Banana Wine

[mirthfuldragon]

Would Wyeast 1388 (Bray's One Month Mead) work here? Possibly slice aging time needed?

I have a batch that has been going for 2 months using Lavlin k1-v1116 white wine yeast. It still needs to age to mellow, but it does not come across as solventy or "rocket fuel" as some have described. It is a bit harsh, but drinkable now (still clearing a bit too), and I have not racked on to raisins yet.

 

[EE_Nick]

I made this last summer and bottled it today. The wine that I sampled tasted amazing. My wife loves it! I will be making a 5 gallon batch soon.

 

[zonkman]

I'm making a 5 gallon batch of this (my first fruit wine) and have a few questions:

-- Typical ABV? See a lot of different outcomes gravity-wise. Is this mainly due to varying levels of banana ripeness?

-- Should I use staggered nutrient additions as with my meads? See very little mention of it.

-- Yeast. Planning on using 71b. 2 packets for a 5 gallon batch?

-- See various approaches to degassing. Better, or no effect?

-- Hoping to bottle-carbonate a few bottles. Any sparkling banana reviews?

Thanks all! Will also be doing tomato, rhubarb....

 

[AzOr]

Ok it’s been a year and I’ll probably bottle soon. I fell asleep during the boil and it went for a little over an hour. There’s a slightly darker coloring to it but it tastes great!

Question- I’m considering doing a clove tincture and adding to half the bottles individually and leaving the other half plain(3 gall batch)
Has anyone done this? What about other tinctures, such as vanilla or cinnamon?

 

[twisties]

Yes, that's exactly what mine looked like! But, I promise it will be a pale golden yellow color and beautifully clear when done. Here is a picture of bottling day at my house (both in the front are banana wine):

How did you get it to clear in the carboy? Mine only cleared onced bottled

 

[Yooper]

How did you get it to clear in the carboy? Mine only cleared onced bottled

I didn't do anything special at all- just time and gravity.

 

[twisties]

I didn't do anything special at all- just time and gravity.

How long roughly? I waited 8 month in the carboy I had to bottle it before it turned to vinigar can you restart it while its murky

 

[Yooper]

How long roughly? I waited 8 month in the carboy I had to bottle it before it turned to vinigar can you restart it while its murky

It won't turn to vinegar at all if you keep it topped up and airlocked. Vinegar comes from infection. You can use sulfites in the carboy as needed to prevent oxidation.

If it sat 8 months without clearing, that's a very long time. Often you can place it some place colder and it will clear quickly.

 

[twisties]

It won't turn to vinegar at all if you keep it topped up and airlocked. Vinegar comes from infection. You can use sulfites in the carboy as needed to prevent oxidation.

If it sat 8 months without clearing, that's a very long time. Often you can place it some place colder and it will clear quickly.

Sulfite don't they burn the yeast? Or change the flavour? I heard if I had added more pectin enzymes it would have cleared quicker anyways thanks for the help

 

[Yooper]

No, using sulfites in small amounts (50 ppm) is what winemakers use as an antioxidant and preservative. It's less than in commercial wines, but enough to protect the wine as it ages.

 

[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.