Dishwater-colored Banana/Pineapple wine

[DizzyIzzy]

Help! I have fermenting (and it is really fermenting) a banana/pineapple. The color of it is disgusting! It is just in the early stages of the primary ferment. Any suggestions on how I can get rid of that disgusting color would be very much appreciated. Smells great, but that dirty-gray color is so off-putting!..................................Dizzy

 

[DizzyIzzy]

what am I doing wrong?

 

[DizzyIzzy]

what am I doing wrong?

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

Help! I have fermenting (and it is really fermenting) a banana/pineapple. The color of it is disgusting! It is just in the early stages of the primary ferment. Any suggestions on how I can get rid of that disgusting color would be very much appreciated. Smells great, but that dirty-gray color is so off-putting!..................................Dizzy

The colors going to change significantly once it's done fermenting and starts to clear. If it's still not looking good after clearing, maybe put some yellow food coloring in it.

 

[Val-the-Brew-Gal]

what am I doing wrong?

And I don't think you're doing anything wrong! Maybe it's the banana making the color look a little off? Regardless, as I said above, clearing is going to make a difference. My guess is that it will come out a pale pale yellow or look like a white wine.

 

[sour_grapes]

what am I doing wrong?

You are worrying about the color of something that you will drink, that's what!

 

[MustyMike]

Help! I have fermenting (and it is really fermenting) a banana/pineapple. The color of it is disgusting! It is just in the early stages of the primary ferment. Any suggestions on how I can get rid of that disgusting color would be very much appreciated. Smells great, but that dirty-gray color is so off-putting!..................................Dizzy

My strawberry/banana did not look good for the first few days... had a dirty brown look to it. As the fermentation went on it cleaned up quite a bit. Just give her time I guess. And bananas seem to really ferment vigorously lol

 

[hounddawg]

YUP, as you get further into the process, and your gross lees than you fine lees you color will come around, couple questions if i may, how many pounds of each fruits per gallon of liquid, did you let your bananas turn black then freeze before use,, and you'll need plenty of pectic , pineapple and banana do need plenty of pectic enzyme , both need quite a bit more enzymes then other fruits, pineapple and banana along with pear are tuff to clear, pectic does help greatly, but use more than on other fruits,,,
dawg

 

[hounddawg]

My strawberry/banana did not look good for the first few days... had a dirty brown look to it. As the fermentation went on it cleaned up quite a bit. Just give her time I guess. And bananas seem to really ferment vigorously lol

whew the first 2 pic's way to much head space, 3 pic perfect head space,
dawg

 

[Rice_Guy]

Yes it is distressing to see the color off. Yeast have a white color which will go away as the wine clarifies. The series below is rhurbarb two weeks ago with active fermentation, today with slow bubbles and last years.
.

Of course if you really don’t like what will turn into a relatively transparent wine you could add something for color. The rhurbarb has about 5% raspberry since I like the color.

 

[BernardSmith]

Banana wine while still in the active stage looks like dish water. As the wine ferments and then ages the color becomes bright and clear and golden. You have not done anything wrong. Patience is all that is needed.

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Banana wine while still in the active stage looks like dish water. As the wine ferments and then ages the color becomes bright and clear and golden. You have not done anything wrong. Patience is all that is needed.

Bernard, thanks, that alleviates my concern. I did notice today that the color had changed from a very dirty dark gray to a medium tan. Fortunately, I do have alot of patience......................................Dizzy

 

[DizzyIzzy]

Yes it is distressing to see the color off. Yeast have a white color which will go away as the wine clarifies. The series below is rhurbarb two weeks ago with active fermentation, today with slow bubbles and last years.
.View attachment 62887
View attachment 62886
Of course if you really don’t like what will turn into a relatively transparent wine you could add something for color. The rhurbarb has about 5% raspberry since I like the color.

Are you saying you mixed 5% fresh or frozen raspberries to the ferment? I love the color you produced, and would much prefer using something natural like raspberries, rather than food coloring........................Dizzy

 

[DizzyIzzy]

My strawberry/banana did not look good for the first few days... had a dirty brown look to it. As the fermentation went on it cleaned up quite a bit. Just give her time I guess. And bananas seem to really ferment vigorously lol

Hey Musty, that's a nice pretty pink color.......wonder if it will stay that way? You sure were right about the vigorous ferment of bananas! The froth/foam almost went over the side of the primary, but has settled down some now......................Dizzy

 

[reeflections]

Well I'm on my 4th batch of banana and 3 and 4 are still ugly yellow-brown but I'm not worried. 1 and 2 were like that but both were bottled at a perfectly clear, beautiful pee-yellow.

 

[MustyMike]

whew the first 2 pic's way to much head space, 3 pic perfect head space,
dawg

The first two pics were during primary fermentation. The banana was going too strong to keep it in one fermenter so I had to move some to the carboy lol

 

[MustyMike]

Hey Musty, that's a nice pretty pink color.......wonder if it will stay that way? You sure were right about the vigorous ferment of bananas! The froth/foam almost went over the side of the primary, but has settled down some now......................Dizzy

Until you stir it again! I imagine the color will fade as I add k meta. I’ve heard strawberry can be a tough color to hold without the proper tannin levels. Hopefully my golden raisins I added will keep them where they need to be

 

[hounddawg]

The first two pics were during primary fermentation. The banana was going too strong to keep it in one fermenter so I had to move some to the carboy lol

aw, you do know i'm kinda slow right? lol
dawg

 

[MustyMike]

aw, you do know i'm kinda slow right? lol
dawg

You can’t be any slower than my wine clearing. I remember you said the banana can take forever! might have to use the Bentonite to speed things along as the wife is getting thirsty lol shouldn’t have put those extra mason jars in the main fridge

 

[hounddawg]

You can’t be any slower than my wine clearing. I remember you said the banana can take forever! might have to use the Bentonite to speed things along as the wife is getting thirsty lol shouldn’t have put those extra mason jars in the main fridge

i just set 3 - 6 gal carboys back of banana will bottle Good Lord Willing in 2 years,
dawg