Banana flavor

[Ridire]

OK, I have been doing some "research" by buying craft beers of various styles to find one the wife likes. I bought New Belgium Abbey Dubbel and the wife likes the banana flavor. It is my understanding that this flavor is a result of the yeast used. If I brew a Dubbel for the wife and want the same banana flavor, what yeast should I use?

 

[Ridire]

I've only ever used dry yeasts. Is there a dry I can use or will I have to put on my big boy pants and use a liquid yeast with a starter?

 

[Mojzis]

Big boy pants. Belgian abbey or ale yeast. Alternatively some hefeweizens have a ton of banana like esters. That's also liquid but you could culture from a 6 pack. You could also do the same with most Belgian beers.

Idk where your from but Sierra Nevada hefeweizens or saranac hefe. They are pretty good examples of that banana flavor and are unfiltered so you can culture.

 

[Yooper]

I don't know of a good dry hefeweizen yeast, but there may be one out there somewhere!

I'm not a hefeweizen/dunkelweizen fan, but if you really bananas you'd want a weizen yeast noted for that character.

If you want the banana/clove flavor, try this yeast: http://www.wyeastlab.com/com_b_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=135

For a similar flavor, but with a beer that will clear, try this one: http://www.wyeastlab.com/com_b_yeaststrain_detail.cfm?ID=51

One tip I can give is if you want less clove, more banana, ferment it warmer (near 75 degrees fermentation temperature), and use only one package of yeast.

 

[Gduck]

Isoamyl Acetate is the ester responsible for banana flavors in beer. Some yeast strains it comes out far greater than others, especially when fermented at warmer temperatures. The German Hefeweizen yeasts are classic examples of a yeast that throws off a lot of it during fermentation. Though not exactly a style you'd use for Belgian beers.

I'm not aware of any dry yeast that is going to give you more of that character. White Labs WLP570 Belgian Golden ale is one of the Belgian yeasts that you can coax that character out of by fermenting towards the top of that yeasts temperature range. Under pitching the yeast can also help accentuate that flavor as the yeasts produce a lot more esters when they have to work harder for that fermentation!

 

[Ridire]

I get Sierra Nevada here.

 

[Ridire]

Isoamyl Acetate is the ester responsible for banana flavors in beer. Some yeast strains it comes out far greater than others, especially when fermented at warmer temperatures. The German Hefeweizen yeasts are classic examples of a yeast that throws off a lot of it during fermentation. Though not exactly a style you'd use for Belgian beers.

I'm not aware of any dry yeast that is going to give you more of that character. White Labs WLP570 Belgian Golden ale is one of the Belgian yeasts that you can coax that character out of by fermenting towards the top of that yeasts temperature range. Under pitching the yeast can also help accentuate that flavor as the yeasts produce a lot more esters when they have to work harder for that fermentation!

Thanks. I'll ask the guy at the brew store about that strain.

 

[Sonnyjim]

I'm a bit one sided coming from Canada but try out the Wyeast Canada/Belgian Ale yeast #3864.

Whitelabs 545 Belgian Strong Ale as well would work.

 

[Ridire]

I'm a bit one sided coming from Canada but try out the Wyeast Canada/Belgian Ale yeast #3864.

Whitelabs 545 Belgian Strong Ale as well would work.

While not Canadian, I can be in Canada in 30 minutes...and I'm driving south when I cross the US/Canada border.

 

[Gduck]

I'm a bit one sided coming from Canada but try out the Wyeast Canada/Belgian Ale yeast #3864.

That's one yeast I've yet to try but have been interested in. I never manage to remember to get any of the private collection yeasts when they come out. That's the Unibroue strain, right? Love their beers.

 

[Mojzis]

Alternatively you can make banana bread beer. Young's makes one and its pretty good. You could use a little banana in your dry yeast beer to get that banana kick. That's if you wanted real banana flavor