Dragon Blood in 15 days!!!

[geek]

Good summary Dave....

I am almost ready to start my own DB....

 

[Pumpkinman]

I usually won't use EC - 1118, it will ferment a rock, but it doesn't bring out any favorable characteristics, and I've been told by hard core cider makers that EC - 1118 kinda kills the fruit flavors and aroma.

 

[geek]

Tom, did you use that yeast this time or a different one for the DB ?

 

[dangerdave]

I usually won't use EC - 1118, it will ferment a rock, but it doesn't bring out any favorable characteristics, and I've been told by hard core cider makers that EC - 1118 kinda kills the fruit flavors and aroma.

Almost all of the kits I have ever made, including high-enders, have used the EC-1118. Seems like a universal constant.

I have used other yeasts. They seem to work just about the same on the DB, as far as my unsophisticated pallet can tell.

Maybe it's time to do a Dragon Blood Yeast Comparison Study. Any excuse to make some more!

 

[tatud4life]

Aw stop it Dave!!! You're making me blush! LOL I wouldn't say that I'm an expert by any means, but I've made a few batches of the stuff since July. I'll have to invest in a brewer blanket then and heat things up a bit and see what happens.

I have only used EC-1118 so far and am wanting to try different yeasts to see if the taste or body changes any. I've thought about using Red Star Montrachet. (I think that is right.)

I can't seem to keep the stuff around long enough to build up a supply, but, if Santa is good to me this year, I should have the capability to have 4 batches going at once in the primaries and another 8 batches going in the secondaries at different stages. My goal is to have 4 fermenting, 4 clearing, and 4 resting after back sweetening at all times!!!! If I can;t keep up with that, hen my wife and I are drinking waaaaaaaaay too much and need to seek help asap!!!! LOL

 

[Pumpkinman]

I do use yeast, and yep, most all kits will include Lalvin EC-1118, it is a fail safe yeast, it is also recommended for stuck fermentations, it is a beast! That said, I try to select yeasts that will bring out the best characteristics of the wine I am making, the temperature and alcohol thresholds are among what I look for, for instance, for the latest batch of Red Dragon Melomel, I used K1-1116,

The natural fresh fruit aromas are retained longer , Fruit wines and wines made from concentrates poor in nutrient balance benefit from the capacity of K1V-1116 to adapt to difficult fermentation conditions, s a rapid starter with a constant and complete fermentation between 10° and 35°C (50° and 95°F), capable of surviving a number of difficult conditions, such as low nutrient musts and high levels of sulfur dioxide (SO2) or sugar. Wines fermented with the K1V-1116 have very low volatile acidity, hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and foam production

I also substituted this for the EC-1118 in the first kit I've ever made, German Gewurztraminer (in progress) because it tends to express the freshness of white grape varieties, but 71B-1122 would have worked as well.

Does this make a difference? Maybe, but when I hear that EC-1118 actually strips away the natural aromas and flavors, I tend to want to stay away from it.

When I was making Moscato, I actually searched Italian websites to see which type of yeast some of the traditional Spumante makers were using, and used the same type DV10 and QA23 (S. cerevisiae bayanus), I used a yeast developed for Brunello for my Amarone (BM45).

If it is available and the costs are reasonable, I like to use the yeast developed for a particular wine, or developed to bring out of a wine, what we are looking for.
I think it makes the whole wine making process a bit more personalized and a lot of fun!!!!

 

[harmony24]

Is this ready to drink once it is bottled or do you need to bottle age.

 

[Tripplett]

So is there always a cap of what I am guessing is yeast on top? I have been stirring this back in twice daily. It's been 5 days since I started my batch and I'm now at 1.050. Each time I stir vigorously I get co2 foam so I know I'm getting somewhere. The sg keeps going down slowly (72 deg). I am concerned about all the stuff on the top. This is my second wine batch and the first was a kit so this is all new to me but I'm loving experimenting. Thanks.
Joe

 

[Fordguy]

Triplett! Sounds like your on the right path, however, they are folks on here much more knowledgeable than me.

I have been sitting here drinking my some of my second batch of DB and I just gotta say thanks to Dave...and Lon too.

I have learned so much by reading this forum, and I haven't posted much. But my compliments to all of you "experts" on
Here, I am thankful for you all, this is a great and enjoyable hobby.....oh, Merry Christmas to you all.

 

[tatud4life]

So is there always a cap of what I am guessing is yeast on top? I have been stirring this back in twice daily. It's been 5 days since I started my batch and I'm now at 1.050. Each time I stir vigorously I get co2 foam so I know I'm getting somewhere. The sg keeps going down slowly (72 deg). I am concerned about all the stuff on the top. This is my second wine batch and the first was a kit so this is all new to me but I'm loving experimenting. Thanks.
Joe

View attachment 6402

You are looking perfect!!! Once your specific gravity gets to around 1.010 you will notice the cap production really slowing down. I guess that was the key for the old timers back in the day to know when the fermentation had finished. I keep mine at 72 degrees also and it looks just like yours. All that stuff on top will soon be on the bottom and you can rack the liquid off of it.

I do have a question about yeast though. In Lon's recipe, he uses the slurry from a batch of wine in his skeeter pee. I understand that yeast is a living organism and that it consumes the sugar and regurgitates alcohol. How many times can you re-use a slurry before the yeast are too pooped to poop alcohol? Is that something that you would even want to do? Would the blending of flavors from more than one wine be too much?

 

[smack]

Is this ready to drink once it is bottled or do you need to bottle age.

its ready to drink right away

 

[keena]

I actually have some that's about three months old and its great! But it is good right away as well.

 

[tatud4life]

I actually have some that's about three months old and its great! But it is good right away as well.

How in the world have you been able to keep it around for that long?!?! Lol. I'm finally able to start building up an inventory for the next end on the world prediction.

 

[keena]

I started it, racked it to secondary, then went off to school for three months while all my wine sat there aging. It sucked while I was away, but I'm happy with the results now. Lol

 

[tatud4life]

That's how you did it. Lol. That would suck knowing that you have a batch of wine waiting on you.

 

[keena]

Especially when I read here how everyone loves it, thanks alot guys! Lol

Luckily I had my dad there to to off the airlocks for me

 

[wineforfun]

Just drank a bottle of my first DB. It was awesome. I only made a gallon. I still have 3 bottles that I am letting sit for a couple/few months to see if the flavor changes. I just racked a 2 gallon blackberry DB batch. I need to get ahold of some 6 gallon carboys so I can make bigger batches.
Thanks to everyone for the help with the DB.

 

[Tripplett]

Last night my DB was at 1.000 so I racked it into secondary and added the chemicals for step 4. I didn't have K-Meta powder and the instructions on my Camden tablets say 1 crushed tab per gallon. Hence 5 crushed tablets went in. This morning i see a post that references Keller's website where it says 1/4 tsp of powder = 45ppm in 5 Gannon's but 5 crushed tablets equals 75 ppm for 5 gallons. Since I'm making 6 gal that puts me at 62.5 ppm. Luckily i forgot this was a 6 gal batch - newbie. Am I still ok or did I mess this up? From what I've read I just need to introduce some O2. I'm in no hurry to clear and bottle and will rack again at least once. Thanks for the info.

 

[Samh200]

1. Do you use campden at the begining?
2. Will red star Montrachet yeast work?

Thanks....

 

[dangerdave]

Tripplett, don't worry. Just splash rack it next time around. That will drive out some of the sulphite. I used to add way too much sulphite to my DB (on the order of 6x the recommended amout) and everyone still loved it. I am not recommending doing that, mind you. Your will be loved by all!

Sam. No sulphites (campden tablets) in the must. It will be fine without it as long as you are using store bought frozen fruit. The Montrachet will work fine. Just keep it warm (72F-80F).

Good luck, everyone.