# New banana started



## dralarms (Mar 29, 2019)

here’s what 160 lbs of banana looks like. Just started, it’ll be Sunday or Monday before it’s thawed enough to add sugar and yeast.


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## stickman (Mar 30, 2019)

Holy!


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## Johnd (Mar 30, 2019)

Wow!!! That’s a lot of bananas!!! So you’re starting with peeled bananas, and just add sugar and yeast? How much finished wine will that make?


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## dralarms (Mar 30, 2019)

Johnd said:


> Wow!!! That’s a lot of bananas!!! So you’re starting with peeled bananas, and just add sugar and yeast? How much finished wine will that make?


Last batch I had 113 gallons and got almost 12 gallons of finished wine. I do add some apple juice since it’s hard to dissolve sugar in that banana goop.


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## Johnd (Mar 30, 2019)

So I’d reckon that about 80 # would yield a 6 gallon carboy worth if the proper amount of AJ was added. Just curious, I’ve read that some use the skins too, any wisdom to share?


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## dralarms (Mar 30, 2019)

Johnd said:


> So I’d reckon that about 80 # would yield a 6 gallon carboy worth if the proper amount of AJ was added. Just curious, I’ve read that some use the skins too, any wisdom to share?


I don’t use peels sine bananas are highly sprayed with pesticides. 

On 80 lbs I would use about 1, maybe 1.5 gallons of apple juice.


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## The Dutchman (Mar 30, 2019)

Do you add any acids to it? 
I made a batch last year, and it is definitely lacking acidity.


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## dralarms (Mar 30, 2019)

The Dutchman said:


> Do you add any acids to it?
> I made a batch last year, and it is definitely lacking acidity.


No acid added, never had any thought about acid. Always been to good to mess with.


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## dralarms (Mar 30, 2019)

This is at 8:00 this morning


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## dralarms (Mar 30, 2019)

And this is 2:30


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## M38A1 (Mar 30, 2019)

That's a lot of banana..... Where does one get that kind of volume? Ordered?


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## dralarms (Mar 30, 2019)

Nah, my wife buys bananas every week and what’s left at the end of the week goes in the freezer, also she goes by Ingles and gets their “bagged” bananas, I usually end up with 15 lbs for 6 bucks. And that’s peeled weight


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## dralarms (Mar 31, 2019)

I’m just a little confused, checked brix last night and with no sugar added it was 23.2. First time I actually checked the brix on the banana. I now know why it’ll knock your socks off if you’re not used to it, I usually add sugar and then it ferments dry so it’s really stout.


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## Johnd (Mar 31, 2019)

dralarms said:


> I’m just a little confused, checked brix last night and with no sugar added it was 23.2. First time I actually checked the brix on the banana. I now know why it’ll knock your socks off if you’re not used to it, I usually add sugar and then it ferments dry so it’s really stout.



Possible that the banana hasn’t broken down into to the mix yet and you just measured the apple juice BRIX?


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## dralarms (Mar 31, 2019)

Johnd said:


> Possible that the banana hasn’t broken down into to the mix yet and you just measured the apple juice BRIX?




At the time I measured it had not been stirred and the apple juice went straight to the bottom. And apple juice usually comes in at 16 to 18 brix


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## John Pichnic (Apr 2, 2019)

Sorry I'm late to the party! I'm real interested in this! 
I see a texture.... is that fermenting bags that the bananas are in?
I'm collecting them, mine are a little more brown.
@ 3 / lb I figured I needed 200 bananas to make 5 gal....was wondering how I'd fit that into 5 gal buckets, lol!


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## dralarms (Apr 2, 2019)

Mine are loose in the bucket.


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## John Pichnic (Apr 2, 2019)

In the picture it looks like there is a texture on them, maybe it came off of whatever you froze them in?

Will the pectic enzyme do most of the mashing/dissolving?


Thanks for posting this by the way!


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## dralarms (Apr 2, 2019)

John Pichnic said:


> In the picture it looks like there is a texture on them, maybe it came off of whatever you froze them in?


That’s possible, the freezer bags have a texture side to them.


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## dralarms (Apr 6, 2019)

This is today


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## John Pichnic (Apr 7, 2019)

Wow, that's a lot of juice! I'm guessing that it is juice on bottom and fruit mush on top. You only added 2-3 gallons of apple juice?


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## Johnd (Apr 7, 2019)

dralarms said:


> This is todayView attachment 54069



No view of the inside action???


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## dralarms (Apr 7, 2019)

John Pichnic said:


> Wow, that's a lot of juice! I'm guessing that it is juice on bottom and fruit mush on top. You only added 2-3 gallons of apple juice?



2 gallons per bucket.


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## dralarms (Apr 7, 2019)

Johnd said:


> No view of the inside action???




I’ll get that this morning before stirring


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## dralarms (Apr 7, 2019)




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## stickman (Apr 7, 2019)

I don't see any hydrometer readings, looks like it's moving along, just curious where it's at.


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## dralarms (Apr 7, 2019)

stickman said:


> I don't see any hydrometer readings, looks like it's moving along, just curious where it's at.




Started at 23.2 brix, added 14 lbs sugar but after stirring wasn’t able to get hydrometer reading due to thickness of must. Usually finishes dry, back sweeten to 1.014 for a sweet strong wine.


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## dralarms (Apr 9, 2019)

It’s in secondary, got 2 6.5 gallon car boys full and a 5 gallon with about 3 /12 gallons in it. There’s probably another 3/4 to 1 gallon in the leftovers, draining overnight.


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## Jal5 (Apr 10, 2019)

So what does the finished wine taste like? Banana I’m sure but what would you compare it too in the realm of white wines?


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## dralarms (Apr 10, 2019)

Jal5 said:


> So what does the finished wine taste like? Banana I’m sure but what would you compare it too in the realm of white wines?


Tastes like banana.


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## dralarms (Apr 10, 2019)

Checked sg today. .986, starting brix was 23.2, added 14 lbs of sugar, have 17 gallons of wine (still has to clear, so it will probably be 16) any guess as to abv?


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## Johnd (Apr 10, 2019)

The 14# sugar addition to a 23.2 BRIX must, yields a SG of 1.1285. If it really finished below .990 at .986, I'd say that you're pushing 19.2 % or 19.3 %...........that's pretty stout!!!!


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## dralarms (Apr 10, 2019)

Johnd said:


> The 14# sugar addition to a 23.2 BRIX must, yields a SG of 1.1285. If it really finished below .990 at .986, I'd say that you're pushing 19.2 % or 19.3 %...........that's pretty stout!!!!


That’s about right, I can drink a bottle of anything else and I can’t even tell it, but I can drink a bottle of the banana and can really tell I’ve drank it.


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## dralarms (Apr 14, 2019)

Racked off today, got 16.5 gallons. Got my refractometer that I measure sg with and measured for grins and giggles, got a reading of 10 brix.. took the one I bought for measuring alcohol (wasn’t sure on this one) and it measured 25. If that’s accurate then that’s a pretty stout wine.


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## dralarms (Apr 17, 2019)

As a test of the refractometer I tested vodka, label said 100 proof, 50% abv. My refractometer measured it at 50%. So I guess I can assume that the banana is really 25%. That’s some stout stuff.


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## John Pichnic (Apr 17, 2019)

25% Wow! That's strong mix-drink territory. 
I've been suspecting that I was breaking the 18% limit of EC-1118.
You used 71B?


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## dralarms (Apr 17, 2019)

John Pichnic said:


> 25% Wow! That's strong mix-drink territory.
> I've been suspecting that I was breaking the 18% limit of EC-1118.
> You used 71B?


Yes, 71b. I suspect that it’s the type of sugar in the bananas. I’m thinking that the yeast is able to utilize more of it.


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## jgmillr1 (Apr 18, 2019)

dralarms said:


> Racked off today, got 16.5 gallons. Got my refractometer that I measure sg with and measured for grins and giggles, got a reading of 10 brix.. took the one I bought for measuring alcohol (wasn’t sure on this one) and it measured 25. If that’s accurate then that’s a pretty stout wine.



Probably worth mentioning that any residual sugar will greatly throw off the refractometer measurements. For example, my Catawba completed fermentation and measured 7.0 on the refractometer. I can guarantee it is not 18%abv, so I figure it is upwards of 2% RS on top of a 10%abv wine.

I'd bet your banana wine has substantial RS. 71B is a decent fermenter, but not a Superman!


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## dralarms (Apr 18, 2019)

jgmillr1 said:


> Probably worth mentioning that any residual sugar will greatly throw off the refractometer measurements. For example, my Catawba completed fermentation and measured 7.0 on the refractometer. I can guarantee it is not 18%abv, so I figure it is upwards of 2% RS on top of a 10%abv wine.
> 
> I'd bet your banana wine has substantial RS. 71B is a decent fermenter, but not a Superman!



I guess you missed that the current sg is .986. Not sure how much rs is left at that point


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## bkisel (Apr 18, 2019)

I made a 6 gallon batch of banana wine a year or two ago. Myself and a few other folks liked it well enough but overall it wasn't well received by those that typically share my wine.


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## dralarms (Apr 18, 2019)

bkisel said:


> I made a 6 gallon batch of banana wine a year or two ago. Myself and a few other folks liked it well enough but overall it wasn't well received by those that typically share my wine.


Dang, I’ve only seen a couple that didn’t like mine.


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## Keith5 (Apr 29, 2019)

It’s not banana wine but I have a Japanese plum or Loquat wine that is near ending primary fermentation and I racked off to carboys but have PLENTY pectin haze and/or lees,about half of 5 gallon carboy and half of 2 one gallon jugs. I added recommended amount of Pectic enzyme prior to fermentation 2 weeks ago. Do I let it sit awhile and rack? Rack what I can now and put cloudy liquid in referigerator and hopefully get more clean wine if lees compacts? Current SG 1.01. 
Any advice?
I see occasional small bubbles in carboy but airlock not moving. I’m assuming still some small amount of residual fermentation ongoing.
I don’t know how to insert picture, sorry.


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## dralarms (Apr 29, 2019)

I’d add some more pectic enzyme.


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## Linda Berkland (Oct 18, 2019)

dralarms said:


> here’s what 160 lbs of banana looks like. Just started, it’ll be Sunday or Monday before it’s thawed enough to add sugar and yeast.
> 
> View attachment 53986


Hi, I am a South African living in Canada, and would love to make some banana wine. Could you send me the recipe. Thanks.


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## Johnd (Oct 18, 2019)

Linda Berkland said:


> Hi, I am a South African living in Canada, and would love to make some banana wine. Could you send me the recipe. Thanks.



Read the thread. 80# bananas + 1 or 1.5 gallons apple juice + sugar to your desired SG / BRIX + 71B yeast = roughly 6 - 7 gallons of finished wine.


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## Scooter68 (Oct 19, 2019)

Now you've done it. My wife puts the overripe bananas in the freezer. I may have to plead my case for a small batch. If it wins her approval then.... 

And that would save my feet from dodging falling frozen bananas when the freezer is opened.


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## dralarms (Oct 19, 2019)

Scooter68 said:


> Now you've done it. My wife puts the overripe bananas in the freezer. I may have to plead my case for a small batch. If it wins her approval then....
> 
> And that would save my feet from dodging falling frozen bananas when the freezer is opened.


Just think about all that delicious wine.


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## crabjoe (Jan 27, 2020)

Has anyone tried Amylase enzyme to try and break down the banana?

The idea is based on this:


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## dralarms (Jan 27, 2020)

crabjoe said:


> Has anyone tried Amylase enzyme to try and break down the banana?
> 
> The idea is based on this:



Interesting

I’ll let you know. I just ordered 1lb.


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## Wolfhound (Feb 16, 2020)

I just started freezing bananas in vacuum bags. Hopefully I’ll have enough soon to be able to make this recipe. I’ll only do 5-6 gallons of it though so i guess that I’ll need about 80 lbs?


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## dralarms (Feb 16, 2020)

Wolfhound said:


> I just started freezing bananas in vacuum bags. Hopefully I’ll have enough soon to be able to make this recipe. I’ll only do 5-6 gallons of it though so i guess that I’ll need about 80 lbs?




My better half brought 9 bags home Friday, go 36 lbs peeled for 18.00. Got 76 lbs 8 oz in the freezer. Another 20 or so and I can start the next batch.


And yes, 80 lbs should get you around 7 to 8 gallons, not including the apple juice (2 gallons) to dissolve the sugar in.


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## subseageorge (May 31, 2020)

dralarms said:


> Interesting
> 
> I’ll let you know. I just ordered 1lb.


Hi, Did you try the Amylase enzyme ???


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## dralarms (May 31, 2020)

subseageorge said:


> Hi, Did you try the Amylase enzyme ???


Yes, and it doesn’t worl as well as the pectic enzyme


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## subseageorge (May 31, 2020)

dralarms said:


> Yes, and it doesn’t worl as well as the pectic enzyme


Thanks mate..


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## dralarms (Jun 1, 2020)

subseageorge said:


> Thanks mate..


No problem


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