Danger's lab---keep out!!!

[chris400]

Hey dangerdave (or anyone else) I just racked my first dragon blood and back sweetened it but it's not got any tartness to it and taste like it's old almost. I was wondering if you or anyone else has had this issue or should I just wait it out for a couple weeks and see what happens

 

[Dale1978]

Chris I had the same problem with my first try at Dragons Blood - My first batch was only 1 gallon - I added a small box of golden raisins to it and the tannins from the raisins brought it around. I have a couple of other variations of Dragon Blood and added some acid blend to them on the start and they have turned out great. Not sure what is happening on my 1 gallon batches versus 6 gallon batches - but the additional acid is making a difference. It maybe that I add more fruit to my recipes than Dave does. But I put in the required lemon juice, but it does not seem to be enough for the correct PH and TA that I go by. So I have been adding the acid blend and the other 2 batches turned out great.

 

[chris400]

How many raisins did u all to 6 gal

 

[Dale1978]

reading some of Joeswines - he recommends 1 lb for 6 gallons - this is where I got the idea for putting them in my Dragon Blood - check out (thinking outside the box or when good wines goes bad) they are some really good reads from Joeswines.

 

[dangerdave]

Looks like you guys have a handle on it. I have not had this probelm. I always make six gallon---or larger---batches.

 

[dangerdave]

It may not seem like it, but I've always got something going on in the Lab. Recently, I had a big bottling day, when I filled, capped, and labeled sixty bottles. These included thirty Chilean Gewurztraminer---came out great! Crisp, light, and clean with a hint of earthiness from the peaches I used in the primary and the extra finishing tannin. I'm going to try infusing a few of these with hot peppers for cooking. I also bottled fifteen each of traditional Dragon Blood---because I have to make it constantly!---and an Exotic Fruits White Zin (wife's idea---which I will not be making again: very plain, non-discript wine).

Behind the bottles (from right to left) are my five Chilean reds and their blend, a promising Italian port (made from all the juice and skins in post #295 due to a freezer failure), and---far left---my (possible) entry for the Dragon Blood Variant Contest, "Sweet Strawberry Tart".

I am hoping that my retirement in six months will add a new dimension to my wine making as a expore new avenues of vinting.