Dragon Blood: Triple Berry Skeeter Pee

[ShepherdQ]

Bottled mine yesterday, and got a resounding approval from my wife. It tastes exactly as people have described it, with slightly stringer lemon than I'd like right now but it's perfect for my wife's taste.

One problem: there's still a bit of a haze, which didn't come out despite almost a month of carboy aging. I'm leaving in a week for 4 months, so I didn't really have time to futz with it before bottling. I dunno if the picture is good enough, but does anyone think it looks like pectic haze?



(BTW: I know that's not a proper cork, this is an extra bottle that will be consumed immediately!)

I'm lucky my wife isn't a purist: I mentioned the haze and she said "I don't care, it tastes great."

 

[Tess]

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!

No thank you!! I will do that. Its looking very clear and beautiful right now. I cant wait to taste it and I will do the puff test thanks for all your help DD

 

[Tess]

well I put a little in a tall shot glass and got a pretty good puff so Im bring the temp up to degas again. Man I took a tiny taste and its nasty lol I hope it improves with sugar and age

 

[Tess]

It taste like it smelled while it was fermenting. Yeasty maybe??

 

[Tess]

OK big difference!! lol I still have gas though. Iv degassed till I just cant anymore. I put the brew belt on to bring the temp up some and I will go at it again tomorrow morning. Im tired. Taste great though. I wished I had added a little less sugar but the family will love it if I can ever get it degassed lol

 

[dangerdave]

Residual CO2 can make a good wine taste aweful! Glad the degassing improved it. Persistence will give you a good product.

 

[dangerdave]

Bottled mine yesterday, and got a resounding approval from my wife. It tastes exactly as people have described it, with slightly stringer lemon than I'd like right now but it's perfect for my wife's taste.

One problem: there's still a bit of a haze, which didn't come out despite almost a month of carboy aging. I'm leaving in a week for 4 months, so I didn't really have time to futz with it before bottling. I dunno if the picture is good enough, but does anyone think it looks like pectic haze?

(BTW: I know that's not a proper cork, this is an extra bottle that will be consumed immediately!)

I'm lucky my wife isn't a purist: I mentioned the haze and she said "I don't care, it tastes great."

Glad your wife likes it. The lemon will mellow with time. If it's pectin haze, it will not likely clear on it's own. If nobody cares, don't sweat it! If you really need to know, then open a bottle, add a tiny pinch of pectic enzyme, give it a little shake, stuff that funky cork stopper in it and wait a few days. If it clears, you'll know that was the problem.

 

[Dino466]

Dave, if you filter will that get rid of the pectin haze.
Thanks, Dean

 

[dangerdave]

Dave, if you filter will that get rid of the pectin haze.
Thanks, Dean

No. If I am not mistaken, those long protien strings are too small to filter out. They need to be broken down with the pectic enzyme. It works great, and usually within a few days to a week. It seems that 99.9% of my haze problems have been due to pectin, so I just add some in if the wine is still cloudy after clearing. It does not affect the taste, nor change the wine in any other way.

 

[Dino466]

Ok- it has only been 2 weeks - my first batch - so a little impatient. The skeeter pee that I made a week later is clear as a bell.
Thanks, Dean

 

[dangerdave]

I've even had kits that developed pectin haze, for whatever reason. Sounds to me that's what you have. Hit it with some enzyme, and watch it clear! Some folks add pectic enzyme to all their wines.

 

[Dino466]

I have not racked yet - I will rack first and then add the enzyme? I did put a heat belt on it and degassed again - nothing up oxygen.
Thanks

 

[Reilly]

Here may be a stupid question but - when you are checking the SG daily do you put the sanitized hydrometer in the must or use a thief to pull some out?

I've got my first batch of DB going in the primary and pitched the yeast on 3/24.

 

[Tripplett]

Here may be a stupid question but - when you are checking the SG daily do you put the sanitized hydrometer in the must or use a thief to pull some out?

I've got my first batch of DB going in the primary and pitched the yeast on 3/24.

I do both. During the early stages of primary I just float it in the must. When it gets down to the ending stages and I care more about accuracy and color I use a thief. With the thief you get to also hold it up to the light to see color and clarity if that's your thing. For secondary and later in a carboy it's easier to use a thief with the narrow neck of a carboy.

 

[mikeslag]

Anyway finished mine a couple weeks ago and haven't had a chance to post but it turned out perfectly!

Here is what we used to clear it up and it was crystal clear within like 3 hours of adding this in. It was amazing!



And here is the final product, no labels or anything yet but it is a delightful wine for sure. We love it! Great recipe!

 

[lonesomechicken]

I entered a bottle in a local competition. It finished 3rd overall out of 150+. My grape did not do so well. I did not use all the lemon and used another bag of frozen fruit.

 

[dangerdave]

The color is perfect, Mike. Excellent job!

And lonesomechicken, congrats on the competition placement. Such things build confidence!

 

[NashChic]

I've made (2) 6gal batches of DB thus far and I'm ready to start another. This time I think I will make the blueberry version instead of the triple berry (if I remember correctly, Dave calls it Jet Blue).

My plan is to follow the DB recipe as I have before, but substitute 6lb frozen blueberries for the mixed berries. I'd also like to try adding bananas, raisins, & a little oak in primary. I'm thinking 4 peeled/sliced bananas (that's what I have on hand), 12oz regular dark raisins, and a handful of French medium toast oak. Thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[dangerdave]

That sounds perect, NashChic. Go for it! I've got some Jet Blue I've been drinking that's almost a year old. Very smoooooth!

 

[nbwii]

Here is my first attempt. I followed Dave's recipe except I use 32oz of fresh squeezed orange juice and 8oz of lemon and I didn't have to back sweeten (for my taste).