Good point, Derek. I guess I shouldn't figure everyone would realize that. I changed the recipe to better instruct when to test SG. I fill only up to five gallons to start with to allow room for all that sugar, then top up to six gallons when the sugar is all desolved.
I further modified the order of ingredients in the primary to adding the fruit bag last, after testing the SG. Here's the newest version (which I also modified in the Recipes section of this forum):
Please read recipe completely before beginning!
"DRAGON BLOOD"
FROM DANGERDAVE'S EASY PEESY (SKEETER PEE) RECIPE
Ingredients: For a six gallon batch:
Step 1: To a cleaned and sanitized seven gallon primary, add---in this order:
2 bottles (48 oz each) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle):
if you want to recude the acid level use one bottle.
Water to about five gallons
20 cups of white granulated sugar (you will be looking for a SG of around 1.075 after filling to 6 gallons below*):
use more/less sugar for high/lower desired final ABV. Stir sugar until completely
desolved.
1 tsp. tannin (stir)
4 tsp. yeast nutrient (stir)
2 tsp. yeast energizer (stir)
3 tsp. pectic enzyme (stir)
Top water to six (6) gallons* and stir well
Test SG (looking for a SG around 1.075)
Note: The natural sugars from the fruit will slightly increase the final ABV, so be careful how high you drive up the SG at this point!
6 lbs. of Triple Berry Blend (raspberry/blackberry/blueberry--a
vailable in most grocery store freezer sections), frozen then thawed, in a nylon fine mesh bag (tied shut), placed in primary (add any extra juice from the fruit as well):
Give the bag a couple of squeezes to work in pectic enzyme. May also toss fruit directly into primary, but this makes for a "messier" fermentation and subsequently will require more clearing time and racking.
Cover primary
Place brew belt:
Keep temp in 70F-80F range.
Let sit undisturbed for 12-24 hours...
Step 2: To the primary fermenter, add:
1 packet of EC-1118 Yeast (starter, per yeast directions):
Sprinkle yeast into one cup of warm water (100F), let sit for 15 minutes (no longer), stir and add to primary. Other yeast strains may also work well.
Stir Primary Vigorously!
Step 3: Each day, do the following, in this order:
Check temp
Check specific gravity
Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack:
Temporarily place in sanitized bucket.
Stir primary vigorously:
To introduce oxygen into must.
Replace fruit pack
Cover primary
Step 4: When specific gravity (SG) reaches <1.000, do the following:
Squeeze juices from fruit pack into fermenter---remove friut pack:
Discard fruit.
Rack to cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy
Add 1/4 tsp. Potassium Metabisulfite (stir)
Add 3 tsp. Potassium Sorbate (stir)
Degas very thoroughly:
I cannot emphasize this enough!
Add Sparkolloid* (or other cleaing agent): *
1 tbs in one cup of water simmered for about 30 minutes. Add hot mixture to carboy.
Allow to clear undistrubed for no less than 1 week
Step 4: When wine is clear:
Carefully rack off of lees into cleaned & sanitized six gallon carboy
Add 4-5 cups of white granulated sugar (stir until sugar is completely disolved):
Add more or less sugar to taste. Remember! The sugars will blend with the berry flavors over time, and the sweetness will come forward. Do not over-sweeten!
Allow wine to clear free of all sediment:
This may or may not require more racking over the next few weeks.
Step 5: When wine is completely clear:
Bottle in clear bottles
Note:
Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!
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