Banana Wine- That's 10 Wines In The Last 10 Days.

[vinny]

And I still have no hope of catching @BigDaveK

Wine #28, Banana! Quite closely following Jack Keller's recipe. Such a deep, rich.... Almost buttery/creamy banana flavor. I am really interested to see how this one comes out in a year.

Patience... The cross we bear!

 

[hounddawg]

i made 18 gallon finish, 130 some odd pounds of banana, 40 something apple , around 15 gallon apple juice, last one is 2 year bulk come January, not sure at the amounts, once i ever get out of the hospital, I'll check ,, mine in carboy is very dark but in a glass is a very rich golden color, I'd bottled one carboy straight and the other with all spice and cinnamon , on the last carboy i will bottle as is,
good luck,,,
Dawg

 

[hounddawg]

oh and 5 lb golden raisins in the original must, @vinny did you let your bananas ripen till black ?
Dawg

 

[vinny]

oh and 5 lb golden raisins in the original must, @vinny did you let your bananas ripen till black ?
Dawg

I added a cup and a half of raisins, and not black but ripe. Some ripe ripe and the rest were at least speckling brown.

 

[Raptor99]

I also used bananas and golden raisins. That one is on my list to definitely do again.

 

[BigDaveK]

Looks good!
I have a banana in bulk and I agree it's on my Do Again list.
How many #'s banana did you use? I think next time I'll bump it up, always searching for the elusive "more flavor".

 

[BigDaveK]

And I still have no hope of catching @BigDaveK

Oh, it's not a competition. (Says the guy who's blowing you out of the water! )

But seriously, I think I'll be forced to slow down. Storage issues is rearing it's ugly head!!

 

[hounddawg]

Oh, it's not a competition. (Says the guy who's blowing you out of the water! )

But seriously, I think I'll be forced to slow down. Storage issues is rearing it's ugly head!!

storage problem, you know how to fix that, SKOAL,,,
Dawg

 

[winemanden]

i made 18 gallon finish, 130 some odd pounds of banana, 40 something apple , around 15 gallon apple juice, last one is 2 year bulk come January, not sure at the amounts, once i ever get out of the hospital, I'll check ,, mine in carboy is very dark but in a glass is a very rich golden color, I'd bottled one carboy straight and the other with all spice and cinnamon , on the last carboy i will bottle as is,
good luck,,,
Dawg

once i ever get out of the hospital

By the way Dawg, is anyone sneaking a bottle in to you?

 

[hounddawg]

By the way Dawg, is anyone sneaking a bottle in to you?

I wish,,, although a nurse did smuggle me in a sausage, egg, cheese biscuit,,, hehe
Dawg

 

[vinny]

(Says the guy who's blowing you out of the water! )

Oh, you're funny!

I've learned enough in my years to know which battles to pick. I think you have more variety in your backyard than I could find in all of Alberta! Plus, people would get wierded out pretty quick from random knocks on their door. ' Good day, I was just wondering if you needed ALL of your Honey Suckle flowers?'

 

[vinny]

Looks good!
I have a banana in bulk and I agree it's on my Do Again list.
How many #'s banana did you use? I think next time I'll bump it up, always searching for the elusive "more flavor".

4.5 lbs and a lb of skins, but I tossed the skins after boiling. I didn't want the green bitter taste from the peel to be a prominent flavor.

 

[hounddawg]

4.5 lbs and a lb of skins, but I tossed the skins after boiling. I didn't want the green bitter taste from the peel to be a prominent flavor.

let em go black and the skins don't add a green or bitter taste, not to mention you increase the sugar content, without apples and apple juice, I use 12 to 13 lb. banana to the gallon at least,
boiling, many different ways, i made old time country wines for many more years than I'll admit,, I've never boiled anything, nor made simple syrup, nor used a yeast slurry starter, i guess i still incorporate the old ways, i got on here a few years ago to learn modern sanitizing, among other useful modern ways to add to my bail o wick of tricks ,,,
Dawg

 

[vinny]

let em go black and the skins don't add a green or bitter taste, not to mention you increase the sugar content, without apples and apple juice, I use 12 to 13 lb. banana to the gallon at least,
boiling, many different ways, i made old time country wines for many more years than I'll admit,, I've never boiled anything, nor made simple syrup, nor used a yeast slurry starter, i guess i still incorporate the old ways, i got on here a few years ago to learn modern sanitizing, among other useful modern ways to add to my bail o wick of tricks ,,,
Dawg

Very interesting. Maybe I'll have to do another batch and up the amount.

Do you just let them ripen to black, chop them, and toss into primary uncooked?

 

[hounddawg]

Very interesting. Maybe I'll have to do another batch and up the amount.

Do you just let them ripen to black, chop them, and toss into primary

the blacker the more starch becomes sugar, i let mine set out around the house, as they become black I add to freezer to break down the cell walls, and at that point there is no need to chop, they are very mushy, and freezing brakes them down even more , i freeze all fruits to break down cell walls, upping flavor

Dawg

 

[BigDaveK]

4.5 lbs and a lb of skins, but I tossed the skins after boiling. I didn't want the green bitter taste from the peel to be a prominent flavor.

I think I used almost 6 lbs. Let them ripen till dark, throw in freezer (they get black), easy to slice when frozen, then I simmered and put everything into the fermenter. Healthy amount of sediment as I recall. And since all the skins were used I bought organic bananas - who knows what they spray?!

 

[vinny]

This is the most shocking of ALL my wines made in the last 11 months. It had the most buttery, thick, and sweet banana flavor in the must of anything I have ever tasted. I racked yesterday and there is not even a hint of banana. Obviously time and maybe a little back sweetening might pull it out, but i am amazed that so much banana could be lost in fermentation.

Next time 13 lbs of banana per gallon!

 

[hounddawg]

This is the most shocking of ALL my wines made in the last 11 months. It had the most buttery, thick, and sweet banana flavor in the must of anything I have ever tasted. I racked yesterday and there is not even a hint of banana. Obviously time and maybe a little back sweetening might pull it out, but i am amazed that so much banana could be lost in fermentation.

Next time 13 lbs of banana per gallon!

yup needs back sweetened and some aging,
as well banana, apple, peach and so on, needs large amounts of fruit,
Dawg

 

[BigDaveK]

This is the most shocking of ALL my wines made in the last 11 months. It had the most buttery, thick, and sweet banana flavor in the must of anything I have ever tasted. I racked yesterday and there is not even a hint of banana. Obviously time and maybe a little back sweetening might pull it out, but i am amazed that so much banana could be lost in fermentation.

Next time 13 lbs of banana per gallon!

I agree, the flavor becomes the dreaded "delicate". I think bananas and pears need to just barely be in over-ripe territory.
Popped a cork on a banana I bottled two months ago. Definitely a banana wine (actually kind of nice) but next time I'll kick it up closer to 10 lbs.
Something to consider - 25% of my back sweetening sugar was brown. Goes well with banana. In the future I'll stay close to 25% because it can definitely take over.

 

[winemaker81]

I racked yesterday and there is not even a hint of banana.

Backsweetening may change that -- it brings out aroma and flavor in fruit wines.