Bananas and peppercorns

[sally3]

Soooo, I have been encourged by one of our buddies to post this.
With kits that are young and slight of liters, (VR and etc.) I add
bananas to the primary. The bananas are old, black and
mushy. It fools the palate and makes the young wines feel full in
the mouth and more mature then they are. It has something to do
with the long chains of sugars and don't ask me to explain but it
works. I have read the technical explaination but my eyes close
when I read it. All I can tell you is the bottle shock effect
lessons and the wines feel and taste aged when they are not. I
will post more when I am not as tired as I am tonight. Try it you
will be amazed!!!

Take old, black bananas, freeze them till you are ready, if
really mushy...put them in the blender...blend or mush...drop them in
the primary (I use 6-8 in the primary) on continue as
instructed.....Even if you don't blend them...peel them and throw them
in the primary, let it ferment as instructed Sally

 

[James]

This sounds really interesting. You have done this with reds and whites? Does this kick up the alcohol % ?


James

 

[Wade E]

It adds more body as raisons do.

 

[PolishWineP]

We've used some raisins (not all good results

)and next I want to try the bananas. Time to order a kit!

 

[sally3]

I did not like the raisins either but the bananas are really worth
trying. Don't use it on whites...stick to battonage for
whites. The bananas add body and a fuller mouth without adding
flavor. I try to always add them.



Also, adding a few peppercorns in the primary of a Merlot adds an
interesting peppery flavor. Use them spareingly...start with
maybe 6 and modify per taste.



All of this tampering of course voids your warrenty but it is fun.

 

[sally3]

I am sorry James...I don't think it kicks up the % of alcohol but I've
never measured it. Sounds like a good "project" for someone.

 

[PolishWineP]

Didn't Mary Poppins mention something about a "Spoon Full Of Sugar" helping the medicine go down? Bet it would help the acohol go up...

Sorry, I couldn't stop myself.

 

[bj4271]

I had read somewhere (maybe in one of Waldo's recipes) about bananas giving wine more body. I recently got some dried banana powder from EBAY & used it in a batch of Welch's White Grape Peach & it had much more body than other wines I've made from fruit juice - but I also used a big can of peach halves instead of all juice.


I just started two 2 gal batches using apple juice & put a couple of tablespoons of banana powder in each batch.


We'll see how it goes, compared to other batches I've made from just juice.Edited by: bj4271

 

[NorthernWinos]

Also, adding a few peppercorns in the primary of a Merlot adds an interesting peppery flavor. Use them spareingly...start with maybe 6 and modify per taste.

I have been interested in adding some peppercorn to a wine...after reading this Post I went and put a few in a dry skillet and am going to toast them a bit to bring out the flavor...I added yeast to a Valiant Grape Wine [juice from our own grapes] last night along with some toasted oak chips and 2 vanilla beans....so this is going to be a real Potpourri of flavors....


Thanks for taking the plunge first and hope it works out for me as well....

 

[Wade E]

Sounds great guys. Im going to look for that banana powder aroud here and if I cant find any I will get some off ebay.

 

[sally3]

You will like the peppercorns...just don't be over zealous with
them...a little goes a long way. I really like the added
element in my Merlots and a little in the Shiraz/h.



I have never used banana power. Are the chains of sugars the same in the power as the non processed bananas?



I am just playing at it.