and also add 3 tsp of wine tannin for my wife (anti-inflammatory properties) and a bit of oak powder—cause I love what it does to the DB. I back sweeten with 3/4 cup of sugar per gallon, and we drink some ever evening after dinner without fail.
Keep thinking. Keep experimenting. Keep wining!
I’ll check back with you all later.
Dave

 

[opus345]

Great work, everyone! I’m still learning from you all. Definitely going to try backsweetening with some brandy.
Keep thinking. Keep experimenting. Keep wining!
I’ll check back with you all later.
Dave

Dave, great to see you checking in. I started making Dragons Blood to work on honing my skills before I jumped into making kits, juice buckets, and hopefully fresh grapes in the future. It has been a great ride and I'm using my DB knowledge on all my kit efforts now, but I keep coming back to experiment and try something new. The "fortified" DB Black Blood is so popular with friends and family, I've got all the barkeeps at a very large wine, beer, and spirit store asking me when the next batch is going to be bottled. Take care!

 

[Monty Knapp]

Hi everyone,

I've started creating my first batch. I've just finished my fermentation stage and degassed the wine. I drank a small sample before adding my finings and it's incredibly sour. Gave a few people a sample and their cheeks swelled with the taste of sourness. It wasn't that pleasant, didn't taste fruity either. I'm uncertain exactly what I've done wrong, or if it will simply develop over time.

I had to convert everything to measurements such as grams and ounces. Added the equiveleant of 48 ounches of concentrated lemon juice, making it very acidic, it was fizzing even after fermentation completed. The gravity is currently 0.994.

Looking online, the sourness can be caused by too much acidic, too much tannin, or bacteria infection. I believe everything has been thrououghly sterlised, every time I interacted with the brew. There was a lot of acid in the 48 ounces of lemon juice ofc. Added 1tsp of the wine tannin.

Do you believe it will get better over time, or is the batch ruined? How did yours taste at this stage? If it's ruined, I'd rather toss the lot and start again rather than wait a few weeks to complete and waist more resources.

Spoiler: Dragon Blood batch

IMG_20180512_183751

• ringmany
• May 12, 2018

Thanks.

It's been awhile since this post. How did this turn out when you finished?

 

[Certified]

DB wine makers,. I am new. Doing 5gal.batch..frozen strawberry, pineapple, White grape concentrate, strawberry jam and preserves.Brown sugar sweetened.
Taste is good.