Banana Cream Ale

[Schlenkerla]

I belive I pitched the yeast on 4/7

4/14 it went to the 2ndary.

5/11 I bottled.

2 months from pitching, 3 weeks in the bottle.

I'm guessing the banana may tame down slightly. Right now its not tart like a hefe. Its just a mild amber w/solid banana flavor & aroma.

 

[celtic_man81]

I would suggest using 15 to 20 lbs of banana. I just finished making a strawberry wheat beer. I added about 15 lbs of strawberry, and you can only taste light notes of strawberry. I don't think fruit has a lot of sugar (or the amount we'd like) in it, so try that out. I was doing a 6 gallon batch to keep in mind. It all depends on how much flavor you want.

 

[Schlenkerla]

I would suggest using 15 to 20 lbs of banana. I just finished making a strawberry wheat beer. I added about 15 lbs of strawberry, and you can only taste light notes of strawberry. I don't think fruit has a lot of sugar (or the amount we'd like) in it, so try that out. I was doing a 6 gallon batch to keep in mind. It all depends on how much flavor you want.

What???

Are you bananas???

I used 5 lbs and it very banana-like but not too much. I still want it to be beer and not a banana daiquiri.

Did you see my tasting notes?

5 lbs of banana = 22 peeled. In my 2ndary it had 2-3" of level banana across the bottom.

15 much less 20 would be way too much banana

15 = 66 bananas, ~6-9" of sliced layers of banana
20 = 88 bananas, ~8-12" of sliced layers of banana

​

Where would I put the beer???

I'm happy w/ 5 lbs.

 

[BrewBrain]

Check out the foamy head... :rockin:

Dang, that looks purty. I had absolutely no interest until I saw it.

 

[BigKahuna]

Dang, that looks purty. I had absolutely no interest until I saw it.

I've had absolute interest...especially now that I've seen it.

Schlenkerla: want to trade a few bottles of your banana for mine?
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/showthread.php?t=48483&highlight=Bananas+Foster&page=3

 

[celtic_man81]

I would suggest using 15 to 20 lbs of banana. I just finished making a strawberry wheat beer. I added about 15 lbs of strawberry, and you can only taste light notes of strawberry. I don't think fruit has a lot of sugar (or the amount we'd like) in it, so try that out. I was doing a 6 gallon batch to keep in mind. It all depends on how much flavor you want.

Sorry, this is actually wrong. I found my original notes today, I actually added 5 pounds, not 15 lb. I would actually recommend using maybe 10 lb (depending on how much flavor you want). I just read your comment as well. If 5 lbs works for you, then great! I just remember that my brew was a little different (not enough strawberry flavor).

 

[Tonedef131]

It would be interesting to add some plantains to the mash of this beer, get some banana starch conversion going on.

 

[shagington]

?Question?

Do you think the dried banana flakes you added into the boil in the last 10 minutes just boiled and fermented off, not really adding to the banana flavor of the beer?

 

[eschatz]

WOW! I have been wanting to make a banana beer for SO LONG!!! I'm REALLY impressed with this beer. I couldnt find any info on bananas used in beer. Some info for wines, which always included the skins in the boild, but not beers. I've always been interested in making a banana choc stout.... mmmmmmm sounds like a winner to me. I'll be stealing bits from this recipe to make that. thanks man!

 

[Schlenkerla]

?Question?

Do you think the dried banana flakes you added into the boil in the last 10 minutes just boiled and fermented off, not really adding to the banana flavor of the beer?

I made this only once so I'd say its hard to for sure. If you go with the hopping rule-of-thumb, then the flakes added flavor.

I'd say with the quantity of whole banana used it had to no doubt be source of of aroma but I think it had alot to do with the flavor.

The dried banana flakes are cheap, so don't skip this ingredient.

 

[Schlenkerla]

WOW! I have been wanting to make a banana beer for SO LONG!!! I'm REALLY impressed with this beer. I couldnt find any info on bananas used in beer. Some info for wines, which always included the skins in the boild, but not beers. I've always been interested in making a banana choc stout.... mmmmmmm sounds like a winner to me. I'll be stealing bits from this recipe to make that. thanks man!

Cool - Post your recipe here when you have it formulated.

 

[Steiner]

Really interesting and tempting experiment. I admire your innovation. I may make a mini-batch. Your idea reminds me of "Wells Banana Bread Beer." It was pretty good, and was definitely the most interesting fruit beer I've ever had. I saw that in the store and it was just too off-the-beaten-path to ignore. If you haven't tried it, I'd give it a shot, or purposely just leave yourself in the dark and see what you think of yours. Either way, you can't lose.

Also, here's another link to banana beer from this forum.
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f12/thinking-about-making-banana-beer-19338/

I remember there being a banana ale in the recipe database, but they didn't use any bananas. Probably a hefe variant. I don't remember. Keep us posted!

 

[Schlenkerla]

The last banana cream beer is gone....

 

[GolgiApparatus]

So how well did they age? Did the bananna drop out a bit?

 

[WBC]

So how well did they age? Did the bananna drop out a bit?

That was my question post #30.

 

[tom777]

SWMBO thinks I'm crazy, but I want to brew this one!

 

[Schlenkerla]

So how well did they age? Did the bananna drop out a bit?

The banana aroma & flavor did not drop out at all. I think it was about the same on Thursday as it was back in April or May. The biggest change I saw was with the slight estery yeasty flavor dropping out completely. Which I think was typical on any of my really young beers.

I've started brewing All Grain. Dropped the 1,2,3 rule. I keep the wort in the primary about 3 weeks, rack to 2ndary for 2-4 weeks then bottle. Almost everything that I have made this way has been quite drinkable at bottling, not to mention pristine from a clarity point.

When I do this again, I won't use hopped extract and I'll use a tertiary when the banana all ferments out in the 2ndary. Just another step to let the yeast drop out.

 

[tom777]

dumb question -- are the banana flakes the same thing as the dried banana "slices" or "chips"? If not, where do you buy them?

 

[Anbrew]

All those bananas gave their lives for this beer when you could've just fermented high!:fro:

 

[Schlenkerla]

dumb question -- are the banana flakes the same thing as the dried banana "slices" or "chips"? If not, where do you buy them?

Yes they are the same. I used dried banana chips.

If or when you drop them in the boil don't freak when you see slight bit of oil on the wort. This didn't hurt fermentation or head retention in the least bit. I believe they have a tiny bit of coconut oil on them.

Mine were great-value brand from Walmart.

 

[tom777]

thanks for the info! I'm planning to brew up a variant of this recipe soon.

 

[BrewBrain]

The evilness of this thread is slowly pulling me in. I feel the need to brew a choco-banana stout. Oh gawd, I'm on my way to cherry cream ales and strawberry rhubarb ambers

 

[tom777]

Cherry Cream Ale...... now that sounds pretty good too.. any suggestions on a recipe?

 

[Warrior]

Yes they are the same. I used dried banana chips.

If or when you drop them in the boil don't freak when you see slight bit of oil on the wort. This didn't hurt fermentation or head retention in the least bit. I believe they have a tiny bit of coconut oil on them.

Mine were great-value brand from Walmart.

Just came across this thread. I've always like the banana character of a german weiss more than the clove. Great idea, I'm going to try this on my next german wheat.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Cherry Cream Ale...... now that sounds pretty good too.. any suggestions on a recipe?

I might have a recipe at home in one of my books. As a guideline take any cream ale recipe. Ferment completely in the primary, then addd fruit to the 2ndary and use 2 -16oz cans Oregon Brand Cherries, unsweetened. I would use one of these three; (they are pasturized and common in my local grociers)

- Dark Sweet Cherries
- Royal Anne Cherries
- Red Tart Cherries

Products - Consumer Products - Oregon Fruit

I'd stay away from the tart unless you really want that. Dark Sweet would be good in a Cream Stout. Then rack over to a 3rd fermentor for clearing.

 

[tom777]

sorry for getting off-topic.. I was getting ahead of myself. I need to worry about this banana cream ale before I worry about another one

 

[tom777]

one more question -- do you do anything special to the 5# of bananas in the secondary or do you just peel, slice 'em and throw them in?

 

[Schlenkerla]

one more question -- do you do anything special to the 5# of bananas in the secondary or do you just peel, slice 'em and throw them in?

I just peeled and slice them into a sanitized tupperware tub (sitting on a scale) until I got 5 lbs of banana. I dropped them into a sanitized bucket then siphoned over them.

I think its important that the fermentation is done since you don't know the effect of the banana. The complete fermentation with all the alcohol would help prevent chances of infection.

Also my bananas were firm and yellow too, none of which were green or ripe.

Fermentation takes at least 21 days so be patient.

 

[tom777]

thanks for all the info and prompt responses. I think I'm ready to brew this. I picked up some ingredients this past weekend and now I just need to bottle my Dunkelweissen to free up a primary. Any thoughts on adding flaked oats to the grains?

 

[Schlenkerla]

Flaked oats? I haven't used them yet in anything, but it might make a nice twist. Don't know how much to use, BYO had an article last not too long ago. You can hit BYO website and search for oats.