We RECREATED Dragon’s Blood Mead - How We Did It!

[@johnp.2267]

Thwack your packet! Beat your bag! Flog your fruit! Handle your honey! Spin your spaddle! (wipes sweat from forehead) Sorry, got a wee bit excited, there.

[@vernmorris8898]

@@johnp.2267 Home brewing seems to be as violent as home cooking. Beaten eggs, whipped cream, punched dough, oh my....

[@Dusty_Tarantula]

LOL, Smack the sack! (of berries)

[@tomherold1685]

Thank you for all of the good work you are doing. I recently enter your Holiday Fruitcake Mead in a local homebrew competition. My local homebrew store is The Brew Hut in Aurora Colorado run by Mark and Nick. Out of eleven people in this category I won a Silve medal! I give City Steading all of the credit, but I am keeping the medal. :) Thank you for having the best homebrew channel on all of KZbin.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Awesome! You did the work though.

[@christophermenz4942]

@@CitySteadingBrews That is something I'd love to see you guys do, enter one of your brews in a competition. That would make for an awesome episode of CSB.

[@tomherold1685]

@@CitySteadingBrews Thanks

[@beep-beepwatermelon4203]

@@christophermenz4942 agreed! It would be so fun to watch

[@CitySteadingBrews]

I have zero interest in competing. I don't make mead or wine for a judge that may or may not even be qualified. I make it for us and our audience. We get far more feedback on our recipes than any competition could offer too 😀👍.

[@RamDragon32]

A few years ago I got addicted to making syrups for soda making (it's how I found your channel) and made a dragon fruit soda that had the coolest color red. I remember staring at it like you guys did in this video. That color does look great!

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Cool!

[@jeffreybusse8746]

When I was stationed in Germany (2002-2006), the mittelalterfests (their Ren Fests) would have “drachenblut” which was mead made with cherries and darker berries. It was only available for a limited time after the Furth im Wald Dragon Slaying Festival.

[@GeorgeSmyth]

I'm in Maryland and my basic mead is only down to 1.032 after nearly four weeks. The nice thing about having a tilt hydrometer is that I have been able to chart its daily progress, so it's got a while to go, which is fine. For what it's worth, my basement stays in the low 60s, so it's to be expected.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Yup, nothing wrong with slower fermentation as long as it keeps working.

[@mattrenaud7573]

I went back a watched the first Dragon's Blood series this afternoon. Fun fact of the day; the first Dragon's Blood Wine video is the first appearance of "The Beast" (i.e. 71B) on your channel. Brian said he wanted to try it and ordered 10 packets. Wow have things changed in five years! Looking forward to the next five years.

[@joehodges6461]

Hey guys, you have been an inspiration for me for about 4 years now! Thanks for your vids!! Easy description of tannins is that it makes the flavor more adhesive to your mouth...

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Glad to help! Yup... that says it. Lol

[@johnwall4690]

Interesting blend of berries for a "Dragon's Blood" I think that I can't wait until we defrost out here. Will go down to the river and pick some choke cherries and some mullberries and blackberries here to put another spin on this dragons blood come next summer and use some local honey's as well. Thanks for another great idea... Shivering in Wyoming LOL!

[@ronnydam5609]

This is on my list! Superstition Meadery in Prescott, AZ calls this the Maid Marion. Most dragon blood recipes (well…two of the three I found) used dragon fruit and one was just a hibiscus mead. I’m adopting your interpretation as it’s going to be much more flavorful!

[@cfranklin001]

Know where your towel is. Great book and 42 always the answer

[@NoBonesPressed]

Never forget your towel...

[@togetherrising6563]

Haven't finished the video yet (already sensing this is my next mead) BUT I have to say, I love how this many years on Derica is just as excited about 'The Red Bucket of Sanitisation' 😂

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Lol

[@billbucktube]

Wow‼️ Great score, sounds yummy!

[@Laochri]

Well, in GOT Universe, Dragons Blood is Black and hot as Boling Oil. Last winter I brewed a 6gal batch of a Viking Blood Mead. It was a Hibiscus Mead. I made a tea with 5 gallons and 1 lb of dried Hibiscus. I used Arrowhead Spring Water, Kirkland Colorado Raw Unfiltered Honey, Lalvin K1-V1116, Fermaid-O It finished at 14.50% ABV and taste very close to a honey laced Merlot. I like drewing in the winter, as I have Radiator heating and set it next to the Radiator and stays around 75⁰F

[@richj120952]

I made mead, once. Nothing but water, honey, and yeast. The recipe called for it to age 8 years. About 6 month after I made it, I put it in my Brother-in-laws cellar, and went into the Navy. I was gone from home for about a year. Came back and my Brother-in-law had decided that he wanted the mead. Not aged properly at all, nor did I even get a taste. I got out of the Navy and moved into an apartment, so my wine making days pretty much ended. I did make a 5 gallon bottle of chablis though. I took it to my apartment, as I was under 21, and could not buy any alcohol. Funny that the government could not stop me from making my own though.

[@christophermenz4942]

It's so funny, I was thinking, " I wonder what this would taste like in a capsicumel?" Low and behold, you asked yourself that question and did it. :P I'd love to see the 2.0 version of your Dragon's Breath Mead. As always, you two are awesome. :)

[@MrAcuta73]

Started a gallon of your spiced maple cyser...looks like primary may be about done, haven't checked yet...I should do that! REALLY looking forward to it! Also did a gallon of Yuzu mead, which should be amazing (I hope).

[@shepardsforgeh2031]

Yes 100% I'm in Northern Wisconsin and I've got meads that are in 5 weeks and still going I can do the same recipe in July and it only takes 3 weeks! Just let your brew go until it stops bubbling!

[@rickh2117]

great explanation on the PH and why

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Thank you!

[@brandonharris6623]

My favorite mead I have made from your videos!

[@dannykezz1]

you guys seem like cool people, ive learned alot watching. thank you :) got some kilju going rn while waiting for my brew kit. keep going!

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Thanks, glad you enjoy the show.

[@paradox1995]

Awesome video guys. Vikings blood is next on my list, then ill try this. SO MUCH BLOOD!🤪

[@dawnteskey3259]

I ❤ the triple berry blends at Costco. I'm trying this mead!

[@thewrenchreviews9986]

tannin adds astringency, which is that drying feeling you get with wines that have tannins, especially red wines. You could withdraw some of the must to hydrate the tannin powder like you do with your yeast.

[@rojerww]

Eventually, someday, maybe - I'll definitely give this a try. In a way, it reminds me of Tiger's Blood, which was always my go-to sno-cone flavor. Maybe you could do a little research on that specific flavor and try that as a mead. I bet you would like it as well.

[@mateschindler6473]

I had once issue with the autosiphon letting air in the brew. Turned out, that there was a crack at the upper curved part of the pipe. So i applied some hot glue on it, and covered with heat-shrink tube (electrical supply). Since than no problem at all, has a better grip and sturdier. Maybe good idea to apply on brand new siphons as well.

[@quiescentLunacy]

I always felt like dragon blood mead should make you breathe fire so my first attempt at it had the addition of a LOT of ginger. I let it ferment dry and then backsweetened not with more honey, but with good quality ginger beer. Sure it diluted the ABV a bit, but it burns all the way down and warms your bones for the winter.

[@bwthomas84]

Just so no one new freaks out, it is okay to go over 1.100 og. 1.110 will still be fine, you may need to help it along. It will not require you to dump it out and get rid of your mead. I have successfully fermented a 1.212 og. Don't. Go. That. High.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

I have never said to dump it, yes it will work, but you can also dilute slightly and get it there too.

[@bwthomas84]

@CitySteadingBrews i know you know, that's why I watch you two. Keep up the amazing content

[@vamp357]

The color is amazing

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Definitely blood like!

[@KernsJW]

That looks delicious!

[@GreenfieldsHomeplace]

I really am focusing on this mead at 23:12, but I always enjoy looking in the background at all the goodies on your shelf. The dried Kiwi…Kiwi honey mead? But it’s good to snack on too. 😄

[@CitySteadingBrews]

We are doing something with it 😀👍

[@richardgranger1791]

@26:27 "You gotta thwack your packet on all your stuff, even your berries! HeHeHe" ... Naughty!

[@neilquarrell7551]

Hello, Just found your channel. After receiving a bottle of mead at Christmas and very much enjoyed the drink I was wondering, Can you make a root beer mead? I'm a British man with a taste for root beer. I acquired that from Macdonald's Berger chain back in the 80's. I have been looking through your passed videos, the Earl Gray was most interesting but not served hot lol. Thank you for trying the most unusual flavours. Regards. Neil.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

We did ferment a root beer into a mead once. The ingredients for root beer can be difficult to obtain but otherwise one day we will make one from scratch. kzbin.info/www/bejne/b4PGYqKGbL-kiNEsi=tgYIFB-PTJTcmKWq

[@neilquarrell7551]

Thank you for your reply.​@@CitySteadingBrews

[@offdaleft09]

Starting "Dark Berry Lord" soon. Blackberry Blueberry Boysenberry Black currants Vanilla

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Sounds good to me!

[@xXBurgman86Xx]

So I was cleaning out my walk in cupboard and ummm found my 8L jug of mead that I started in Oct so you know it’s done and smells great, I added it to a 11L ferm bucket with about 1.5kg of mixed berry’s now to let it rest with the berries for a couple weeks before I rack it out

[@ruorivanbalen9638]

Consistancy is the conductor of flavoure.

[@micah.little]

We’ve been having the same issue, but you’ll be interested to know - we’ve been having slow fermentations both with 71B and Fleischmann’s. It’s been taking us 4-5 weeks to ferment a gallon whether I’m using honey or sugar.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Probably temperature as it's winter.

[@micah.little]

Hey, I just had a thought, and looked it up, and sure enough, there’s a connection. Our humidity is super low right now!

[@83gt17]

Your honey pouring Fu has become strong! Lol

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Lol

[@TheRealUnagiRoll]

I know TRBOS is beloved, but i just ended up getting a two-pack of bussing trays from Sam's for $15 - I had just been sanitizing out of an extra large tupperware. Sidenote: my braggot and cyser, done two weeks apart, finished at the same time last week (10.5 and 13.5% respectively). That was a fun bottling session. Ha.

[@EnglishTurkishExpert]

I don!t like S shaped airlocks but round ones. Round ones are easier to clean and if you have a discharge tap below as I have, you simply remove the inner part of the round airlock and you may take samples from the tap below, without removing the airlock or opening the bung and exposing your wash.

[@basicems24]

Ill add habanero tincture to taste and steep a tablespoon or so of peated malt in the final product before bottling. The smoke adds a fun little surprise for drinkers.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Sure if you like it that way. We are working on the capsicumel version of this at some point like we did before. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aYbHmmyBaKZ-bacsi=PFg3eRyZzDRrsZ7X

[@gregosk1es]

Mix berries is my jam!!!

[@Questerer]

Sad that the TRBOS is sold out on Amazon. I bought a TYBOS at Ikea in the netherlands. Which is a yellow variant. And I'm glad for the recommendation of TRBOS. The first time I poored about 5 liters of water and an approximated amount of star san in the biggest cooking pan I have. Which is not big enough to sanitise everything in perfectly, so I did the best I could to wet the tools for a long time with a cup. Go find your TRBOS variant people!

[@CitySteadingBrews]

We are working on it!

[@mattrenaud7573]

I use a five gallon bucket. Not ideal but it works out ok.

[@Questerer]

@@mattrenaud7573 at least a 5 gallon bucket is 2.78 times bigger than a 5 liter pan. That better than nothing for sure.

[@boglurker2043]

There’s a lot of them if you search “shallow flexi tub” a lot of farm and equestrian stores sell them too, at least here in England.

[@chuppathingy9114]

I’ve always thought dragons blood mead was a cherry based mead, but it truly doesn’t matter as long as it tastes good!

[@CitySteadingBrews]

That's Viking's Blood.

[@chuppathingy9114]

@ ahhh, I knew it was a blood lol

[@rossk7927]

I don't believe Go-Ferm and Fermaid-O are replacements for each other. They serve different purposes. I fully agree with the hypothesis that the cooler temperatures are slowing your fermentation, but forgoing the Fermaid-O might also be part of it. A while back, about a year, Faywood Mead posted a Q&A video with a fermentation specialist friend Noelle that was really insightful. I'm sad to see the reach of that video is so low because it has a lot of great content about the yeast lifecycle.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

We used Fermaid O (edited) and Go Ferm.

[@KernsJW]

@CitySteadingBrews at 219 didnt you say you used go ferm? I add go ferm to the yeast, fermaid o to the must. I believe that is the intent. I find it really does take a while, but go ferm does seem to make those buggers a bit more hardy as time goes on. I add a touch of must to the water after about 10 mins and wait another 10 or so.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Right, we used both.

[@rossk7927]

At 1:58 you said "I'd rather use Go-Ferm than Fermaid-O" and I don't recall watching you add, or saying you added Fermaid-O... I'd have to rewatch in full to be sure. I'm not trying to nitpick, I'm just trying to help you help others by pointing out a possible bit of accidental ambiguity that may inadvertently mislead your target audience. 😅

[@CitySteadingBrews]

@rossk7927 I said I like it better as an ingredient as in... more in line with what I like about some additives.

[@adamjhayes59]

Hitch hikers guide to the galaxy and Dexter's lab references, I like this 👍👍👍🍷🍷🍷

[@bobschwaller5293]

Might try wrapping the fermenting jug in a blanket or something to maintain internal heat.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

I'm t doesn't need to be warmer than the 70-74 f we keep our house at.

[@lts0113]

Just for a reference, here in Minnesota, it's -7

[@stephenkennedy2075]

I've struggled with patience from day 1. I'm slowly getting a little better. Thank you for the acknowledgement! 😂❤

[@midlifecrisis2988]

Mine has been ultra slow as well. My orange vanilla has been in primary for about 40 days, and it’s just now hitting 1.001/1.000 I’m impatient as well. I can’t wait to add my vanilla, but I don’t want to supercharge the yeast and lose the vanillin.

[@midlifecrisis2988]

Also, my triple berry mead is named “Berserker Blood” And yes, it tastes great as a capscumel. My dragon’s fyre mead is the same, but includes smoked jalapeño, habanero, and ghost peppers

[@Khalrua]

Oxidation and oxygenation are different! Oxygenation means “to add oxygen to”. Like incorporating oxygen from the air into the liquid, whereas oxidation means to “lose electrons”, which exists as a term to oppose “reduction” which means addition of electrons. So what you guys are doing is “oxygenation”! Hope that helps. The other term is more chemistry (not that you guys aren’t doing chemistry!)

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Fair enough.

[@MrShaynen]

I worked in a hardware store. We used to sell something called a TRUG. It looked exactly like the TURBOS. I looked up TRUG, and there were the TURBOS in different sizes and colors, mind you.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

I'm checking that out now... close but not the same.

[@loringlass419]

I have an idea I used to keep the fruit flies out of my airlocks that you might like. I cut a small piece of nylon stocking from my wife's old panty hose and rubber band it over the cap of the airlock creating a screen. Also for adding tannin to the brew at the end couldn't you have used a strong freshly brewed black tea and add it to taste like you do the honey?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

You can do both those things but the tea at the end would dilute it a bit.

[@julietardos5044]

I checked Amazon for "red bucket of sanitization" and they had a bunch of other buckets, but not the REAL one. So sad. This mead looks so delish.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

We are working on that.

[@Aerynvala]

gotta thwack your packet on all your stuff, even your berries *giggles*

[@johnblyth9787]

I can only speak for Australia, but perhaps many other countries. Honey is not always honey. It can be a lot of sugar syrup and honey. Beechworth honey in Australia except Western Australia is raw honey that is filtered and bottled. In Western Australia it is pasteurised. Other places to get raw honey is bee keepers. Also flowers the bees are on will greatly change flavior of honey. This could totaly change end mead greatly. From my experiance lighter coloured honey is milded flavoured and sweeter. Darker honey has a deep and maybe eathy tones and less sweet. Hope this may help someone

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Sure. But from a quality supplier and you should be getting real honey.

[@tonyb7319]

My pH sweet spot is 3.2 - 3.4. Under 3 might come back to burn you....if you drink a lot 😁 Nice recreate! To me, fruit flavor is more intense when fruit is added in secondary.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

4 is a better starting point and below 3 is better for preservation.

[@tonyb7319]

@CitySteadingBrews 4 definitely for starting

[@bigosbro21]

Thwack the berries, beat the bag ... so glad my wife doesn't watch your videos or I'd be in trouble 😂 😵‍💫

[@NooDLEfor]

Does oxygen in the must, from shaking it up, throw off the specific gravity? I’m sure it’s a silly question, it’s probably a negligible amount, but I got curious about it.

[@ethana.838]

What are your thoughts on having a spray bottle containing a Star San mixture, and just spraying equipment as you go? Do you see some risks in that method? I am also assuming the type of bottle you are using might be important, to avoid micro plastics and stuff like that.

[@jarodlojeck5150]

Have you checked the PH during a slow-down? My high ABV Kilju dropped sharply mid fermentation and needed to be buffered.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

We tried a time or two but this time we did not. Could be pay but more likely was cooler temps.

[@gabrielpauly7931]

i call mine "The Blood of My Enemies"... good stuff... keep em coming

[@philwfacts5649]

Funny enough, I just made a hydromel I’ve made before, same yeast same honey same nutrients etc. it went super slow and showed none of the normal signs of fermentation besides the bubbles on the side. It took 3 weeks to chew 1.050 . It has also been super cold in New York. The temperature seems to matter a lot.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Oh it does. Even a few degrees can make a difference.

[@julietardos5044]

That can go the other way too. If the yeast you're using doesn't like heat, it will poop out on you if it gets too hot. We don't have air conditioning, and it gets up over 100F (40C) here sometimes.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Yup.

[@LawlissLanterns]

Nope. You said 1.100 correctly the first time! Just did a Mulberry mead with dried mulberries, 4oz i picked up from TJMaxx (sometimes they have interesting honeys) The mead sat in primary for an extra month waiting for another to clear, it was very nice and drinkable right at bottling. Cheers.

[@TheChairmen777]

I cannot find that stirring paddle/spoon that you use to stir your mead on Amazon

[@CitySteadingBrews]

It's linked in the description.

[@dominickbriganti5995]

Thwack your packet and your berries!! 😂😂😂😂

[@kevinkincaid3684]

With the decision to not pasturize when adding the berries, does that mean that you could have added them at primary fermentation and just used the bucket from the start, or is there another reason you decided to wait to add the berries that I may have missed? It just seems like the first rack would not have been needed and could have just been all together at the start with the same results (aside from the plan to pasturize'). Fyi I ask this because I often see in other videos you explain things like this and there is usually a good reason/explaination that I was not aware of :)

[@CitySteadingBrews]

There are many ways to do things. If we added the berries earlier, they would have fermented more. Adding later, they in theory, ferment less. You can add it all at the start, but again, will make a different product, if only a little. As for the racking not being needed... racking removes much of the yeast colony, further reducing the amount of fermentation that could have happened.

[@peterpissott9849]

Pie in a glass yes its good.

[@BarryMcDikkon]

I had a problem with a lot of air in my auto siphon. I took a very close look at it and there was a small crack in it right above the tube. I used a piece of scotch tape for a quick fix while I was siphoning. After I cleaned up I pushed the tube above the crack. Hopefully it works or I’ll need a new one 🤞

[@CitySteadingBrews]

We have only broken two or three in the entire time we've done the show so they usually hold up pretty well.

[@rodbarkley3265]

My first mead is going day 5 one quick question when do you stick the wine tannins into the brew

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Not every mead needs them, depends on the recipe.

[@vibekeburud9609]

I’m pretty sure if you search «danger daves dragons blood» it is older than yours, but it is a wine. 🍷 may be were you got the idea and made a mead of it.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Maybe? But never heard of it.

[@NancyThomas-u2g]

Thanks for the forecast! Just a quick off-topic question: My OKX wallet holds some USDT, and I have the seed phrase. (mistake turkey blossom warfare blade until bachelor fall squeeze today flee guitar). How should I go about transferring them to Binance?

[@Antmanpictures]

Does barometric pressure change play a factor on fermentation?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

I know altitude does, but pressure I don't know.

[@RobertChristian-e2e]

I didn't want to sound like an idiot I got a cold is it can can you use triple berry blend 100% juice instead of fruit with a honey and make it that way

[@CitySteadingBrews]

As I said, you can but it won't be the same and I don't have measurements for that.

[@bobschwaller5293]

Can you strain the dregs through a coffee filter when racking?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/l57Jq6CBndCra5Ysi=bHU92G3IL2NZXS9F

[@austinmontgomery2724]

Does fermentation smell at all?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

It doesn't usually for us.

[@dylanfeltz5587]

Have all the recent batches been using goferm? I've noticed when I used goferm that fermentation tend to be slow bit super spendy

[@dylanfeltz5587]

I meant the word "steady" not "spendy"

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Many have... not sure. I am fine with slow and steady. Keeps all the volatile aromas in!

[@davidsingleton1072]

I'm curious about the tannins. I've never used actual wine tannin powder before, only black tea in primary. Would the black tea at the beginning achieve the same thing as adding the tannins like you did? Asking for a friend from a small planet near Betelgeuse. Cheers.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Pretty much the same, yes. Wine tannin is just more predictable.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/qGbUl355drdrh5Ysi=khlmm5FUZxI-N0qb

[@ernestsmith1076]

What kind of honey did you guys use?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Wildflower.

[@96driver]

I have skipped on the "Triple berry" bag so many time . I'll be doing this next

[@RobertChristian-e2e]

I want to try to make this here soon but I was wondering about a triple berry blend 100 % juice instead of the fruit can you do that and how much would it differ from what you did

[@CitySteadingBrews]

You can but it's a whole different recipe due to the way juices work and it would likely taste different due to less tannins.

[@tanshihus1]

What possible nick names could one have for an airlock? Fizzy? Foamy? Vesuvius?

[@boglurker2043]

Bubbles

[@johnstrevay8103]

I’m still learning last from each video and I thank you for all these fun videos. But I have one question about when you added the yeast and acidity. Wouldn’t you want to add the acidity and or what’s needed to make it more neutral before adding the yeast? Or is that even a worry to have?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Yes, normally you want to adjust it first. If we didn't, that was an oversight.

[@johnstrevay8103]

Awesome thanks, yeah I still haven’t tried to make a mead yet.. not sure why just haven’t.. but love all your videos and each one makes me wanna start! Thanks for your reply

[@TheKrinkled1]

i hop my triple berry mead and it takes it to 11. =)

[@CitySteadingBrews]

If you like hops, sure!

[@stonerainproductions]

The slow ferment, is it Amazon yeast by chance? I have a Blood Orange and Cranberry Ginger Mead going and both are going very slow...the yeast is from Amazon. I'm wondering if there could potentially be a correlation.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Not sure this is tbh. I believe it's more due to temperature since it is wintertime.

[@PlainDiscord]

What’s Vikings blood? I have heard that one before as well, i was wondering if it was also the same just different name?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Cherry mead.

[@ChadWisham]

I had the same issue. 17 days in and I'm at 1.045 with my tupelo mead. Og 1.10.

[@larrydurham9359]

im in ky with 5inches of snow out side so i dont even try in the winter

[@PlainDiscord]

LMAO! Beat your bag! LMAO!! 😂😂😂

[@PlainDiscord]

Cut to next scene: “pay attention to your hose” lolol you two and awesome, I love this channel.

[@terryoslizlo9881]

Seems like ever since you have made sure that you are as close as possible to 4 with the pH, The brews take their time. I know that temp affects how quickly it ferments but since the ph being out of wack can stall it, possible that it can have an affect on how quick it is also????

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Maybe? But to be fair... slower ferments are often better tasting.

[@rj4313]

I heard Brian say: who cares if it ferments more once we add the berries? I have found that if your brew does ferment with fruit, it changes the taste. Fermented fruit gives my brew that rotting fruit/fermented flavour, but adding fruit in secondary/conditioning and not allowing the fruit to ferment, gives my brew a fresh fruit flavour. Have you found this in your brews? And is this difference worth its own test?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Well.. not really. We tested this and the flavor change is really not even noticeable. If you're having that happen it must be something else causing the off flavors, like infections, wild yeast or stressed yeast maybe?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/e6vEfp6KpZp1lZIsi=kFu3axIGFxjyMmOi

[@rj4313]

@ wow, how have I never seen this video before. Thank you!!

[@noahgrady3628]

Okay…it’s making me crazy.. what are the oats for?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

They are food... this is our kitchen.

[@tracychesnutt3660]

If this has been answered yet, wasn't Dragon's Blood originally a capscamel? I remember using a jalapeno in the recipe that I recorded from ya'll.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

That's Dragon's Breath 👍

[@codyx8273]

why is acid blend your go to instead of lemon juice?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Three types of acid that blend better with most brews when you need to acidify and it doesn't make it taste like lemons.

[@lts0113]

Love your videos. Been watching for a while. When you're introducing oxygen at the start, you gave me an idea. There are 98% oxygen canisters available for sports and exercise to use and supplement during physical exertion. I wonder if a high concentration of oxygen would make a difference...

[@Badger_and_Hive_Homebrew]

Not only did you name the spadle, you renamed after it was a product.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

True.

[@togetherrising6563]

I really want a "Thwack your berries" tshirt 😂

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Probably not going to happen, lol.

[@togetherrising6563]

@CitySteadingBrews haha, disappointing, but understandable

[@MxIxTxC]

So I've been fermenting for 3 days now. The gravity reader from the kit I ordered came broken so I got no gravity reading. But I used 3 lbs strawberry, 12 ounces of blackberry, and 3 and a half lbs of honey. Will I get bachalisim? Idk how to test now I'm scared cuz I have had it in like a 75 degree room.... 😢 (the fruit was all frozen the lightly cooked down and strained into a juice)

[@CitySteadingBrews]

You very likely will not get botulism, but that's pH anyway, not specific gravity. Yours may stop quite sweet though as that is a lot of fermentables.

[@MxIxTxC]

@CitySteadingBrews I was looking for a sweeter mead honestly. How could I find out if it's gonna make me sick? Is there a cure for bachalisim? XD this has me wanting to dump it and start again but I hate being wasteful

[@CitySteadingBrews]

It's highly unlikely to make you sick. As in... unless you added things that will make you sick, it probably won't. You could take a pH reading. That would tell you and you can adjust it if needed to be 100% safe, but... botulism is very very rare to begin with, let alone in brewing where it's more rare.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Don’t dump it as you don't even have the tools to know if the next batch won't be the same. Get a hydrometer, get some pH strips and follow a real recipe.

[@jpelesky]

Choke cherry wine from syrup. It was too thick to get a starting gravity, 3 weeks in I racked and took k a gravity reading, 1.080 so I used my easydens to see what the abv was, 21%. Tastes really good but really sweet. Should I let it keep going or pasteurize and bottle? Thank you for your suggestion in advance Used Daddy yeast

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Highly doubt it was 21% and still at 1.080. Check the calculators needed to figure out abv with a refractometer once alcohol is present.

[@jpelesky]

@ ok thanks

[@jpelesky]

@ My numbers are probably off. I am going to let I go for another week or two and check it again

[@CitySteadingBrews]

What did it start at?

[@jpelesky]

1.140

[@Cornpop-xh9wp]

Curious how everyone cleans their hose at the end of the day? I usually just run regular water through it for a bit then a rinse of sanitizer at the end? Anything different recommended? Great video thanks.😊

[@CitySteadingBrews]

Same for us.

[@Cornpop-xh9wp]

@ Perfect! Thank you.

[@julietardos5044]

And then take it outside to a large open space and spin it overhead 20 times to dry it out, mostly.

[@CitySteadingBrews]

@julietardos5044 mostly.

[@Sailin_Knot_Workin]

Wasn't your first "Dragon's Blood" made with tart cherries?

[@CitySteadingBrews]

That's Viking Blood.

[@Sailin_Knot_Workin]

@@CitySteadingBrews ah, thank you