Martina’s ABE Wine

[MedPretzel]

ABE = Anise, Banana, Elderberry


Makes 1 gallon


2 lbs very ripe bananas
1/2 cup dried elderberries
1 tsp curshed anise (powdery)
7 quarts water
10 cups sugar
1/2 tsp pectic enzyme
1 tsp nutrient
1 tsp acid blend


1 packet of Montrachet yeast


Cut bananas in slices and put in straining bag. Add the 1/2 cup elderberries and anise to that too. In the meantime, boil the water and dissolve the sugar in it. (I used more water because I read that there is a lot of sediment from bananas.)


Let cool, add the remaining ingredients.


My initial SG was 1.110





Excellet wine even after 6 months of bulk aging. Edited by: MedPretzel

 

[masta]

What about some yeast ?

 

[MedPretzel]

Whoops! I added Montrachet yeast to it all!





I will edit it as well.

 

[Hippie]

Sounds good, and should be quite tannic with that much dried elderberries. I usually think 4oz. is too much per gallon, but I am not big on tannin. Did you leave the peels on the bananas or peel them first?

 

[MedPretzel]

I left the peels on. It looked pretty icky when it was all in the straining bag, but it turned out great.





I think you might even like it.

 

[Hippie]

I don't know, not sure what anise is.

 

[MedPretzel]

If you hate black licorice, then you've barely tasted what anise is like. Anise is a main ingredient in black licorice.





I hate black licorice, but this wine just has a hint of it, that it actually gives the wine an interesting flavor.

 

[Hippie]

Yuck. Licorice is yucky. Surely it won't taste like that.

 

[MedPretzel]

No!!!! The wine tastes nothing like licorice!!!





There is a hint of something but you'd never guess it that it's anise. It gives it (in my limited wine-vocab) complexity.

 

[Hippie]

Complexity is good. I wish all my wines were complex.

 

[MedPretzel]

I am certain they are, Glenvall. You use oak in yours. I'm still struggling with that one. And pH and sulfite.. ugh. I thought i had left chemistry behind me a long time ago.





It always comes back to haunt me.








Just like math.

 

[Hippie]

Nothing melds well without a certain amount of chemistry involved.

 

[MedPretzel]

How true that statement is!

 

[Hippie]

Well how does this ABE wine taste, anyway?

 

[MedPretzel]

I don't know how to describe it, except that it's good.

Sorry, I'm not good with tasting .

 

[Hippie]

Is it more like the A, the B, or the E?

 

[MedPretzel]

Definitely the B & the E are tastable. There is a teensy hint of the A.

 

[Hippie]

Yum. Sounds delicious. I love bananas and I love Elderberry wine.

 

[MedPretzel]

You might just be getting some perfume samples in the mail, Glenvall, if you keep up all your compliments.

 

[Hippie]

I bet that is sure enough some good wine for sure, Martina. It sure is a pretty color. I think you did a mighty fine job with it.