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JMU_Alumn08

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My girlfriend is nagging me about making a "banana beer" so I formulated one based off of a Hefeweizen in hopes of getting that banana/bubblegum effect using WLP300 (Hefeweizen Ale yeast). But to accentuate it, at the very end of the boil I'm going to use either fresh or dried bananas to really bring it out. Other than that, typical Hefeweizen using about .5 oz. Saaz hops for aroma and 1 oz. of Hallertau for bittering. Any opinions?
 
I don't know if the dried bananas will be neccessary. Just the yeast alone will produce a lot of banana esters if you let it ferment around 72-74 F. I made an english brown, but my thermometer was busted, and it tasted like banana bread after fermenting at that temp.

There's a banana bread beer here, where they put it on bananas in the secondary. That seems like a better idea than adding bananas in the primary or in the boil (you'd get a stronger banana flavor that way), but I've gotten super banana-y (banana-esque?) beers without any addition of actual bananas.

I don't want to sound like a jerk, but those are my thoughts. It doesn't seem like you're going to be doing anything that could ruin the beer, and let us know how it turns out! Good Luck!
 
I don't know if the dried bananas will be neccessary. Just the yeast alone will produce a lot of banana esters if you let it ferment around 72-74 F. I made an english brown, but my thermometer was busted, and it tasted like banana bread after fermenting at that temp.

Wells makes a Banana Bread beer that apparently they do use bananas in:



This unique brew (Alc 5.2% vol) combines all the traditional qualities and style of a Charles Wells bitter with the subtle flavour of banana. Its flavour unfolds with a sensual sparkle and a smart crispness, which balances its aroma perfectly. Tropically fruity; its ripe banana flavour, emphasised by a hint of bitterness, comes from the addition of real fair trade bananas and finishes with an emphatic, steely dryness.
 
i would go with the yeast and ferment high. It will give you banana for sure but too much is very cloying. Careful. I have an upcomming banana beer where i will be using bananas but im not going to be using hef yeast. I would deffinitly avoid using both hef yeast and bananas or it could be very very bad
 
Most dried bananas, like banana chips, have tons of coconut oil in them. So it probably wouldn't be a good idea to use them in beer.
 
Put some bananas in the mash too! (I have no idea what I'm talking about)

I really want to post a link to a certain flash animation but I don't think it would even be appropriate for fight club. Okay if you're REALLY curious google a line from a certain gwen stefani song. Just not while you're at work.
 
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