Banana and Strawberries in American Pale Ale

[ndallmer]

Asking a Frankenstein beer.

Looking to use both strawberries and bananas in the secondary. I'm looking to get a good balance of both favors. Any suggestions?

GRAIN BILL (extract actually)

PRIMARY
8 lbs Breiss Golden Light LME
1 lbs Breiss Bavarian Wheat DME
1lbs Breiss Carapils lovibond 1.3 ( for body, adding moisture from fruit can thin the body a little too much.)
3 additions of German Hallertau
1lbs Dextrose
Wyeast 1056 American Ale

SECONDARY
5 lbs ripe bananas
5 lbs strawberries
Maybe some vanilla extract???

Yup, it's a biggie! No session beer here!


Thanks,
Neal

 

[ndallmer]

Think I'm gonna cut the malt to 5 lbs per 5 gallon batch. I'll make 60 gallons on beer, using a variety of fruit. Bananas, Strawberries, Pineapple, Blueberries, Mixed Berries (blackberries, blueberries, black raspberries, red raspberries).

I'll make 60 gallons in several different combinations. Should be interesting!

 

[jrobidoux]

That's a lot of fruity beer! Are you using frozen fruit? Or are you gonna go about it some other way? Also, be ready with a blow off hose when you add that fruit to secondary.

 

[Schumed]

strawberries should be good....bananna not sure but I've had success using different strains that will produce bananna esters. 3068 works really good. Do some research on yeast and bananna esters and experiment.

I do a triple berry wheat every summer. blue berries, rasberries, and blackberries. I use all frozen.

 

[cmmartin]

Yeah, I agree, if you want a banana flavor with/complimenting your berries, use a hefe yeast perhaps... Do a little searching and see what you can Find. Should give you a good banana like flavor

 

[dawgmatic]

I think you should go ahead and use the bananas. Every time anyone discusses using bananas in their beer someone always crawls out of the woodwork to tell them to use a fruity yeast that will make some nice banana esters.

The reason bananas taste that way is because they contain the same ester. using a hefe yeast might also add a clove like flavor which the OP might not be looking for.

one8tvw got good results using 5# of ripe bananas soaked in rum for his bananas foster
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/bananas-foster-creamy-ale-all-grain-pic-intensive-291125/