DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[G259]

My DB is bubbling at 1/8 sec., my hydrometer bottoms out at 1.000 in my bucket. I thought that that was unusual, I would expect a slower bubbling at 1.00. I will rack it tomorrow to a Better Bottle and see what it is. Possible degassing?

 

[G259]

What is the technique to adding sugar to wine after fermentation. Obviously there is the sorbate step, but what is the best way to add it? Do you siphon to a bucket, then add sugar to a specific SG, then bottle?

 

[Johnd]

What is the technique to adding sugar to wine after fermentation. Obviously there is the sorbate step, but what is the best way to add it? Do you siphon to a bucket, then add sugar to a specific SG, then bottle?

You should let your wine finish fermenting, and degassing, so that you can taste test properly. Personally, I prefer to thoroughly mix in straight sugar, but only after some taste testing of small samples (bench trials). Starting with a known size sample, add small, known increments of sugar, tasting along the way, until you find your favorite place. Expand the sugar addition to the appropriate dosage for your whole vessel.

Above, I’ve ignored the details of clearing, degassing, adding sorbate and sulfite, but personally prefer all of them be done prior to sweetening, so that bottling can take place soon after.

 

[jumby]

Thanks for response - wouldn't be leaving on lees. I would have time to rack and stabilize, but would likely have to bottle with less than a week of clearing or wait for several weeks. Thinking it would be better to allow extra time for clearing than not enough (although waiting and starting the whole process in a month or two also an option)

You're fine leaving it. Extra time clearing will not hurt it. There's been times I let mine clear/sit for 3-6 months before bottling.

 

[dangerdave]

Great responses, people! I have noting to add to the above.

 

[Tinwakr]

Quick question, I am assuming that if I did a batch with a SG of 1.035-1.040, more of the fruit flavour would come through?

 

[RadRob]

I'm guessing it would be too sweet, maybe try to stop it at .010.

 

[Tinwakr]

I'm guessing it would be too sweet, maybe try to stop it at .010.

I don’t thing we’re on the same page, hehe. I want to start with a SG of 1.040 or so, ferment dry then back sweeten. I think with a lower ABV the fruit flavour would come through a lot more than if I started with 1.080.

 

[cmason1957]

I don’t thing we’re on the same page, hehe. I want to start with a SG of 1.040 or so, ferment dry then back sweeten. I think with a lower ABV the fruit flavour would come through a lot more than if I started with 1.080.

1.040 starting sg gives you about 5% abv. Now I realize you aren't planning to age this for long, but that is beer level. I wouldn't start below 1.075 which should be right at 10% abv. I would try starting with more fruit, rather than less alcohol or maybe (like me) Dragon's Blood isn't your thing. I make it for my family only.

 

[willie]

1.040 starting sg gives you about 5% abv. Now I realize you aren't planning to age this for long, but that is beer level. I wouldn't start below 1.075 which should be right at 10% abv. I would try starting with more fruit, rather than less alcohol or maybe (like me) Dragon's Blood isn't your thing. I make it for my family only.

lol at 5% I think a tumbler would have to be used to get a good drink of DB. We always start with an SG of
1.080 to 1.090. We just started a Tropical version with a starting SG of 1.084 with our usual ending SG of .990 as we expect using 8 lbs of Great Value mixed fruit from Wally World and a bottle of white grape peach juice. And it should give us plenty of good flavor.

Will

 

[Keith5]

Racking my second 1 gallon batch of DB today to sparkolloid, Kmeta prior to backsweeten and bottle. Way better looking than first batch after keeping to 1 gallon total volume.
I will backsweeen and my question is:
I got a bottle of Lakewood Pure Black Cherry Juice, no preservative or additives but label says it was PASTUERIZED. Is “pastuerized” a problem or a benefit, being this is Post-AF?
The juice has 33g sugar per cup, so for 1 gallon I’m thing a half cup of juice to back sweeten and flavor and add simple syrup if needed beyond that. Thoughts?

 

[cmason1957]

Racking my second 1 gallon batch of DB today to sparkolloid, Kmeta prior to backsweeten and bottle. Way better looking than first batch after keeping to 1 gallon total volume.
I will backsweeen and my question is:
I got a bottle of Lakewood Pure Black Cherry Juice, no preservative or additives but label says it was PASTUERIZED. Is “pastuerized” a problem or a benefit, being this is Post-AF?
The juice has 33g sugar per cup, so for 1 gallon I’m thing a half cup of juice to back sweeten and flavor and add simple syrup if needed beyond that. Thoughts?

When you say you are adding Kmeta prior to backsweeten, I am hoping you forgot to also type potassium sorbate, if you didn't forget and don't plan to add it, be ready for refermentation to happen in the bottle and blow some corks out. The Pastuerized or not doesn't matter at this point, yeast cares about sugar and will eat it, produce more alcohol and CO2. I suppose you could plan to sterile filter (I believe that is to 0.45 micron absolute, not nominal).

 

[Bliorg]

Initial mixing a week ago today. This morning, SG 0.990, second day. Pulled the fruit pack yesterday. If the gravity hasn't changed tomorrow, looks like we'll be racking!

 

[Keith5]

Ey Cmason, thanks for reply on the pasteurization, much appreciated.
I did add the potassium sorbate as directed in the DB recipe #2. Racking went well and it’s sitting in gallon jug with airlock for a few weeks. I’ll backsweeten with the cherry juice and sugar as discussed in a week or 2, give it a few days to settle out, check SG and bottle.

 

[Tinwakr]

3 gallons of apple wine, 5 gallons of Merlot and 6 gallons of Dragon’s Blood. Had a problem with haziness in DB and apple wine so I racked and added pectic enzyme. Now I will let everything sit until clear then bottle or bulk age.

I do have a question about the”presser method”, when squeezing the brew bag is the idea to get all the liquid out of it every time? Reason being is that I end up with a lot of particulate floating in the wine and some fruit bits. Does anyone filter?

 

[Johnd]

3 gallons of apple wine, 5 gallons of Merlot and 6 gallons of Dragon’s Blood. Had a problem with haziness in DB and apple wine so I racked and added pectic enzyme. Now I will let everything sit until clear then bottle or bulk age.

I do have a question about the”presser method”, when squeezing the brew bag is the idea to get all the liquid out of it every time? Reason being is that I end up with a lot of particulate floating in the wine and some fruit bits. Does anyone filter?

View attachment 52783

No need to filter, just go about your process as normal, your regular racking and clearing activities will take care of it.

 

[Bliorg]

Racked and fined!

12 gallons by Scott, on Flickr

 

[Bliorg]

Okay, update and a question:
Today (actually, looked like this about an hour after fining)
Untitled by Scott, on Flickr

There's a good 1-1/4" of sediment in the bottom. Fined with Super Kleer (Kieselsol/Chitosan). The wine is still fairly opaque. Now, I'm fairly new to this, but of the wines I've fined with Kieselsol and Chitosan, they've all been pretty much totally clear within, maybe, 48 hours, being generous. There's plenty of time for this to settle out, but I'm thinking ahead. Is it typical for DB to clear slowly (all things being relative)? Should this continue to be hazy, what's next? Another dose of Super Kleer? Bentonite (read that it may be protein haze)? More PE and wait?

 

[Tinwakr]

Okay, update and a question:
Today (actually, looked like this about an hour after fining)
Untitled by Scott, on Flickr

There's a good 1-1/4" of sediment in the bottom. Fined with Super Kleer (Kieselsol/Chitosan). The wine is still fairly opaque. Now, I'm fairly new to this, but of the wines I've fined with Kieselsol and Chitosan, they've all been pretty much totally clear within, maybe, 48 hours, being generous. There's plenty of time for this to settle out, but I'm thinking ahead. Is it typical for DB to clear slowly (all things being relative)? Should this continue to be hazy, what's next? Another dose of Super Kleer? Bentonite (read that it may be protein haze)? More PE and wait?

DB should clear very fast. I am having the same issue, this batch isn’t clearing much at all.

My first batch was in bottles in 13 days.

 

[Bliorg]

DB should clear very fast. I am having the same issue, this batch isn’t clearing much at all.

My first batch was in bottles in 13 days.

That’s the time frame I was hoping for...

I think I’m going to rack off the sediment and dose it again with 3 tsp of pectic enzyme. Hopefully it clears after that. If not, hmmm.