Banana Wine

[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.

 

[Blacksmith1]

This particular bucket has a killer seal. The air lock only had water on the outlet side of the S. No air got to the headspace till I opened it to rack. I only seem to have this smell with stuff I prep for must, none of the premade juice I have used does this....

 

[Virginia13]

In regards to why you want to keep the peel on, the peel is a source of amylase, an enzyme that activates after boiling and helps turn the starches into sugars.

 

[Blacksmith1]

I pitched on 5/22. By 7/22 it was crystal clear. Today I racked onto the raisins. Two questions.
Is there a reason other than "it's the recipe" to use a pound per gallon? I did mine onto 3lbs (it's what I had), I can always get more.
Do I need active yeast at this point? I'm thinking there's little to none in it but I can add a starter if needed.
Can already taste where it's going, not to bad so far.

 

[Blacksmith1]

So, to answer my own question. There was enough yeast left that after a month of sitting it is again producing CO2, not much at this point, but the little zombie raisins are rising from the dead. Some are at the top, some are suspended mid way, some are gray.
Still not sure about the amount.

 

[James0816]

BANANA WINE (2) [Heavy Bodied]

3-1/2 lb. bananas
1 lb. chopped golden raisins
2 lb. granulated sugar
1-1/4 tsp. acid blend
1 tsp. pectic enzyme
1/4 tsp. grape tannin
1 gallon water
wine yeast and nutrient
Slice bananas into thin discs, leaving skins on fruit. Put into grain-bag, tie top, and place in 6 pints water. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove grain-bag to bowl to catch drippings while pouring liquor over sugar in primary fermentation vessel and stirring well to dissolve sugar. Add acid blend, pectic enzyme and tannin, stirring again. When grain-bag cools, squeeze to extract as much liquid as possible and add liquid and drippings to liquor, discarding pulp. When liquor cools to 70 degrees fahrenheit, add yeast and nutrient. Cover and set in warm place for seven days, stirring daily. Pour into secondary fermentation vessel, fit airlock, and move to cooler place, leaving undisturbed for two months. Siphon off sediment, add chopped raisins, and add water to bring to one gallon. Ferment another four months. Rack and allow to clear. Rack again and bottle. May taste after six months, but matures at two years. [Adapted from passed-on recipe, source unknown, taken from Jack Keller's site]

Are you adding the other two pints of water in the primary or is that reserve for the topping off in secondary?

 

[Yooper]

Are you adding the other two pints of water in the primary or is that reserve for the topping off in secondary?

Just topping up if needed if I don't have another similar wine to top up with.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Just racked off the raisins. Since it went in a smaller carboy there was a bit of extra, of course I had to taste it.
While it smells much better, is it supposed to taste like sawdust at this point?

 

[Kalaloch]

Just racked off the raisins. Since it went in a smaller carboy there was a bit of extra, of course I had to taste it.
While it smells much better, is it supposed to taste like sawdust at this point?

Yes sawdust and jet fuel. But wait 2 years and you will be greatly rewarded. I am just coming up on 2 years and mine tastes like a good white wine. I made 5 gallons as I figured 2 years is a long time to wait and I might as well have more wine.

 

[Blacksmith1]

Thanks. Good to know as I have 6 1/2 gallons after racking off the raisins. Or 5 1/2.... gotta measure that carboy.

 

[bjhbrew]

I'm hoping to get some help with wrapping up this recipe as my first attempt at making wine. I started the batch in October 2019; I followed the recipe closely (scaled to 6G) however found that I didn't need as much water as stated. My OG was 1.107 but still netted me enough wine to to fill a 23L carboy upon racking to secondary. 2 months later I racked onto the raisins in another 23L carboy and had enough left over to fill a 1L bottle with airlock.

So, fast forward to today: The wine has been on the raisins for 5 months (was fun to watch them bob up and down) the raisins have now settled and the wine is beautifully clear! I'm wondering how to proceed now with racking, sulphiting, and bottling. My first though is that when I rack I'm probably going to lose a lot of volume to the raisins (am I right in assuming they will clog the racking cane if I go below the mass?) So if I rack into another carboy and include the extra 1L from the bottle I think I'd still be significantly short. What do I top up with? Is pre-boiled water acceptable given the high starting gravity or will that dilute the taste? Finally, would it be better to add some campden now when I rack it and then bottle in a few weeks, or just rack carefully and add the campden at bottling time?

Sorry for all the questions! If you made it to the bottom, I appreciate your help.