DRAGON'S BLOOD

"DRAGON BLOOD"

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:
2 bottles (48 oz each) 100% Lemon Juice (ReaLemon in the green bottle): if you want to recude the acid level use one bottle.
Water to about five gallons
20 cups of white granulated sugar (looking for a SG btw 1.085-1.09 after filling to 6 gallons*): use less sugar for lower final ABV. Stir sugar until completely desolved.
1 tsp. tannin (stir)
4 tsp. yeast nutrient (stir)
2 tsp. yeast energizer (stir)
3 tsp. pectic enzyme (stir)
Top water to six (6) gallons* (looking for a SG btw 1.085-1.09) and stir well
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: 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 friut pack: Discard fruit.
Rack to cleaned and sanitized six gallon carboy
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 30 minutes. Add hot mixture to carboy.
Allow to clear undistrubed for no less than 1 week

Step 4: 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): 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 5: When wine is completely clear:
Bottle in clear bottles
Note: Never bottle cloudy wine! NEVER!


http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f68/dragon-blood-15-days-31996/

Left Hand Milk Stout not-so cloned

hey everyone..  sorry i haven't posted in a bit..
the nut brown ale is nice and strong..  i like it a lot!

i also made a "clone" brew..  of Left Hand Brewery's Milk Stout..  while it is quite tasty! and dark, and roasty it is only about 4.75% ABV ... that's way too low in my book!

i also finished my "keezer" .. so i can now have 4 brew's on tap in my kitchen!

right now i have the Nut Brown Ale, the Milk Stout, and the Apple cider (it's dry.. ) i need to brew a 4th!

i'll keep ya'll posted about that too!

2/17/13 - Nut Brown Ale

yesterday i got most of my equipment updated, still need a few things to make my brewing process easier
Dip tubes in keggles
SS 2inch piece for mash tun
hose clamps
and a few others

but all in all it went well, LOVED the plate chiller!!!
but brewing all alone did make the process quicker, but more boring too..
it was quite cold, so i had some issues, frozen hose, brewed in the garage

anywho, ... should be kegged up next week, and i'll be brewing again next weekend too.. if anyone wanted to join!