Banana Wine

[TNGabe]

I'm sorry if this has been addressed, but this is a giant thread and I didn't go through it all. Is this recipe along the lines of a traditional African banana wine? I went to a friend's house to hang out while he was brewing and the short story is he killed and butchered a couple goats while I was there and one of the guys who came by started talking about banana wine. He didn't know too much about how his dad makes it, but this sounds close and like a fun beverage for parties and such. Banana wine wassail?

 

[wolverinebrewer]

It was very easy. I used a funnel to pour (carefully as I could) into each bottle and capped with beer caps. I had two clear bottles a few regulars, and one kind of rounded (Orval??) bottle that looks pretty cool.

I'll pass some around on New Years Eve party when we all get together and get happy. The ladies can tell me what they think. My wife already mentioned that it has lost a lot of the heat it had this spring.

I was just bummed at the lack of banana flavor. I really expected some subtle flavor after I tasted at the last racking. Not sure what is wrong.

It seems odd you lost some flavor. I bottled up 1 gal. batches of banana and rhubarb today as both were 13 and 14 months. The banana was still a little hot but not bad (decent flavor). I'll let it age awhile longer.
The rhubarb had good flavor also but was dry. I like dry wines so I think I will like that one.

Yooper, at what age were the last batches of banana that you were referring to that had the good flavor? I know you said it takes 2 years to come into it's own but it's getting good now.

 

[Yooper]

It seems odd you lost some flavor. I bottled up 1 gal. batches of banana and rhubarb today as both were 13 and 14 months. The banana was still a little hot but not bad (decent flavor). I'll let it age awhile longer.
The rhubarb had good flavor also but was dry. I like dry wines so I think I will like that one.

Yooper, at what age were the last batches of banana that you were referring to that had the good flavor? I know you said it takes 2 years to come into it's own but it's getting good now.

I think it was best at 2 years, and didn't go downhill at all before it was gone.

 

[Titan88]

So, I made this banana wine yesterday. I got it out today to stir it and it smells foul! Has this happened to anyone else? If so, any suggestions?

 

[Yooper]

So, I made this banana wine yesterday. I got it out today to stir it and it smells foul! Has this happened to anyone else? If so, any suggestions?

"Foul"? No, it shouldn't smell foul at all. That worries me. Did you make it exactly according to the directions?

 

[Titan88]

I did. I'm not sure if I put too much yeast (if that's possible) or if something else was off. It was bubbling like crazy yesterday when I made it. I got up this morning and had to clean up the carboy and airlock because of the foam. I got it out a little bit ago to stir it and it smells horrible. I'm 100% it's me and nothing to do with the recipe. I just can't figure out what.

 

[Yooper]

I did. I'm not sure if I put too much yeast (if that's possible) or if something else was off. It was bubbling like crazy yesterday when I made it. I got up this morning and had to clean up the carboy and airlock because of the foam. I got it out a little bit ago to stir it and it smells horrible. I'm 100% it's me and nothing to do with the recipe. I just can't figure out what.

What's the temperature? It sounds really hot to be coming out of the airlock!

 

[Titan88]

The ambient temp hovers around 69. I read that too much yeast and not enough nutrients can lead to the must being skunked. I also just checked my mead as a precaution. It's skunked too. I'm not really sure what happened, but they both stink.

 

[Yooper]

The ambient temp hovers around 69. I read that too much yeast and not enough nutrients can lead to the must being skunked. I also just checked my mead as a precaution. It's skunked too. I'm not really sure what happened, but they both stink.

Add some more nutrients to both right away! Stir it up, and see if you can get rid of some of the sulfur smell.

 

[Titan88]

Should I try to aerate as well? And how much nutrient? I don't want to go overboard. I used a whole packet of EC-1118 for a gallon batch.

 

[Titan88]

So, I added 1 tsp of yeast nutrient to the carboy. Decided to splash rack the must a few times to 1) aerate and 2) try to air out some of the stench. The must is back in a clean carboy with an airlock and the smell is noticeably fainter than before. I'll monitor and update the results. Thanks for the help, Yooper!

 

[Titan88]

It turns out that my banana wine is still showing a little activity. There are a few things I have read about what could be happening. I read that Lalvin EC-1118 is known for fast ferments and the smell could be that the yeast ate all the sugar and are now in distress, hence the slight smell. I'm picking up a hydrometer today to check the FG. It's a little weird though because I wouldn't think that the gravity would drop from 1.095 to .990 in a couple of days. Oh well. I'll post the results of the readings later.

 

[Yooper]

It turns out that my banana wine is still showing a little activity. There are a few things I have read about what could be happening. I read that Lalvin EC-1118 is known for fast ferments and the smell could be that the yeast ate all the sugar and are now in distress, hence the slight smell. I'm picking up a hydrometer today to check the FG. It's a little weird though because I wouldn't think that the gravity would drop from 1.095 to .990 in a couple of days. Oh well. I'll post the results of the readings later.

Oh, it should go from 1.095 to .990 easily in less than five days (often 2-3), especially if it is warm. Yeast seem to love bananas, and they ferment really fast!

 

[bradb521]

OK, I am not so good with remembering details and racked mine off the first time today after a week, I thought I remembered it said to add raisins right away, so I did, now I read to let sit for two months. I have added raisins in the first week or two before with no problems, and am not anticipating a big problem with it but just was wondering everyone's thoughts on this.

 

[Titan88]

Well, it's only been two days. The hydrometer reading showed 1.030 It's still bubbling a little inside, but no airlock activity. I'll take another reading tomorrow to see if anything changed.

 

[Yooper]

OK, I am not so good with remembering details and racked mine off the first time today after a week, I thought I remembered it said to add raisins right away, so I did, now I read to let sit for two months. I have added raisins in the first week or two before with no problems, and am not anticipating a big problem with it but just was wondering everyone's thoughts on this.

Oh, it'll be fine! It might be advantageous anyway- I think Homer had a stuck ferment when he added the raisins later as directed- so I wouldn't worry about it!

 

[bradb521]

I thought it might be fine just wondered if there was a reason to wait, it smells awesome. Gonna be hard to wait for this one.

 

[Titan88]

Well, it's only been two days. The hydrometer reading showed 1.030 It's still bubbling a little inside, but no airlock activity. I'll take another reading tomorrow to see if anything changed.

Still showing no real activity in the airlock; however, the gravity did change. I took a sample out to measure the SG: 1.024. I noticed it was really fizzy. So, I degassed the sample because I read that CO2 can affect the buoyancy of the hydrometer. The SG after degassing was 1.015. That should put it at around 10.5% ABV. Took a taste of the sample and it was sweet. There were no real off-tastes or aromas. Just a little more carbonated than I like my wine. I say tomorrow and it should be at .990. Thanks for all the help, Yooper. I can't wait for it to finish and start clearing!

 

[TedLarsen]

Hey, Yooper....

I'm going to start 3 gallons of this right after Christmas this week....should be ready to drink by Christmas 2014(ish), I hope.....so this question might be juuuuust a bit premature. Still, I'm curious -- I assume you drink this chilled?

 

[Yooper]

Hey, Yooper....

I'm going to start 3 gallons of this right after Christmas this week....should be ready to drink by Christmas 2014(ish), I hope.....so this question might be juuuuust a bit premature. Still, I'm curious -- I assume you drink this chilled?

Yes, I drink almost all whites chilled a bit. Not ice cold, but chilled.

I think some of my friends have enjoyed it at room temperature, though, and liked it that way.

 

[Titan88]

After ten days...

 

[johnnync]

After ten days...

Top it up.

 

[dougen]

Here is mine after there weeks

 

[TedLarsen]

Beautiful. I just got my batch of bananas (gonna start this tomorrow) -- got almost 12 pounds of bananas (a beautiful blackening overripe color) for $2.46.

I'm pretty excited.

 

[Titan88]

I actually dumped mine out. There was no banana aroma or flavor. Really, the flavor was just horrible. **DEFINITELY NOT YOOPER'S RECIPE** I am 100% sure I went wrong somewhere along the way. I'm going to be starting a new batch of this after I finish my stout I'm developing.

 

[johnnync]

I actually dumped mine out. There was no banana aroma or flavor. Really, the flavor was just horrible. **DEFINITELY NOT YOOPER'S RECIPE** I am 100% sure I went wrong somewhere along the way. I'm going to be starting a new batch of this after I finish my stout I'm developing.

After a month? Your not making koolaide, it takes some time. Should have waited a month or 24.

 

[WesleyS]

I actually dumped mine out. There was no banana aroma or flavor. Really, the flavor was just horrible. **DEFINITELY NOT YOOPER'S RECIPE** I am 100% sure I went wrong somewhere along the way. I'm going to be starting a new batch of this after I finish my stout I'm developing.

Man, you have to wait this stuff out. That's why it's been stated many times in this thread that this stuff is best at 2 years. When I racked mine to secondary it had zero banana anything and tasted like rocket fuel. But it takes time for all of that to mellow out and the banana character to return.

 

[Homercidal]

How come you didn't rack to the bottle, just like with beer? Wine does oxidize pretty easily, so it may not last long enough for the flavor to mellow and the "banananess" to come back.

My last two batches were definitely full of banana aroma and flavor, so I'm not sure what is different, unless it just needs some age.

I really wanted to siphon careful, just like beer, but I only had a 1-gallon jug of it and no easy way to bottle that little bitty bit. I poured pretty good through the funnel. I could make make a funnel with a bottling wand on it for next time though. I couldn't even get all of the wine out of the jug with the autosiphon. I didn't reach the bottom and the leftover wine had stirred up the yeast film on the bottom of the jug.

I think the next batch will have a better management. I'm not used to having to futz with my stuff every few weeks or month. With beer I must (mostly) brew it and keg it. Sometimes I add dry hops. I'm still learning the process for wines.

 

[saramc]

I just have to say that banana wine has to be one the prettiest sites to see, other than a vat full of freshly crushed and destemmed red wine grapes happily fermenting away.

This was started first week October, crystal clear, no sediment left and bone dry, 16.5%, bulk aging now. Tastes really good as is, but this will be awesome with age! Plan to fortify with banana infused pure grain-brandy blend, or maybe just half of it.

 

[TedLarsen]

If it's still pretty active, you can pour it into secondary.

I transferred this banana wine (I made 3 gallons) to secondary today, after 7 days. As Yooper noted, it was pretty active, so I went ahead and poured it, rather than racking it.

Well, I will say this -- it's one of the most active brews I've ever seen. Since it was seemingly okay to pour this, rather than rack it, I poured all the sediment into the secondary with it. I hope that was okay.

And the batch is so active that the sediment is dancing like a lava lamp. It's quite something to see.

I hope it is okay to have that much sediment in the secondary with it for two months. Like others have noted, it's already turning from mud to a muddy gold. Fascinating.