DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[BernardSmith]

Interstingly, the Wine Wizard in the current Wine Maker news letter discusses the use of screw caps and the problem that once the seal has been broken air and bacteria have access to wines and beers and these two will result in spoilage. The problem is not the fact that a screw cap is involved, (when FIRST applied the gasket forms a tight seal but when first unscrewed the seal is deformed). The problem is that the screw cap is not designed to be airtight once the seal has been broken and she suggests crown caps or Grolsch-type bottles with very thick gaskets.

Obviously, it's your call but wine ain't spirits and a spirit bottled at 190 proof is not going to spoil. A wine or mead that is exposed to air will oxidize (if you are lucky) or will become vinegar if you are not. Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance, as they say at the fair.

 

[KCCam]

Hi again Kc, I bottled a blood orange sangria today and tried an experiment of corking "screw top" wine bottles to see if they would work/break/explode? Oddly enough, they corked just fine which was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise since I do have many screw-top wine bottles........Just thought I would share.......................Dizzy

I cork screw-top wine bottles, BUT I will generally not give them to anyone. If I do, it’s with a stern warning. Bad things have happened when pulling the cork. If you use a corkscrew that distributes pressure evenly around the top of the bottle (like the double arm kind), you should be fine, but still be careful. I have never had one break. But the type of corkscrew that pries the cork out from two small points in one side (like a waiter uses) is more likely to chip or break the neck.

 

[KCCam]

Interstingly, the Wine Wizard in the current Wine Maker news letter discusses the use of screw caps and the problem that once the seal has been broken air and bacteria have access to wines and beers and these two will result in spoilage. The problem is not the fact that a screw cap is involved, (when FIRST applied the gasket forms a tight seal but when first unscrewed the seal is deformed). The problem is that the screw cap is not designed to be airtight once the seal has been broken and she suggests crown caps or Grolsch-type bottles with very thick gaskets.

Obviously, it's your call but wine ain't spirits and a spirit bottled at 190 proof is not going to spoil. A wine or mead that is exposed to air will oxidize (if you are lucky) or will become vinegar if you are not. Yer pays yer money and yer takes yer chance, as they say at the fair.

Point taken, and I agree. Plus, there isn’t even a gasket in these caps. It was silly of me to equate capping a spirit to a wine anyway. But I do not expect my Dragon Blood to spoil in a month or two. If it does, I certainly only have myself to blame, and will be the first to admit I was wrong.

 

[cmason1957]

Hi again Kc, I bottled a blood orange sangria today and tried an experiment of corking "screw top" wine bottles to see if they would work/break/explode? Oddly enough, they corked just fine which was an unexpectedly pleasant surprise since I do have many screw-top wine bottles........Just thought I would share.......................Dizzy

I will give you this word of warning. It isn't the Corning that's the problem with she tops, sure the corks go in fine, they are a tiny bit wider than cork top bottles. Now look away the lip what you ate going to be putting a corkscrew to take that cork out. It is about half the width of a cork top bottle. If you take the cork out with a lever you're corkscrew, they stres more likely to break and shatter. Use a double handled corkscrew and you should be okay, but even those have been know to break. Be careful.

 

[Yooper🍷]

Posted this in other thread about DB. But didn’t get any response so thought I would post it here.
First in my years of making wine this is my first DB - it fermenting but next to my other ferments the bubbles are huge. Is the what you observe?

Been making wine since 1978 out of everything I could find in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Chokecherries, dandelion, elderberry, cranberry, bananas just to mention a few. I just started your recipe tonight with Meijer’s triple berry blend, came up with a SG of 1.100 which should amount to 13% ABV. Smells and tastes great. Can’t wait. One of the favorite wines I’ve made is Choke Cherry so I hope we have a good harvest this fall Trying to think of what I else I could put in the straining bag. Any suggestions? I was thinking Cranberries. I think the mix would be a very blush red. If I do that I will let you know how it comes out. I also wanted to ask if you have ever used a fruit base. I have a can of elderberry fruit base. I could weigh out 6 lbs and have a go at it. What do you think about that - would it work?
Monty

 

[RocketBee]

A nice summer weekday evening project...bottling my latest batch of DB...I call it "Triple Threat" because I like basketball. Oh, and note to self: don't leave the bottling wand in a bottle and walk away, otherwise you waste a half-cup of the goods (more if your lovely bride doesn't come over and ask you why the bottle is overflowing).

 

[KCCam]

A nice summer weekday evening project...bottling my latest batch of DB...I call it "Triple Threat" because I like basketball. Oh, and note to self: don't leave the bottling wand in a bottle and walk away, otherwise you waste a half-cup of the goods (more if your lovely bride doesn't come over and ask you why the bottle is overflowing).


View attachment 64205

Ooooo, that is such a beautiful sight! (The bottles of DB, not the head-slapping, lol.)

 

[KCCam]

Posted this in other thread about DB. But didn’t get any response so thought I would post it here.
First in my years of making wine this is my first DB - it fermenting but next to my other ferments the bubbles are huge. Is the what you observe?

Been making wine since 1978 out of everything I could find in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Chokecherries, dandelion, elderberry, cranberry, bananas just to mention a few. I just started your recipe tonight with Meijer’s triple berry blend, came up with a SG of 1.100 which should amount to 13% ABV. Smells and tastes great. Can’t wait. One of the favorite wines I’ve made is Choke Cherry so I hope we have a good harvest this fall Trying to think of what I else I could put in the straining bag. Any suggestions? I was thinking Cranberries. I think the mix would be a very blush red. If I do that I will let you know how it comes out. I also wanted to ask if you have ever used a fruit base. I have a can of elderberry fruit base. I could weigh out 6 lbs and have a go at it. What do you think about that - would it work?
Monty

I’m not a DB expert, but I would think you will be getting some of them popping in here to discuss. Dragon Blood does seem to create a pretty active fermentation. I wouldn’t say the bubbles are bigger, but maybe more of them, especially if warm. You have to be careful not to create a volcano when stirring the must every day because of the amount of CO2 that is dissolved, especially if you use a drill attachment.

As for what you can put in the bag with the berries, the sky is the limit. I put bananas and raisins in my first one. I know, pretty boring. Others would be better at telling you what might go well with the triple berry. I think I’ve seen posts about cranberry. Have you Googled it or used the forum search?

And as for the elderberry fruit base, if you mean using 6 lbs of it instead of the berries, I would think it would be worth a try if you have the base already. Maybe someone will suggest what might go well with it, or try it alone and mix with something else after it’s done if it’s not quite what you were hoping for. If you mean instead of the lemon base, then it wouldn’t be Dragon Blood.

If you get really adventurous it might be handy to have a PH meter since some berries are a lot more acidic than others. I don’t have one yet, but that’s about to change.

 

[Yooper🍷]

ThanksKCCam
Yes, I was thinking about following the DB recipe but measuring out 6 lbs of elderberry fruit base. Stirred this morning squeezed bag and measured SG it was 1.07 so I think all is well.. Although cloudy nice color.

 

[Yooper🍷]

Ooooo, that is such a beautiful sight! (The bottles of DB, not the head-slapping, lol.)

That is a beautiful sight.

 

[KCCam]

ThanksKCCam
Yes, I was thinking about following the DB recipe but measuring out 6 lbs of elderberry fruit base. Stirred this morning squeezed bag and measured SG it was 1.07 so I think all is well.. Although cloudy nice color.

So that's 2 different things, right? The batch you stirred this morning is the original triple-berry recipe. The elderberry is for a possible future batch, correct? When did you start the batch that's at 1.070?

 

[Yooper🍷]

So that's 2 different things, right? The batch you stirred this morning is the original triple-berry recipe. The elderberry is for a possible future batch, correct? When did you start the batch that's at 1.070?

Started the triple berry 2 days ago tonight around 8:00 pm. Watched it a little today and the big bubbles ar coming from around the edge of the fruit bag. Small bubbles getting caught on bag an build up until they break loose from bag. Starting to smell like wine. Yes the elderberry i will start after I get the triple berry out of primary

 

[KCCam]

Started the triple berry 2 days ago tonight around 8:00 pm. Watched it a little today and the big bubbles ar coming from around the edge of the fruit bag. Small bubbles getting caught on bag an build up until they break loose from bag. Starting to smell like wine. Yes the elderberry i will start after I get the triple berry out of primary

Yup, that sounds just like DB. It's beautiful, isn't it? I could just sit there at stare at it for hours, just like a camp fire. Ahhhhh.

 

[Bliorg]

A nice summer weekday evening project...bottling my latest batch of DB...I call it "Triple Threat" because I like basketball. Oh, and note to self: don't leave the bottling wand in a bottle and walk away, otherwise you waste a half-cup of the goods (more if your lovely bride doesn't come over and ask you why the bottle is overflowing).

I have good luck with one of these, no overflows yet (ignore the shoes...)

 

[Yooper🍷]

It will be 5 days at 8PM since starting a triple berry DB. SG starting at 1.100
Dropped to 1.04 this morning at 72 degrees. Looking and smelling good.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

I cork screw-top wine bottles, BUT I will generally not give them to anyone. If I do, it’s with a stern warning. Bad things have happened when pulling the cork. If you use a corkscrew that distributes pressure evenly around the top of the bottle (like the double arm kind), you should be fine, but still be careful. I have never had one break. But the type of corkscrew that pries the cork out from two small points in one side (like a waiter uses) is more likely to chip or break the neck.

KC........................thanks so much for that info!! We just bottled last week and have not given any away yet, but I will make sure that the gift bottles are not screw-top ones.....................................Dizzy

 

[DizzyIzzy]

I will give you this word of warning. It isn't the Corning that's the problem with she tops, sure the corks go in fine, they are a tiny bit wider than cork top bottles. Now look away the lip what you ate going to be putting a corkscrew to take that cork out. It is about half the width of a cork top bottle. If you take the cork out with a lever you're corkscrew, they stres more likely to break and shatter. Use a double handled corkscrew and you should be okay, but even those have been know to break. Be careful.

Thanks for the warning CMason.............................since I have ordered many new bottles for the various wines I am fermenting, the relatively few screw tops I have will be used only by myself, and very cautiously, indeed!! BTW...............Aldi sells wine for $3.45/bottle (I like the white zin.). With the cost of bottles averaging $2/bottle, one can drink the wine for $1.45 and have a free bottle. It's a win/win.........................Dizzy

 

[Aeludor]

@hounddawg, I saw a while back you started a sour cherry blend as your first Dragon Blood. Besides the saskatoons I picked last year, I got 11 lbs of Evans cherries from my neighbour's tree from just the branches that were hanging over the fence into my yard. I think the Evans cherry was developed locally. It's about the only cherry that will grow in our central Alberta climate, and it grows very well, producing a HUGE amount of cherries. They are sour, but not extremely so, and almost sweet when very ripe, sweet enough to eat right off the tree. But nothing like an actual sweet cherry. I had 4 lbs of frozen fresh blueberries in the freezer, and since l was less sure of how the cherries would ferment than the saskatoons, I added them to the Cherry Dragon Blood (still trying to come up with a good name). I see lots of comments about how bananas can help and we always have frozen bananas on hand for banana bread, so I threw a few of those in as well. It is fermenting almost identically to my Toon Blood though very slightly slower. It's a little darker which surprises me, and currently tastes very similar too, again, which surprises me. I can't wait until I can start clearing it. Dragon Blood is soooooo beautiful when clear! What quantities did you use in yours?
View attachment 62898

Nice! I think those are the same type of cherries I picked today. A friend across the street (Millbourne area in Edmonton) asked if i wanted the last of her cherries from her tree for my wine. I was able to get 11 - 12 pounds today. I was thinking of using them for a dragons blood.

 

[KCCam]

Nice! I think those are the same type of cherries I picked today. A friend across the street (Millbourne area in Edmonton) asked if i wanted the last of her cherries from her tree for my wine. I was able to get 11 - 12 pounds today. I was thinking of using them for a dragons blood.

View attachment 64410

I am drinking some right now. It turned out wonderfully, at least for my taste. I’ll give you some details if that’s what you’re looking for.

 

[KCCam]

Nice! I think those are the same type of cherries I picked today. A friend across the street (Millbourne area in Edmonton) asked if i wanted the last of her cherries from her tree for my wine. I was able to get 11 - 12 pounds today. I was thinking of using them for a dragons blood.

View attachment 64410

Those look just like what I picked last year. Mine were probably riper. Evans is very popular in the Edmonton area. We had one at our last house too. I’m in Sherwood Park.