Chocolate Banana Stout

My 1st batch had some definite banana-y notes to the smell (not in the taste though). It made me wonder if you could do a chocolate banana stout...maybe steep some cocoa beans right after the boil, use a yeast that tends to produce whatever that banana ester is, and then ferment at a pretty high temp. Any thoughts on that strategy? Has anyone every tried that?

i have not tried to make this flavor, but i have thought about it alot and wanted to. so i am waiting for the genius' of this place to work their magic.

Try using White Labs Hefeweizen IV Yeast (WLP380) and ferment at the upper temperature range of the yeast.

Interesting flavor mix. My first thought was a bastardized Dunkelweizen. Add maybe just a bit (2-4 oz.) of chocolate malt to it, along with either your bean idea or adding cocoa powder in the primary or secondary. Don't use syrup or baking chocolate - the oils will kill head retention.

Use either Wyest 1214 Belgian Ale Yeast or White Labs WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast and ferment in the 70oF range and you should get what you're aiming for. Good luck!

Rhoobarb said:

Use either Wyest 1214 Belgian Ale Yeast or White Labs WLP500 Trappist Ale Yeast and ferment in the 70oF range and you should get what you're aiming for. Good luck!

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I used the WLP380 on both my old dunkelweizen and the current munich dunkel that i'm drinking now. Its DEFINITLY got banana notes that you are looking for. While I haven't used those exact strains, both of the WL Belgian Wit and Belgian Golden strains really gave no noticeable banana nose, especially when compared to the hefe yeast. That hefe yeast strain is like banana 101


I like the idea of modifying a dunkelweizen recipe for this though. They are fairly dark/reddish beers already and wouldn't take much to black out. Possibly steep in a little roasted barley (1/2lbs), and cut the bittering hops down by about half to get there. You're likely to end up too bitter if you keep the hops the same while adding in cocoa powder. If you feel daring, try experimenting with chocolate extract added into the secondary. My chocolate stouts are not "<BAM> chocolate"...just the roasted characteristics of the cocoa. I did make a German Chocolate Stout about 6 months ago where I used 4oz of Chocolate Extract to help the chocolate flavor along. I would do it again with this recipe.

I used WL380 on my dunkel and fermented at a higher temp. HOLY BANANA. thats all i have to say about that.

Yeast Infection said:

I used WL380 on my dunkel and fermented at a higher temp. HOLY BANANA. thats all i have to say about that.

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if you give the beer a month or two... it really mellows out and is more enjoyable. Green... idk how you could stomache it

sirsloop said:

I used the WLP380 on both my old dunkelweizen and the current munich dunkel that i'm drinking now. Its DEFINITLY got banana notes...

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That strain would work, too. I've used both of those WL strains and I thought the banana stood out just a bit more with the WLP500. Just my opinion.

sirsloop said:

...try experimenting with chocolate extract added into the secondary....

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I've gone that route before, too. Used it in this recipe and got good results. Good chocolate extract gets pricey, but if you can afford it, go for it!

I am willing to admit I mixed half of a banana into a pint of Church of Chocolate porter. It was good.

red wine and chocolate is excellent... why shouldn't chocolate beer and bananas be good too? (yes this is a ridiculous statement)

according to white labs page wlp380 has more clove flavor with minimal banana. if you want to get banana and avoid clove go w/ wlp 300. i have used that in a hefe fermented at about 70 and it was all banana no clove