Dragon Blood in 15 days!!!

[saramc]

Thanks for the redirect to the most recent version. Want to confirm, no heating of the sugar-water-lemon like you do with Skeeter Pee?? When I have made this I just assumed I should be inverting like you do with Skeeter Pee. Thanks in advance.

 

[jamesngalveston]

saramc..it is good to see you back...hope everything is ok .
no heating of the sugar water lemon, with this.....I know this is not what you would usually make, but if you tried it once, i think you will find it a very
nice refreshing wine for the summer....when its hot there in kentucky.

 

[cmason1957]

Take this for what it is worth. I always invert the sugar. Doesn't matter to me if it is Dragons Blood, Skeeter Pee, or any fruit wines. My feeling is that inverting the sugar makes it easier for the yeast.

 

[saramc]

no heating of the sugar water lemon, with this.....

Thanks James. I made this way back when Dave started this, even an early thread participant. Had already been making raspberry Skeeter Pee as fast as carboy space would allow. Even with my version & the 15-day DB version, I followed the principles of the Skeeter Pee recipe so the liquid base was inverted and yeast were less stressed. I think the DB notes even said something like 'make like Skeeter Pee'. BUT, it is good to know heat/inversion is not required though I think this would be an ideal clarified entry for this newest version..only because so very many are familiar with the inversion process that Skeeter Pee uses.
-- I did notice the new version uses 1-48oz lemon vs more lemon juice in the original & a few other modifications. Any chance the link to most recent version could be added to Dave's post where the original recipe is currently found? A historical recipe page of sorts. Sure would simplify things, even Facebook page has a different recipe listed.

Anyway, my mission is complete and I just finished a phone consult as I walked a friend 50+ miles away thru their first batch, and their second non-kit wine to date. Going to be great!!

 

[jamesngalveston]

Well as stated earlier, it is good to see you posting again...
i for one miss your advise on fermentations....
there is a sticky for db....

 

[saramc]

Well as stated earlier, it is good to see you posting again...
i for one miss your advise on fermentations....
there is a sticky for db....

Good to know about the sticky, I will go check that out! Having not yet looked, will we find just the most recent DB recipe or a historical recipe evolution?
Hopefully 2014 will be a bit more normal in terms of my winemaking, that is my goal anyway. So you should see me back to my normal activity level here. Woo hoo!! Missed everyone.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Saramc!
Good to see you back, I'm still using the extract method that you shared with me and nuts.com. Thanks again for your help, I hope to see you posting again!
Tom

 

[maurtis]

There is another thread on the forums about using dried malt extract (DME) in wines. Has anyone tried adding DME to a batch of DB? If you are using light or extra light DME it should not impart that much flavor and add body.

Of course, if bananas do the same thing they are definitely cheaper.

 

[dangerdave]

We have tried to consolidate all Dragon Blood related discussion to the recipe thread, here: http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f2/dangerdaves-dragon-blood-wine-41825/

Come join us!

 

[Allie Geiger]

Trying out this recipe! I'm on the first-day steps, but I have to wait until tomorrow to get my yeast energizer. Should I try throwing some bentonite in there too? At the same time as my yeast?

 

[vizsla_red]

anyone making this with a fast ferment conical?

should I let it start fermenting just in the cone for a day or so, BEFORE opening the union valve - and allowing a portion to dump into the bulb at the bottom?
or have the whole thing open, and filled to the bottom from the starting point?

 

[francois_du_nord]

This thread has slowed down a bunch, but lots of good info from earlier. I've just started a batch. I'll keep everybody posted. Inverted sugar, bentonite, 3 berry plus sweet cherries.

 

[Yooper🍷]

Hi Dave, been making wine since 1978 out of everything I could find in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Chokecherries, dandelion, elderberry, cranberry, bananas just to mention a few. I just started your recipe tonight with Meijer’s triple berry blend, came up with a SG of 1.100 which should amount to 13% ABV. Smells and tastes great. Can’t wait. One of the favorite wines I’ve made is Choke Cherry so I hope we have a good harvest this fall Trying to think of what I else I could put in the straining bag. Any suggestions? I was thinking Cranberries. I think the mix would be a very blush red. If I do that I will let you know how it comes out. I also wanted to ask if you have ever used a fruit base. I have a can of elderberry fruit base. I could weigh out 6 lbs and have a go at it. What do you think about that - would it work?
Monty