DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[G259]

I don't know your experience, but as long as that key lime has no preservatives (sorbate). I don't know, I think it will give it a bit of 'pop', sounds interesting! FWIW, peaches will have a LOT of solids, so time . . .

 

[CheerfulHeart]

I don't know your experience, but as long as that key lime has no preservatives (sorbate). I don't know, I think it will give it a bit of 'pop', sounds interesting! FWIW, peaches will have a LOT of solids, so time . . .

@G259 Thanks! No sorbate so it's good there. I appreciate the heads up about the peach solids too.

 

[G259]

. . . also volume loss, so think about your top-up addition now. I did an apricot wine (from dried apricots), and lost at least a quarter to a third.
You have assorted fruits, so you won't lose THAT much. Also, I didn't use any fining agents, apart from a bit of pectic enzyme, but feel free!

 

[CheerfulHeart]

. . . also volume loss, so think about your top-up addition now. I did an apricot wine (from dried apricots), and lost at least a quarter to a third.
You have assorted fruits, so you won't lose THAT much. Also, I didn't use any fining agents, apart from a bit of pectic enzyme, but feel free!

Depending how much top up is needed, I will probably use some very inexpensive Red Blend. I am also considering doing a 3 gallon batch of Classic DB before I start this one. That might solve the topping issue in case more than a liter or so is needed. A dose of Super Kleer will likely be used for fining. Super Kleer has turned out to be a great help in my winemaking adventures.

 

[G259]

One piece of advice, never top-up with a wine you wouldn't normally drink. (AKA don't top up with crap wine! lol!)

 

[Huba Huba]

Step 3: Each day, do the following, in this order:

• Uncover primary
• Check and record temperature
• Check and record specific gravity
• Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter and remove fruit pack (The Presser Method): Temporarily place in sanitized bucket or bowl.
• Stir primary vigorously: To introduce oxygen into must, suspend the yeast, and drive off CO2..
• Replace fruit pack in primary
• Cover primary

Step 4: When the SG drops to <1.000, do the following:

Is this correct? Do you continue to stir primary and introduce oxygen until SG drops to 1.000? Or do you stop at 1/3 sugar break then continue to step 4 when fermentation is complete? I want to try this and suspect the latter but directions are confusing.

 

[CheerfulHeart]

Blueberries Cranberries and Peaches update...
I decided to make this a 3 gallon experiment. It's the result of a clean out of my freezer and what I had in my supply cupboard. The total amounts of fruit are 3 pounds blueberries, 2 pounds cranberries and 2 pounds peaches plus a large box of raisins. I added 16 ounces of key lime juice and a packet of oak powder left from a kit.
There's another 16 ounces of key lime juice in my pantry but I'm thinking that might be too much acidity combined with the cranberries and the first bottle of juice.
The peaches might not add much flavor but it does keep the fruit volume up.
Looking forward to how this turns out.

 

[CheerfulHeart]

Blueberries and Cranberries update 2 (peaches have dissolved)...
Gravity nearly .990, still lightly fizzy. I tasted a bit of it tonight and this batch has a nice solid blueberry flavor with cranberry finish. I'm hoping the lime will come through when everything is done and I sweeten it. So far so good

 

[Jovimaple]

Is this correct? Do you continue to stir primary and introduce oxygen until SG drops to 1.000? Or do you stop at 1/3 sugar break then continue to step 4 when fermentation is complete? I want to try this and suspect the latter but directions are confusing.

Yes, it works to keep stirring.

According to my notes, it took only 4 or 5 days to get to s.g. to 1.000 or under, and I wanted to extract everything from the berries.

For my first batch, I followed the recipe exactly, but now I use about 1.5 times the amount of fruit. For example, my first batch was 3 gallons and I used a 4 lb bag of Kirkland triple berry (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry) from Costco. My second batch was 6 gallons, and I used three 4 lb bags, so 12 lbs total. (I tweaked the recipe from 5 to 6 gallons, since I didn't have any 5 gallon carboys.)

This is a wine that is drinkable almost right away, but does get smoother over time.

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

Blueberries and Cranberries update 2 (peaches have dissolved)...
Gravity nearly .990, still lightly fizzy. I tasted a bit of it tonight and this batch has a nice solid blueberry flavor with cranberry finish. I'm hoping the lime will come through when everything is done and I sweeten it. So far so good

My recent batch of dragon pee had at least 16 oz of lime juice. It was evident up until the time of bottling. Now it’s just a faint aftertaste

I don’t think I backsweetened much if at all

 

[CheerfulHeart]

My recent batch of dragon pee had at least 16 oz of lime juice. It was evident up until the time of bottling. Now it’s just a faint aftertaste

I don’t think I backsweetened much if at all

I am considering adding another 16 ounce of key lime juice in secondary. The key lime juice is very mild. I appreciate your insight about faint aftertaste.

 

[FlamingoEmporium]

I am considering adding another 16 ounce of key lime juice in secondary. The key lime juice is very mild. I appreciate your insight about faint aftertaste.

Yes I’ve read some posts in the thread that adding some lime after, alters its flavor perception.
Experiment !

 

[CheerfulHeart]

I racked the Red and Blue Berry (Cranberry and blueberry) DB Saturday. Stirred in the additives and added the Super Kleer. I plan to let it sit undisturbed for at least a week per the recipe. Even dry this one tastes good I didn't add the second bottle of key lime juice after all.

 

[Jovimaple]

Don't forget to post how many gallons (DB is counted as a variant of Skeeter Pee):

How many gallons of Lon D's Skeeter Pee have been made?

 

[Retired teacher]

5 gallons of SP and 5 gallons of DB. Tasting great!

 

[Loadclear]

Damn you Dave!

I just made my first batch, to a T followed the recipe. Yesterday, we were going to bottle, but we needed to sanitize more bottles than we thought we had ready.

Instead, I racked a gallon into a Carlo Rossi empty, and started drinking… and drinking.. and drinking. I passed out at 7:30 pm! Haven’t done that in 25 years. So, thanks and damn you Dave for an awesome recipe and for making this guy look like a 25 year old

 

[CheerfulHeart]

I found a pound of candied fruit in my freezer. No preservatives, just candied with sugar syrup. It's a blend of citron, lemon, pineapple and cherries.
I'm thinking this would be good with triple berry blend in a 3 gallon batch of DB.
Will I need to add some lemon or key lime juice as well? Or is using this blend one of those ideas that is good in theory but not so good in reality?

 

[mikewatkins727]

@CheerfulHeart : This sounds very interesting. Depending on your liking for tartness, add the lemon, juice not the full 40 oz. I'm thinking this is good in theory and reality. Experiment.

 

[Ericphotoart]

I’m working on the 2nd batch of DB. The first is still in the secondary, only 1 gallon but when I tasted it I decided to make much more. I have a 14 gallon carboy that I want to fill to the top as a secondary od course but I only have 2 6 gallon buckets for the primary. I’m fermenting 12 gallons of must now and I will ferment another 5 after the fermentation is over. I will be adding the second batch to the carboy about 7-10 days later. I’ve never did such a trick. Do you think it would be ok?

 

[CheerfulHeart]

@CheerfulHeart : This sounds very interesting. Depending on your liking for tartness, add the lemon, juice not the full 40 oz. I'm thinking this is good in theory and reality. Experiment.

@mikewatkins727: Thank you! That's what I was thinking in regard to the lemon juice, maybe 8 or 12 ounces since it will be a 3 gallon batch. Just enough to enhance not overpower.