Second batch with a banana ester

I've just begun drinking my second batch, an Extra Pale Ale which was a partial. My first was an Imperial Pale Ale, straight kit. I'm very pleased with both beers, but they both have the very same banana ester, with a bit too much sweetness. Both were also a little darker than I thought they should be.

What is the most likely cause of the sweetness and banana ester? My guess, after doing some research, is that the fermentation occurred at too high of a temp? I kept the temp between 78-78 degrees.

I followed the 1-2-3 rule, by the way.

Thanks much.

78 degrees is to high for the standard ale yeast. You should be at 65-70 and you will find the beer ferments much cleaner. That is probably the cause of the banana flavor. The sweetness may come from incomplete fermentaion or maybe just not enough bitterness to balance. Post the recipe for others to look at and comment on.

Fermentation temperature is too high, unless you were doing a Hefe where the banana character is desired. Typically, 65˚-68˚F is the desired fermentation temperature for ales. Keep in mind, that is the temperature of the fermenting beer not the ambient temperature that the fermenter is sitting at.

The temperature inside the fermenter can be 5+ ˚F higher than the ambient. A soaking wet towel draped over the fermenter with a fan blowing on it can help to reduce the fermentation temp if you don't have any other way of controlling it.

Yea, ambient temp in my house for one batch was 72 (I was doing a hefe) But the fermentation got so vigorous it hit 78 or 79 for a couple hours. Mad banana esters, pretty tasty though.

my doctor said I wasn't getting enough fruits....went home and brewed a hefe at 75...plenty of bananas now....

maybe some apples next....