Dragon Blood: Triple Berry Skeeter Pee

[Pumpkinman]

Nah, I didn't use Lemon Juice, this was my poor attempt to copy from Dave's recipe. I used the Pineapple juice instead.
A blend isn't necessary, the D47 is a great yeast as well, I added it as a blend because I used some honey and it is listed for meads.
Go Ferm is a yeast re-hydration nutrient, it helps the yeast to reproduce. Is it necessary?..No, can it help, yes. You will be fine without it, I would purchase it to have in the future.

I do want to state for the record, that this is based on Dave's recipe, a major "Thanks" goes out to Dave for nudging me in this direction.

 

[dangerdave]

Tom is a wealth of info, ain't he!
Now, let me specify. I no longer use lemon juice in my Blue Macaw, since I am not interested in imparting any lemon flavor to that wine. I have substituted 3 tsp (for six gallons) of acid blend instead. The wine comes out very smooth and silky on the tongue, with very little acidity. My wife, Johnna, loves it that way. My current batch of BM---ready to rack from the primary tomorrow---is further modified using bananas. I'm excited to see how it turns out.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Thanks Dave! Your recipe's have made for a lot of very happy wine drinkers..lol!!!

 

[wineforfun]

Awesome guys, thanks for the help. I love how you can just keep tweaking this recipe. I am going to start a 2 gal. batch and think I will use 3lb. of tropical fruit and 16oz of lime juice. I am hoping the lime juice doesn't have the acidity/bitterness of the lemon juice. I will keep everyone posted.

Dave,
On another note, I am going to try your Dragon Blood "melomel". I like the idea of using honey. I am contemplating throwing a vanilla bean in there for something different.

I feel like the mad scientist.

 

[Pumpkinman]

Wineforfun, try the Melomel, it is unreal!!! Tweak it to your taste, you will appreciate at it even more!!!
Keep us posted!

 

[ShepherdQ]

Dave, everyone,

I'm planning on making Dragon Blood for my wife, and this may be heresy, but since she prefers lower alcohol drinks I was thinking of making it with a final ABV of 5.5-6.5. I'll need a starting SG of 1.04 to achieve this, which is quite low, I know; does anyone perceive any problems with this? Will it not keep as long, for example?

Another question: what do you think would happen if I doubled up on the berry mix (10-12 lbs)? Would the loss of volume be too significant, or would it turn out too sweet after back sweetening...? Just curious, I've never made it but would like to try for a really strong berry flavour.

Thanks!

 

[Pumpkinman]

I would start at 1.050 in order to get to 6.5%. As long as you adjust and stabilize the wine it should last as long as any other wine, but trust me, this doesn't sit around a long time, once you taste it, it will be consumed!

I don't think it would turn out too sweet if you doubled up the fruit, once the yeast ferments the sugar, it won't be sweet until you back sweeten, but the fruit will be pronounced, just what you are looking for. One thing I might do, just because your fermenting time will most likely be less than if started at 1.090, I would squeeze the berries to mash them up a bit and put them in a nylon drawstring bag, this way they will be broken down a bit and the yeast will have contact with more surface area.

You can always get a can of Vinters Harvest Fruit wine base and add it to the must, this would boost the berry flavor and make a berry bomb!

 

[cheesehead]

question for the masses, after racking a 5gal. batch of straight Vitners harvest cherry wine from concentrate i have lost about 3/4 gal due to the loose sediment. i know to top off with similar juice or wine, However do you think its wise to store the Lees( hope thats right) in a gal jug and then freeze it hoping it doesnt break or will a very cold refrigerator suffice, not sure how long storage would be, also,I dont know how much to add to the next batch of whatever is next.any thoughts?
thanx, Loddie, Go Packers!!!!!

 

[cheesehead]

Dave,regarding the Blue Macaw, would ya be willing to part with that recipe? sounds tropical, we just returned from Jamaica and are already planning to go back, i think with a tropical tasting wine in her hands, the wife might go for a room upgrade this time, LOL

 

[ShepherdQ]

As long as you adjust and stabilize the wine it should last as long as any other wine, but trust me, this doesn't sit around a long time, once you taste it, it will be consumed!

That's kinda what I figured!

Thanks Pumpkinman, appreciate the help! Can't wait to get this going.

 

[cheesehead]

Pumpkinman, where can i find the melomel recipe?

 

[Pumpkinman]

Cheesehead, I just posted in the mead section, I believe this is the direct link: Berry Bliss Melomel

 

[cheesehead]

Thanx Pumpkinman !!!!!

 

[wineforfun]

Just bottled up a 2gal. batch of Blackberry DB. I sweetened 1gal. a little more than the other so curious to see if there is any difference in the two. I will definitely be making future DB versions with only 1 lemon juice or another type as the two bottle version is way too acidy for my liking. Also going to open a bottle of DB I have had bottled for a month now. I will see if it has changed since bottling.
Going to start a batch of Tom/Dave's Tropical Daze/Blue Macaw variation and a batch of Dave's DB melomel this weekend.

 

[zrhanson]

So this may be a dumb question, but is the tannin absolutely necessary? I live very far away from ANYTHING and after getting back from the HBS to buy supplies and getting about halfway through starting my batch of Dragonblood, I realized that I had forgotten it. Should I go now and get some before continuing? Would it be fine if I waited until Monday, picked up some on my way home from work and added it in then? Or do I not even necessarily need it? Any help would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[Pumpkinman]

nope, not absolutely necessary, but it does add to the final product!

 

[Longtrain]

Huh, I thought I had some EC-1118 in the frig, but only Montrachet and Cotes de Blanc. I just mixed a one gallon batch of DB to give it a try. Will either of these yeasts work?

Thanks for any help...Tony

 

[dangerdave]

Tony, The Montrachet works great with fruit wines. I have a batch of DB finishing it's primary with the Montrachet. Fermentation went as planned. Go for it!

 

[Longtrain]

Dave:

Thanks, this stuff smells great and I haven't even pitched the yeast yet...

Tony

 

[cohenhouse77]

Dave:

Thanks, this stuff smells great and I haven't even pitched the yeast yet...

Tony

It is hard not to drink at this stage. My kids all have had a small glass and it is their favorite stage of my wine making next to the bottling stage.