Banana Esters

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Hopmunky

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Quick question for you guys. Im wanting to get a plain hefe started soon and I really like a strong banana flavor in them. I'm probably going to ferment a little warmer than I normally would in hopes of bringing them out strong.

My question is what yeast strain will provide the best and strongest flavor for what I'm looking for?
 
personally, i'd go with Weihenstephan Weizen Wyeast W3068

check out the description on the midwest site: "Dominated by banana ester production..."

that's the one i'll be using when i do a hefe soon.
 
personally, i'd go with Weihenstephan Weizen Wyeast W3068

check out the description on the midwest site: "Dominated by banana ester production..."

that's the one i'll be using when i do a hefe soon.

This is a very good one for banana bombings. Be careful though, if you let it go unchecked the banana is WAY too much. Trust me, I know from experience.

If you want a banana forward flavor, I would ferment at 70º actual fermentation temperature. With the voracity of this yeast, that means an ambient temp of 60º. I would rig up a swamp cooler and try to maintain your temps at least below 73-75º.

Good luck!
 
Yeah that yeast will do you well. I used Austin Homebrew's extract Bavarian Hefeweizen and fermented at high temperatures and I am loving the bananas!
 
WLP300 is also a good one for banana, I just finished a hefeweizen using it. Fermented at 68, I got some good banana nose and flavor but not overpowering. I've heard that WLP300 is basically the same strain as W3068.
 
Hmmm...so fermenting a Weizen at higher temps will give a banana flavor? Really? I've been wanting to try some sort of brew with a banana flavor...never knew it could be done this way. I'm thinking of picking up a Weizen kit at my LHBS today, comes with the WLP300. I think I just may go for it...
 
I don't know all the strains, but Wyeast 3068 will produce MASSIVE amounts of banana when fermented hot. Too many esters and not good. You may like it, but stylistically and for 90% of people it will be offensively much banana and bubblegum like flavors.

When fermented cool, this yeast is nicely balanced with clove and banana while allowing the wheaty character to shine through for a very nice B. weizen. I prefer the 68º mark.

THIS YEAST IS TEMP SENSITIVE.
 
Yar, not enough people love that massive banana flavor these days. I LOVE banana, but I don't think i've ever had a beer where I could really taste such a flavor. Does it produce an overwhelming, almost TOO much (if there is such a thing! for me, anyways) banana taste? What about the WLP300?
 
Ever had Franziskaner? Take that banana, put it on steroids, then mix it with a full packet of big league chew, add 5 more bananas, and you might have an idea the amount of banana this yeast can pump out. Yeah, its too much.

I once fermented this hot (~70º ambient) and it was almost unpassable.
 
Ever had Franziskaner? Take that banana, put it on steroids, then mix it with a full packet of big league chew, add 5 more bananas, and you might have an idea the amount of banana this yeast can pump out. Yeah, its too much.

I once fermented this hot (~70º ambient) and it was almost unpassable.

Haha yeah I definitely want a definite banana note but not so overpowering that it puts you off. I will probably go with one of those two and try to keep the temps down.
 
BK is spot-on with all comments. BTW, I used to like the banana but now, not so much. You'll still get cloves with lower fermentation temps, but banana gets squelched under 70F.

For dry, Danstar Munich is the way to go (I think). I've never used it, but I intend on giving it a shot this summer. I've only ever used the 3068.
 
i fermented the WLP300 at 68-70 ambient and the banana came through plenty. it was enough that i didn't want to drink it, just wasn't my thing. My friends put that beer away though like it was going out of style.

The flavor i ended up getting was very similar to the In Heat Wheat by flying dog if you want something to try and compare to before you pick a desired temp.

good luck!
 
I'm currently running into a problem with the hefe I brewed on Saturday.

I know my ambient temp is too high (70 degrees), so, I think I'll need to figure out a way to cool down the ambient to around 60-65 to slow down the banana takeover.

I've got a shower that never gets used. What's the best way to cool that space down?
 
I'm currently running into a problem with the hefe I brewed on Saturday.

I know my ambient temp is too high (70 degrees), so, I think I'll need to figure out a way to cool down the ambient to around 60-65 to slow down the banana takeover.

I've got a shower that never gets used. What's the best way to cool that space down?

You could use a tub with water to put your carboy in. And add 20oz frozen bottles to bring the temps down.

Cooling an entire room would be harder.
 
I hate to break it D Struct, but it is too late for you. The yeast has already respirated, reproduced, and consumed at least 2/3 of the fermentables. You flavor profile is largely locked in already. I would still lower the temp as best you can and leave the beer ont he yeast cake for two weeks to try and condition it. You will likely have a very banana forward beer on your hands.

The first couple days are really the most important for temp. control.
 
I hate to break it D Struct, but it is too late for you. The yeast has already respirated, reproduced, and consumed at least 2/3 of the fermentables. You flavor profile is largely locked in already. I would still lower the temp as best you can and leave the beer ont he yeast cake for two weeks to try and condition it. You will likely have a very banana forward beer on your hands.

The first couple days are really the most important for temp. control.

That's what I was afraid of.

I wanted it to be more on the banana end of things, but I'll do what I can to hold off a completely banana hefe.

I planned on leaving it on the cake for 2-3 weeks, so, maybe with a little nudging, I can get it somewhat under control.
 
For banana out of a dry yeast go with Fermentis WB-06.

I have brewed commercially with 3068 before and after talking to wyeast and a little experimentation we learned you can get pretty good results fermenting around 68 F and you may want to underpitch the yeast a little. It does well at producing esters if stressed a bit.
 
i fermented the WLP300 at 68-70 ambient and the banana came through plenty. it was enough that i didn't want to drink it, just wasn't my thing. My friends put that beer away though like it was going out of style.

The flavor i ended up getting was very similar to the In Heat Wheat by flying dog if you want something to try and compare to before you pick a desired temp.

good luck!

A couple years back I brewed a hefe with the yeast from a bottle of In Heat Wheat with excellent results. Mine came very close to In Heat. Ryan at Flying Dog assured me that the bottle yeast was the same yeast used for fermenting. He said it is very susceptible to mutation, so always go back to a fresh bottle each time you use it, and don't try propogating it.
 
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