Holy Bananas Batman

Bottled a batch of Sierra Nevada PA clone (Midwest) today and the banana aroma was definitely there. Recipe was an extract with steeping grains, with Muntons dry ale yeast, re-hydrated and pitched at 70. Ferm temps were generally right around 70. 10 days in the primary, 10 in the secondary. When I racked it to the secondary, I don't remember any banana odors.
Recipe gravities: OG 1.042 - 1.046 FG: 1.010 - 1.012
Mine: OG: 1.048 FG: 1.012
Fermentation started with 4 hours and visible ferm over by 41 hours.

The "book" says these odors can come from too high a ferm temp, poor aeration, or underpitching the yeast. Don't believe I committed any of these "sins".

Any ideas? Should I have left it in the primary longer and forgot about the secondary? Will the bottle conditioning reduce this off aroma?

brew-skies said:

Any ideas? Should I have left it in the primary longer and forgot about the secondary? Will the bottle conditioning reduce this off aroma?

Click to expand...

this is most likely NOT the reason, i have never exp banana flavor except with wheat malt and hefe yeast....

What I meant by the primary/secondary thing was; will the conditioning phase clear up esters by leaving it on the primary yeast cake, or, are you stuck with the esters once they form?

You should be ok

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/ne...virtue-time-heals-all-things-even-beer-73254/



Nick

brew-skies said:

What I meant by the primary/secondary thing was; will the conditioning phase clear up esters by leaving it on the primary yeast cake, or, are you stuck with the esters once they form?

Click to expand...

Personally, I'd rack to secondary to get it off the yeast cake. Sounds like your fermentation was probably a bit hot for an ale (or WAY too hot for a lager). I can't say with 100% certainty that getting your beer off the trub will help, but it certainly won't hurt. I'd rack it to secondary, leave it for three weeks to a month, then leave it in the bottles for three weeks. If that doesn't clear it up, let it bottle condition for a few more weeks. You might get lucky.

Edited: Oh, and it possible, I would drop the fermentation temp to the 65-68 range. Yeast esters should mellow with age, so you probably didn't ruin anything. Just my 2 cents.