DangerDave's Dragon Blood Wine

[wineview]

Paraphrasing here.

When SG drops below 1.000 add k-meta, k- sorbate, degass and let wine clear. Rack into clean carboy and add 2-6 cups of sugar. Top off and add airlock. Then let sit for another week. Bottle when clear.

It all seems so fast. Any advantage to keeping in bulk for a few months before bottling?

 

[Raptor99]

Yes. The energizer is not necessary. Here is a comparison of nutrient vs energizer

https://www.midwestsupplies.com/blo...ce-between-yeast-energizer-and-yeast-nutrient

I would say "it depends." Yeast Energizer includes DAP as well as yeast hulls, vitamins, and minerals. It is similar to Fermaid-K. "Yeast Nutrient" includes only nitrogen in the form of urea (in the LD Carlson brand this is the main ingredient) and DAP. Yeast need a lot more than nitrogen and sugar to grow--they also need various vitamins and minerals. So if your fruit provides the necessary vitamins and minerals, then no, you don't need Yeast Energizer. But if it does not, then you do need it for a healthy ferment.

If you are making mead, or Skeeter Pee, or fermenting herbs or vegetables, then Yeast Energizer or Fermaid-K are essential to have a healthy yeast culture.

 

[Jovimaple]

It all seems so fast. Any advantage to keeping in bulk for a few months before bottling?

There was a contest a few years back to see how quickly they could make it and bottle a clear result. I think the winner was 15 days from start to bottle!

While DB and SP are ready immediately, I have found they really smooth out after a year (in the bottle). I haven't bulk aged them long, but I don't see that it would hurt. I will be making another batch of DB soon. Depending upon my carboy needs, I may bulk age for a couple months.

 

[Jovimaple]

Re: Sparkaloid, bentonite, and other finings ....

You can use bentonite in primary. I don't know if it replaces finings post- fermentation, but it may help. You can also use DualFine (kieselsol and chitosan) instead of Sparkaloid. I like k&c better because there is no cooking involved - they just get stirred into the wine and do their thing.

If it hasn't cleared within a week of using k&c, I will sometimes hit my wine with a double dose of pectic enzyme to clear any pectin haze.

Time will clear most wine, especially if you have degassed it. But for a quick drinker like DB, you will probably want to use a fining agent like Sparkaloid or DualFine (k&c). I get mine from my LHBS, Midwest Supplies/Northern Brewer. You can order it and use it when it gets to you, if the DB hasn't cleared fast enough on its own for your needs. It doesn't need to be done on a schedule, although it won't work well if you haven't degassed the wine.

 

[hounddawg]

There was a contest a few years back to see how quickly they could make it and bottle a clear result. I think the winner was 15 days from start to bottle!

While DB and SP are ready immediately, I have found they really smooth out after a year (in the bottle). I haven't bulk aged them long, but I don't see that it would hurt. I will be making another batch of DB soon. Depending upon my carboy needs, I may bulk age for a couple months.

on my skeeter pee, just before bulk aging i add a quart of lemon per gallon water, just at bottling i add k-meta, sorbate and 750 ml of pure grain alcohol per 6 gallon wine, then i bulk 1 to 2 years, taste like lemon aide but dose tend to ambush the brain, i have insomnia so i drink a coffee cup a night and sleep like a baby, 1 less med for me, and yes i had a long talk with DOC, now sorbate has no need due to the high ABV%, but habit i guess,
Dawg

 

[willie]

Been making Dave's recipe sense 2013 and always stay true to the Chems. as Dave lists them and the wine turns out perfect every time except DualFine or an equivalent is my go to fining agent. Sparkaloid works but I don't care for the whispy things from it that is in the bottle or what ever they are called. Wine is then cleared with in 1-3 days. As for as degassing I use a drill and 5 min. or so works fine.

Will

 

[BigDaveK]

It all seems so fast. Any advantage to keeping in bulk for a few months before bottling?

I didn't really notice an improvement to SP with aging.
I totally agree, though, that DB definitely gets better with age.

 

[hounddawg]

I didn't really notice an improvement to SP with aging.
I totally agree, though, that DB definitely gets better with age.

if you more or less follow the original recipe, but you add 1 qt lemon juice per gallon water, and a fifth of 190 abv% pure grain alcohol per 6 gal wine and you might, the originals were and are great, me, well i needed sleeping meds, each should do to please themselves,
Dawg

 

[vinny]

Yeah...boy am I glad I found your post. Ive never heard of degassing for two days. I use a drill and am done in 6-10 minutes for kit wines or juice buckets. Is there something different about Dragons Blood that requires more degassing time?

Gas can prevent clearing, and the recipe is intended to be fast. I am sure Dave was just trying to be thorough. Vacuum pumps work well. You can use a vacuum sealer of you have one with the aux hose.

 

[wineview]

So I pitched the yeast starter in my first ever DB. After going through the directions I'm questioning removing the mesh bags daily to squeeze out the juice. I did squeeze the bags on day one before pitching the yeast. I'm thinking I may punch down from here on and not remove the bags in the interest of sanitation. I will squeeze before discarding the fruit. Anyone feel there is a benefit in removing and squeezing daily? Also thinking of snapping the lid leaving the fruit in the bucket longer than the recipe suggests. Anyone foresee a problem or benefit?

After degassing the instructions state to add 2-6 cups of sugar. Has anyone ever skipped this back sweetening? If so, how did the wine turn out? Is back sweetening crucial for authentic DB? Is this wine intended to be consumed cold?

I suppose this is designed to be a very simple recipe. My instincts are to apply my wine making principles to it and see what happens.

 

[wbhutchins]

So I pitched the yeast starter in my first ever DB. After going through the directions I'm questioning removing the mesh bags daily to squeeze out the juice. I did squeeze the bags on day one before pitching the yeast. I'm thinking I may punch down from here on and not remove the bags in the interest of sanitation. I will squeeze before discarding the fruit. Anyone feel there is a benefit in removing and squeezing daily? Also thinking of snapping the lid leaving the fruit in the bucket longer than the recipe suggests. Anyone foresee a problem or benefit?

After degassing the instructions state to add 2-6 cups of sugar. Has anyone ever skipped this back sweetening? If so, how did the wine turn out? Is back sweetening crucial for authentic DB?

I suppose this is designed to be a very simple recipe. My instincts are to apply my wine making principles to it and see what happens.

I'm in step 5 of my second batch, so I can't speak from experience. But I found as I squeeze the mesh bag with each day or got smaller and smaller. So there must have been some benefit to the daily squeeze. Also I learned there was no benefit to snapping down the lid except making me work on my finger strength removing it daily. My mesh bag went from about a full quart+ size to about the size of an apple over the course of the time to get below 1.000 SG. Not sure what benefit there might be to leaving it in longer. I think the daily stirring was beneficial as I could see the Co2 coming out.

As for the backsweetening, I did reduce the sugar to less than 2 cups in a 5 gallon batch and after a couple months of aging it was wonderful.

Hope that helps.

 

[wineview]

I'm in step 5 of my second batch, so I can't speak from experience. But I found as I squeeze the mesh bag with each day or got smaller and smaller. So there must have been some benefit to the daily squeeze. Also I learned there was no benefit to snapping down the lid except making me work on my finger strength removing it daily. My mesh bag went from about a full quart+ size to about the size of an apple over the course of the time to get below 1.000 SG. Not sure what benefit there might be to leaving it in longer. I think the daily stirring was beneficial as I could see the Co2 coming out.

As for the backsweetening, I did reduce the sugar to less than 2 cups in a 5 gallon batch and after a couple months of aging it was wonderful.

Hope that helps.

Yes good information thanks. When I said snap the lid, I would do that when SG dropped below 1.000 not daily.

 

[vinny]

So I pitched the yeast starter in my first ever DB. After going through the directions I'm questioning removing the mesh bags daily to squeeze out the juice. I did squeeze the bags on day one before pitching the yeast. I'm thinking I may punch down from here on and not remove the bags in the interest of sanitation. I will squeeze before discarding the fruit. Anyone feel there is a benefit in removing and squeezing daily? Also thinking of snapping the lid leaving the fruit in the bucket longer than the recipe suggests. Anyone foresee a problem or benefit?

After degassing the instructions state to add 2-6 cups of sugar. Has anyone ever skipped this back sweetening? If so, how did the wine turn out? Is back sweetening crucial for authentic DB? Is this wine intended to be consumed cold?

I suppose this is designed to be a very simple recipe. My instincts are to apply my wine making principles to it and see what happens.

I have the pink bleach and TSP powder for sanitizing. I mix it in a spray bottle, spray, wring, and rinse my hands before I touch anything that contacts the must/wine. Haven't had any contamination to date.

It depends on what is in the bags in my opinion. I did a rhubarb kiwi, and getting my hands in there really helped break up the rhubarb further so the yeast was able to break it down. The triple berry mix is pretty broken down after it thaws, so a punch down and agitation with your spoon might be enough. I would wring it out on removal at the very least to get all the liquid and possible goodness out of it.

I do not like sweet wine and I was very surprised with the addition of the lemon how much sugar you can add, which pops the fruit flavor, but does not create a sweet wine. I know I used the least amount of sugar suggested, but you will have to experiment to see what you like. The biggest benefit of back sweetening is getting that fruit flavor more forward and notable, but if you like it dry. You know the rules around here. It's your wine, who are we to tell you what to do!

 

[wineview]

I have the pink bleach and TSP powder for sanitizing. I mix it in a spray bottle, spray, wring, and rinse my hands before I touch anything that contacts the must/wine. Haven't had any contamination to date.

It depends on what is in the bags in my opinion. I did a rhubarb kiwi, and getting my hands in there really helped break up the rhubarb further so the yeast was able to break it down. The triple berry mix is pretty broken down after it thaws, so a punch down and agitation with your spoon might be enough. I would wring it out on removal at the very least to get all the liquid and possible goodness out of it.

I do not like sweet wine and I was very surprised with the addition of the lemon how much sugar you can add, which pops the fruit flavor, but does not create a sweet wine. I know I used the least amount of sugar suggested, but you will have to experiment to see what you like. The biggest benefit of back sweetening is getting that fruit flavor more forward and notable, but if you like it dry. You know the rules around here. It's your wine, who are we to tell you what to do!

Yes I sanitize my hands first as well. Thanks. But no one has answered the question about drinking temperature. Should DB be consumed at room temp of refrigerated?

 

[barryjo]

You might try using a pair of dish washing gloves. Or buy a box (100) of nitrile gloves. Used by food handlers, etc.

 

[vinny]

Yes I sanitize my hands first as well. Thanks. But no one has answered the question about drinking temperature. Should DB be consumed at room temp of refrigerated?

Somehow, I glossed over that question.... I drank it cold. Like a white it brings out the crispness and fruit.

 

[wineview]

Somehow, I glossed over that question.... I drank it cold. Like a white it brings out the crispness and fruit.

My thoughts exactly

 

[wineview]

You might try using a pair of dish washing gloves. Or buy a box (100) of nitrile gloves. Used by food handlers, etc.

I put on food handlers gloves and sanitized.

 

[JustJoe]

I don't backsweeten at all and I drink it cold.

 

[Shurt1073]

I looked at my notes and on day 6 of fermentation I squeezed the bag of berries before taking it out of the bucket which gave it a darker color and a better smell. Absolutely squeeze the goodness out of the bag. Oh, and drink it cold.