Dragon Blood: Triple Berry Skeeter Pee

[Tess]

I racked and degassed mine last night to a bucket instead of a carboy. I used a drill and a whip and really never seen as much foam and bubbles as I thought I would. I degassed till the cordless drill about died. Racked it straight away into a glass carboy. Its just setting there. lol...I will test it in a week. Maybe shake some up in a test tube or something after I back sweeten

 

[Tess]

I did notice one thing I did wrong last night. I added 1 tsp instead of 1 tbs of sparkaloid. Should I add more now or just wait till I rack again

 

[JetJockey]

It's in a plastic carboy so I can't vacuum degas. I might get a carboy heater to see if raising the temperature will speed up the process.

Wildcat,
You can vacuum rack/degas FROM a plastic BB carboy into a glass carboy. You can't vacuum rack/degas TO a plastic carboy! I have some of each. When I started, I only had a BB and one glass. Using the All-in-One, I vacuum racked FROM the BB carboy to the glass carboy and then siphoned from the glass back to the plastic. I did this 3 times to degas. My DB was very gassy as well. When racking, I stopped when each carboy was about 1/2 full and used the drill stir in each. Being 1/2 full gave me the room to really let 'er rip without a volcano. I had to switch to an electric drill because I couldn't keep the batteries charged enough. I degassed until I got very little of a puff when shaking in a jigger glass for a puff test. It took me 4 splash rackings with the vacuum pump and drill stirring at least 10-12 minutes in between racking cycles to almost fully degas. I also used the AIOWP to rack, filter, and bottle. Each racking and use of the AIOWP further removed any remaining gas.

I keep my DB between 73-80*F throughout the fermentation, racking, filtering, and bottling. This helps in the degassing as well.

Good luck!

 

[wineforfun]

I did notice one thing I did wrong last night. I added 1 tsp instead of 1 tbs of sparkaloid. Should I add more now or just wait till I rack again

I would just wait and see. It really depends on how much of a hurry you are in. It will clear in time on its own. If you want it to clear quicker, I would add it again at next racking.

 

[Tess]

Do you add more Potassium Sorbate when you rack?

 

[Tess]

I was thinking of try this was the frozen blackberry's and instead of water us apple juice to get a blackJack use the wine cal to get my sugar correct

 

[wineforfun]

I only add K-meta and sorbate one time, with the initial racking.

Not sure what you are saying in your second post.

 

[DaveL]

quadberry color pics?

Can somebody post a pic of a finished bottle of Quadberry, straw, peach pinnaple, Bannanna? Id like to see the color.

 

[wildcat2013]

Wildcat,
You can vacuum rack/degas FROM a plastic BB carboy into a glass carboy. You can't vacuum rack/degas TO a plastic carboy! I have some of each. When I started, I only had a BB and one glass. Using the All-in-One, I vacuum racked FROM the BB carboy to the glass carboy and then siphoned from the glass back to the plastic. I did this 3 times to degas. My DB was very gassy as well. When racking, I stopped when each carboy was about 1/2 full and used the drill stir in each. Being 1/2 full gave me the room to really let 'er rip without a volcano. I had to switch to an electric drill because I couldn't keep the batteries charged enough. I degassed until I got very little of a puff when shaking in a jigger glass for a puff test. It took me 4 splash rackings with the vacuum pump and drill stirring at least 10-12 minutes in between racking cycles to almost fully degas. I also used the AIOWP to rack, filter, and bottle. Each racking and use of the AIOWP further removed any remaining gas.

I keep my DB between 73-80*F throughout the fermentation, racking, filtering, and bottling. This helps in the degassing as well.

Good luck!

I don't have a glass carboy so that wasn't an option. I think I finally got my batch to degass. I splash racked and stirred with the drill again and it looks like most of the CO2 is finally gone. Just waiting for it to clear now so I can get it bottled.

 

[dangerdave]

I'm back home and catching up on my posts. Glad everyone is getting along well.

 

[jmarx]

After making and bottling a 6-gallon batch, my wife decides the lemon flavor is overwhelming. I followed the original recipe of 2-48 oz lemon juice so next time I'll reduce to 1 like in your latest version. Is there anything I can do to fix this batch, such as dump all bottles into a carboy and add juice? Thanks for a great recipe - I'll be making another batch this weekend!

 

[dangerdave]

That's what I did when I first started with this recipe, jmarx. However, don't give up on that first batch just yet. Make another with half the lemon and let that first one set. Open a bottle and try it in about a month or so. You will be amazed at how much it mellows in the bottle.

Trust me!

 

[jmarx]

Thanks Dave, I'll let it sit for a while - in the meantime I'm looking forward to another batch! Thank you for not only this recipe but for your time and patience for rookies like me. That, in itself, makes this hobby more enjoyable.

 

[dangerdave]

Just paying it forward, my friend.

 

[ShepherdQ]

Dave, have you ever let a batch age in the carboy? I simply haven't had time to bottle the batch I racked almost a month ago, I'm wondering if it will have mellowed as much as it would had I bottled it. I ask because based on him much lemon I added I think mine will get the same review from 'the boss' as jmarx's did!

 

[jrvernon]

Danger, ever make up an f-pack to back sweeten? If so, what did you use? I enjoy my QB, but would love a fuller flavor.

 

[DaveL]

give it 2 months from when you mixed it. The tartness will fade and the fruit will come forward some. It is not a heavy bodied wine. After all it only has 6lbs of fruit.

 

[dangerdave]

@jrvernon: I once made a batch without lemon. I thought it came out kinda light on flavor. To boost the fruit flavor, I took an addditonal 3lbs bag of the same fruit I made the wine from (blueberry/blackberry/raspberry blend), and squeezed out as much of the juice as I could. I ended up with a quart of thick rich juice. I added this to the six gallon batch with good results.

@Rob: I have not tried aging a batch in the carboy more than a week or so. The demand is too great! It always gets bottled right away. I would say you should get the same results by leaving it undisturbed in a carboy. Taste is and see!

 

[Tess]

I think I have neglected to add the Dragon Blood Recipe the recipe section, so here it is. PM me if you have any questions.

Here's the newest version (v3.0): Please read recipe completely before beginning!


"DRAGON BLOOD"
*Silver Award winner at the 39th Annual Cellarmasters Amateur Winemaking Competition*

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:
1 bottle (48 oz) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle): if you want to recude the acid level use less.
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)
3 tsp. yeast nutrient (stir)
1 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--available 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 fruit pack: Discard fruit.
Note: Some wine makers suggest three consecutive days with SG below 1.000 to insure the wine is finished fermenting. I encourage this if you are not in a hurry to finish your batch. In addition, leaving the wine undisturbed (don't stir) for this time, will allow the sediment to settle out and facilitate more rapid clearing.
Rack the wine to cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy, leaving the gross lees (the stuff in the bottom) undisturbed.
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 5-10 minutes. Add hot mixture to carboy.
Allow to clear undistrubed for no less than 1 week

Step 5: 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). This will give a SG of around 1.010: 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 6: When wine is completely clear:
Filter if desired
Bottle in clear bottles (because it's beautiful)
Note: Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!

I will be at step 5 tomorrow! I will rack into carboy... but my temp in the basement is like 65. What I want to know is?? if I need to rack and degass one more time do I need to attache the brew belt again and bring up the temp ti degass?? Let me know!! Thanks

 

[dangerdave]

Do you think you got all the gas out, Tess? Is it clear? If you degassed thoroughly in Step 4, you will be fine. Do a puff test and see if you get more than a little gas. If you are not familiar with this test, just put a little of the wine in a small container, cover tightly with your hand, shake, hold close to your ear and listen for a puff of air when you release the seal. A little puff is ok. If you get a bunch, then yes, you will need to rack it off those lees, warm it up and degas some more. Excess gas would likely keep the wine from clearing quickly. If it's clear, then you are probably ok.

If you think it's good, then proceed to Step 5. Your getting close, now! Thanks for trying the recipe, and good luck!