Dragon Blood: Triple Berry Skeeter Pee

[TedLarsen]

Okay....I'm aboard! I started a batch last night. It's already beautiful.

I added raisins and bananas a la "especial;" and I added some oak in the primary ferment. I was not able to get the standard Wymans triple-berry at Wal-Mart, so I substituted blueberry-strawberry-mango chunks. I also added a pound of strawberry, and a pound of blackberry (as much to enrich the color as anything).

I'll post when it's done. Thanks, Dave!

 

[wineforfun]

Did you just peel banana and put in fruit bag whole, with other berries?

 

[TedLarsen]

In my case, I did! I have some banana wine working right now in which I cut the bananas, peel and all, into little discs; but for this I peeled the bananas, cut the fruit and lobbed the slices into the bag along with the other fruit.

 

[wineforfun]

Thank you. I will give that a go with my next batch.

 

[ShawnDTurner]

Peel the bananas and place them in whole, no need to dice they will dissolve in a few days. This will add body and mouth feel without imparting flavor.

 

[dangerdave]

Like all the great variations! You guys are awesome!

 

[JetJockey]

Dave,
How did your raisin, bannana 7 oak work out? Do you have your perfected recipe posted? I've never used oak before so need the instructions on how to add that as well.

I entered my 1st triple berry batch in a local contest under fruit wine - semi-dry (back sweetened to your SG recommendation). Everyone loves this. Appears I need to make a drier batch for the dry wine overs!

Thanks,
Bob

 

[jeranis]

So my Dragon Blood (sg .996) smells a little, rancid. Just a little.

This is my first batch of this stuff, and first batch with real fruit in it.
Bought the berries, 4/3, kept them in the package in the fridge till 4/6. Mixed up all the ingredients on the 6th as the directions said minus 4 cups of sugar (og 1.065 wanted a little less boozy). Set the heater for 75 degrees. Made a yeast starter with ec1118, added must slowly till I had a half gallon fermenting VERY strongly. Added the main bucket and it took off like a rocket.

First few days were thick purple sludge which I stirred with a sanitized spoon and squeezed the bag with sanitized (heh) hands. The last few days the bubbles turned pinker and the sludge diminished. This was the point where I started to notice the slightly off smell. It reached 1.00 yesterday and I pulled out the berries squeezing one last time, and discarded them. Today the gravity is .996, there is no scum on the top and very few bubbles from the yeasties. Fermentation is near wrapped up clearly.

I think what it needs it time, but Ive never brewed with fruit so I am anxious.

 

[dangerdave]

Well, Bob, I'm still learning, too. It was definately oaky when it got dry. I back-sweetened yesterday. My guess is that it will mellow over time, just as usual. I added half a cup of untoasted American oak powder to the primary. I have toasted French oak, too, but didn't use any on this batch. The untoast oak is much more pungent. Next time, I will had half as much. Others have used oak on their dry wines, or when racking to secondary. I think it's another one of those "to each his/her own" catagories.

Give yours some time, jeranis---if that's your real name (LOL!). It sounds like you made it just right. I'd let it sit for a few more days---just to be sure---then proceed.

 

[Dend78]

yeah for sure let it sit it will be fine it always smells a lil funky but it will go away and leave you with the fruit smell

 

[jeranis]

Whos real name might it be?

 

[JimC]

Okay I am excited as I started my 1st batch of Dragon Blood Sunday, 4/14... I am getting ahead of myself but here is my 1st label mockup!

 

[wineforfun]

Awesome label.

 

[dangerdave]

Very nice, Jim! I like it!

 

[suecasa]

Hey Dave … can you just clarify … on my product packages it says to use k-met at 1/8 tsp per gallon and you say to use 1/4tsp total for 6 gallons. on the sorbate it says use 1/4 tsp per gallon and you have us using 3tps for the 6 gallons. did i miss an explanation along the way??

 

[Tripplett]

Hey Dave … can you just clarify … on my product packages it says to use k-met at 1/8 tsp per gallon and you say to use 1/4tsp total for 6 gallons. on the sorbate it says use 1/4 tsp per gallon and you have us using 3tps for the 6 gallons. did i miss an explanation along the way??

I wondered about the sorbate myself. As for the k-met I figure this stuff isn't going to last long enough to matter but I'm curious on that one too. Thanks for bringing this up.

 

[Tess]

Okay I am excited as I started my 1st batch of Dragon Blood Sunday, 4/14... I am getting ahead of myself but here is my 1st label mockup!

Love it!!!

 

[Tripplett]

Another question... Are you guys drinking this chilled or warm? For me it's chilled but I'd be curious if anyone is drinking this warmer.

 

[Tess]

I drink all mine a little chilled. I know, Im uncouth but its the way I like it and thats all that important right?

 

[JimC]

I was jumping around different threads and came across the back sweetening with Honey vs. White Sugar. I am reading this smooth's things out more? Since this is my 1st batch should I just go Sugar or does this help mellow the lemon faster? Also I was reading the Raisins and Banana's in a batch helps smooth as well as a Honey batch (15lbs) to start instead of the 20 cups of White Sugar (10lbs). So many choices what is the consensus?