Banana Wine

[twisties]

Cool didn't know that thanks I look in to it

 

[mirthfuldragon]

I just racked a batch for the fourth time (primary -> secondary -> raisins -> current). Clarity is a gorgeous dark gold, and the banana comes through with almost caramel notes - reminds me a lot of Bananas Foster. Boozy but in a good way, and not harsh. I started it around January 10th, and used Lalvin K1V-1116 Montpellier wine yeast (instead of champagne yeast), and the results are just out of this world. I think I will bottle it in another month or so.

 

[JLegel]

I've brewed a lot but this is my first attempt at a wine.
I am over 7 months into the process and getting ready to bottle. I checked SO2 last time I racked and it was around 40, which seemed OK until I checked pH and it was 4.1! Is this normal for banana wine? I am a bit worried because charts I am looking at only go up to 4.0 for pH and show I would need >120 ppm of SO2 for a white wine.
I don't want to add that much SO2 if it is going to ruin the taste or smell. Are the guidelines different for banana wine? Should I try to add more acid blend to bring down pH or is it too late in process for that? Any advice...?

 

[SirHC_]

This looks like it's worth trying now that I'm finally settled for a few years. Thanks for the recipe OP

 

[Kalaloch]

I’ve had my 5 gallon batch in carboy for 6 months, have moved off yeast 3x during that period. I’m just now adding raisins. Is having in carboy for so long ok? I’ve had it filled 3/4 inch from top of carboy the entire time

 

[zonkman]

Trader Joe's golden raisins are treated with sulfur dioxide. Are these fine to use in this recipe? Or will it inhibit / unduly stress the yeast?

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

I’ve had my 5 gallon batch in carboy for 6 months, have moved off yeast 3x during that period. I’m just now adding raisins. Is having in carboy for so long ok? I’ve had it filled 3/4 inch from top of carboy the entire time

You should be fine. You're basically bulk aging it right now in the carboy.

 

[LoneTreeFarms]

Trader Joe's golden raisins are treated with sulfur dioxide. Are these fine to use in this recipe? Or will it inhibit / unduly stress the yeast?

Not positive on Trader Joe's raisins but I believe mine had also been treated and ended up fine.

 

[zonkman]

Anyone done a sparkling version? Comparison v still?

 

[Mallerstang]

Apologies if this has been answered already...

I'm following the recipe exactly, so two days ago I racked it off the sediment into a clean carboy, added the chopped raisins, topped it up to one gallon with boiled water, and put on the airlock.

What is supposed to happen now that the raisins are in there? Is it supposed to start fermenting again, and use up the sugar in the raisins? I can't see any activity in there.

 

[burning_acid]

Seems tasty, I'm gonna try it!

 

[Kalaloch]

I also just added golden raisins and haven’t seen any refermentation, not a big deal the yeast may mostly be
dead or too drunk to care
Sounds like the raisins add body to the wine.

Apologies if this has been answered already...

I'm following the recipe exactly, so two days ago I racked it off the sediment into a clean carboy, added the chopped raisins, topped it up to one gallon with boiled water, and put on the airlock.

What is supposed to happen now that the raisins are in there? Is it supposed to start fermenting again, and use up the sugar in the raisins? I can't see any activity in there.

 

[zonkman]

As others have noted, vicious volcano-like fermentation after 7.5 days, siphoned to secondary and after 5 more days it's still going strong, bubbles streaming up. Any danger leaving it on the lees (plenty) for the remainder of the 2 month secondary?

 

[James0816]

Decided this was going to be my second wine. I'm still reading through the thread but a question I haven't seen answered yet, is about the primary. The cover and let sit for seven days part....

Are we simply covering the bucket with a towel that is tied down or using a lid and airlock?

Now back to my readings.....

 

[zonkman]

Decided this was going to be my second wine. I'm still reading through the thread but a question I haven't seen answered yet, is about the primary. The cover and let sit for seven days part....

Are we simply covering the bucket with a towel that is tied down or using a lid and airlock?

Now back to my readings.....

Some seem to have found success using (plenty of!) cheese cloth. I attached a loose-fitting lid on my bucket, with airlock. A month later (in secondary) it's still fermenting plenty.

 

[Kalaloch]

I just racked off of the golden raisins and it was ULTRA sweet. I am doing 5 gallons of banana wine so I added 25 pounds of golden raisins, is that correct? I added another packed of wine yeast to eat the rest of the sugar to make it less sweet. I haven’t taken final gravity yet but will in 30 days after this final yeast die.

 

[Blacksmith1]

original recipe is 1# raisins in a gallon so it should have been 5 # not 25#

 

[Kalaloch]

Whoops wrote that wrong I checked my brewing notes and I did only add 5 lbs of golden raisins. So I am ok. But I am still a little shocked how sweet it still is.

On a separate note I think I may have kept I on the lees for 6 months, should I be able to tell if the yeast left a bad taste? What happened was I racked it off the first lees and then my brew Shop suggested I add a second yeast pack to keep the fermentation going so I did and forgot to rack it off that yeast for 6 months. I’ll drink it either way but wondering if it should taste bad? When I finally racked it off that second yeast cake it tasted ok just really sweet.

 

[Kalaloch]

Ready to bottle 5 gallons of banana wine, should I stick with dark wine bottles? I’d love to show off the color in a clear bottle but won’t be drinking the bottles sooner than 2 years (1 year to age, and another year to drink them all.)

Why are rose wines bottle ok in clear bottles?

 

[Blacksmith1]

I usually put one in clear just because. Find a cardboard box to hide it in and pull it out to show it off. It will be the last one you drink from the batch.

 

[Davedrinksbeer]

Ready to bottle 5 gallons of banana wine, should I stick with dark wine bottles? I’d love to show off the color in a clear bottle but won’t be drinking the bottles sooner than 2 years (1 year to age, and another year to drink them all.)

Why are rose wines bottle ok in clear bottles?

I did clear bottles, really looks great in a clear bottle, see right thru it.

 

[Kalaloch]

Thanks guys that helps a lot, I went ahead and returned the brown wine bottles and got clear bottles.

On a separate note I was just about to bottle my 5 gallons of banana wine but realized it is not clear any more. I added 5 camden tablets (crushed very well - but not mixed w/ water) a few weeks ago and now the wine is cloudy/hazy (there are small clusters of camden tablets floating at the top of the carboy still). I went ahead and just racked it again as there was sediment at the bottom of carboy (probably the dead yeast and camdet remnants).

Will time clear the wine or do I need to add anything else (I've previously added pectin enzyme). As mentioned, before I added the camden tablets it was crystal clear.

How long do should I plan on waiting if using time instead of chemicals?

 

[Davedrinksbeer]

Thanks guys that helps a lot, I went ahead and returned the brown wine bottles and got clear bottles.

On a separate note I was just about to bottle my 5 gallons of banana wine but realized it is not clear any more. I added 5 camden tablets (crushed very well - but not mixed w/ water) a few weeks ago and now the wine is cloudy/hazy (there are small clusters of camden tablets floating at the top of the carboy still). I went ahead and just racked it again as there was sediment at the bottom of carboy (probably the dead yeast and camdet remnants).

Will time clear the wine or do I need to add anything else (I've previously added pectin enzyme). As mentioned, before I added the camden tablets it was crystal clear.

How long do should I plan on waiting if using time instead of chemicals?

That’s one of those unknown questions but I would think it would clear in a month. I’d wait a full 2 months and then on the 3rd month Super Kleer it. Mines been in a bottle now for 4 months and it still taste a little hot, it has a huge banana taste though so your really in no rush. How does yours taste?

 

[Blacksmith1]

I'm going to try this today. Found some bananas on sale at a local market. Got about 22-23 lbs for $4.72. First batch (about half) is in the freezer now.

 

[Davedrinksbeer]

I'm going to try this today. Found some bananas on sale at a local market. Got about 22-23 lbs for $4.72. First batch (about half) is in the freezer now.

That’s about what I used on a 5 gallon batch

 

[Blacksmith1]

Doing a six. If it comes up a little lite, ok by me.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Just priced golden raisins. I'll be using regular raisins.....

 

[Blacksmith1]

So next time I will slice the bananas then freeze them. I have a blister on my index finger due to not having a proper grip on my knife and the bananas being frozen solid.
But it's all good. Must is made and ready to be pitched.
Swmbo: "Why does it smell like bananas in here?"

 

[Davedrinksbeer]

Just priced golden raisins. I'll be using regular raisins.....

Don’t know if you have a Aldi
grocery store near you but the
Golden raisins were $2
Cheaper there. Is there a difference in using regular raisins to golden raisins.

 

[Dland]

Do you leave the raisins in?

Was given some decent bottles of carbonated hard cider in champagne bottles, but the raisins in it looked like swollen dead bugs or rat turds.

There is a Vice video of local commercial production of banana liquor in Africa, interesting, has a couple of disturbing bits though.

This is interesting thread, I might have to try something like this next winter when the cold damaged bananas are very cheap at local grocer's.

 

[Yooper]

Do you leave the raisins in?

Was given some decent bottles of carbonated hard cider in champagne bottles, but the raisins in it looked like swollen dead bugs or rat turds.

There is a Vice video of local commercial production of banana liquor in Africa, interesting, has a couple of disturbing bits though.

This is interesting thread, I might have to try something like this next winter when the cold damaged bananas are very cheap at local grocer's.

No, you don't leave the raisins (or any other chunks) in the wine when you bottle it.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Don’t know if you have a Aldi
grocery store near you but the
Golden raisins were $2
Cheaper there. Is there a difference in using regular raisins to golden raisins.

Yes I do, I also priced the store brand at a local grocery, the were a lot cheaper than the first ones I looked at.

 

[Blacksmith1]

I'm getting a serious lag phase, as in almost zero activity. I'm getting less CO2 now than the first time I stirred it. Pitched on the 23rd using 71B, checked on the morning of the 24th, it had a bit of fizz. Since then no noticeable activity. I'm prepping another starter but it's also sluggish. Is it just this yeast? This is my first try with it.

 

[Blacksmith1]

@Yooper
"May taste after 6 months"
I've been thru all 20 pages and can't find a solid answer to when that count starts. Is this after pitch or after bottling? And does this mean it should be drinkable at 6 months but finished at 2 years?

 

[Yooper]

I wouldn't even open a bottle until six months after bottling. You can, of course. It's just, well, not that great when young.

 

[Blacksmith1]

So about 11 months after pitch, just to taste and make sure you haven't screwed up horribly then another year and a half till ready, if I'm understanding this properly.

 

[Kalaloch]

So excited, I just bottled 5 gallons of banana wine! 14 months in carboy bulk aging, now 8 more months to bottle age. Still tastes hot but figure that will mellow. Here are some photos of the process. Thanks @Yooper!

 

[Blacksmith1]

I really hope mine looks that nice when finished.

 

[Blacksmith1]

@Yooper
Fastest way to get you here is tag you, but I'll take answers from anyone at this point.
"Pour into secondary fermentation vessel, fit airlock, and move to cooler place, leaving undisturbed for two months." What should it smell like at this point? My temps are 72F at all times here. So I did the ferment and first month in my bucket and racked last night. It has an odd odor that everything I started from fresh ingredients has had. One was so bad I poured it out, the watermelon got better but I have no Idea what it smells like now. Just worried I might be wasting time and money.

 

[Yooper]

A month in a bucket is a LONG time. I do just a very short time before moving to the carboy, ideally when the SG is 1.020-1.010/. I’ve never left a wine with that much headspace for that long, so it could be something like oxidation that you’re smelling. Usually, that drop in SG happens in about 5-7 days, sometimes less.