# Banana Wine



## Maui Joe (Mar 14, 2005)

This recipe is for a one (1) gallon which can be increased as desired. This recipe came from the Winemakers Recipe Handbook by Raymond Massaccesi, although modified somewhat.


(Fresh or Dried Banana) I used "fresh-over ripe with skins.


4 lbs. Bananas, slice bananas with skins, place in nylon bag and tie.


1 1/2 qts. water-boil on stove, add nylon bag to water and simmer for 30 minutes. The bananas will totally melt down. Dispose of remains which was totally only the peels. Pour hot liquor over sugar in primary and mix thoroughly. Stir in remainder of *cold water* and all other ingredients. (StartingS.G. 1.095) When temperature is around 85 degrees or lower,add the yeast. Cover primary, stir daily and check S.G.- When S.G. reaches 1.040, strain out and syphon to secondary. When S.G. reaches 1.000, rack again to clean secondary.


Syphon again in 2 months and again if necessary until clear.


INGREDIENTS:


1 1/2 cup chopped light raisins&nbsp ; ;&nbsp ; ;&nbsp ; ;


7 pints of water


2 1/4 lbs. of sugar


3 tsp. Acid Blend


1/4 tsp. Tannin


1 tsp. Nutrient


1-package yeast


Comments: I had used raw Hawaiian sugar and had added and additional 1/4/ cup above the recipe to bring it up to starting S.G. In my first tasting, the wine was rather "hot" and being a young wine, the taste of the fruit was rather quite mild to nothing. Later as it developed the bite diminished and the aromas increased. It cleared rather quickly on its own. (I personally do not like to use any agents for clearing if not needed...time will do that if you're patient.) It has been bulk aging for 7 months and is really good. I will let it age another two months before bottling though. ( I would probably next time decrease the "tanin" abit, and change my yeast from EC-1118 to D-47 or a sherry yeast.








*Edited by: Maui Joe *


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## AAASTINKIE (Mar 14, 2005)

Thanks for the recipe, I may try this, or try mixing banana's with strawberrys this summer.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 14, 2005)

Oh that sounds EXCELLENT, Maui!





I might just have to try that one too!





So many wines, so little time!


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## Hippie (Mar 14, 2005)

It is good I found someone besides myself who uses the entire banana! Some old timers say alot of tannin in the peels.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 14, 2005)

CW, I believe that too! An "old timer" winemaker here has been doing it for years. In fact, he doesn't add any tanin to his wines at all. If he needs too, he adds more peel and is happy with that. Some old recipes need not to be changed. In his apple wines, he also adds more skins and stems. "Always room for learning."


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## MedPretzel (Mar 14, 2005)

I used the peels too. I thought you were supposed to????


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## Maui Joe (Mar 14, 2005)

Well that's three of us so far that I know of!


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## Maui Joe (Mar 14, 2005)

Oh I forgot the "old timer," that's four (4) people


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## MedPretzel (Mar 14, 2005)

With CJJ Berry - the ultimate oldtimer - makes us 5.


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## Hippie (Mar 14, 2005)

Alright!I would think using whatever tannin source is available on the particular fruit you are using would be better suited for that wine than using grape tannin for everything. You know, like breaking a few blackberry seeds by mistake? Make sense?


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## MedPretzel (Mar 15, 2005)

Yes, but many recipes call for NO SEEDS whatsoever. I would be leery about adding the seeds.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 15, 2005)

He's joking of course...


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## MedPretzel (Mar 15, 2005)

Yikes, guess I missed that one.


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## Hippie (Mar 15, 2005)

Actually, no. I mean you know like all the tannin in the banana peels is all you need for the banana wine, no need to add grape tannin powder. The skins in my muscadine wine gives me plenty of tannin for that wine.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 16, 2005)

I thought you were talkin' about the seeds.


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## Hippie (Mar 19, 2005)

Too many seeds will give a bitter taste if cracked, but do contribute alot of tannin.


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## MedPretzel (Mar 19, 2005)

I see. Very helpful for my next concoction.


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## Hippie (Mar 19, 2005)

Your next concoction will have seeds? Wow. I can't wait.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 19, 2005)

CW,....what have you done?


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## MedPretzel (Mar 19, 2005)

Yes, it might just have seeds. Stay tuned...............


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

Joe are you OK? Do you disagree about the seeds?


Too many seeds cracked will make a bitter wine, but one or 2 here and there might just contribute needed tannin.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 20, 2005)

I agree that a few seedswill contribute a source of tanin. For I have seen pressed grapes, a few leaves, twigs and such, also. Even to say that the bark as well, more so.


Although not my source to use, nor soley to be used in large quantities, I personally would rather not for the lack of practice....


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

I agree with that. Try to make blackberry wine without cracking a few seeds. Can't be done.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 20, 2005)

Very interesting...good to know.


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

Yep. Red grape must usually includes lots of stems and some seeds are smashed by the crusher. Gotta have that tannin and gotta get it somewhere, sometimes not enough in the skins.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 20, 2005)

I will agree!


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## MedPretzel (Mar 20, 2005)

I never made blackberry wine. Can't you just mash the berries with your hands? Unless you're superman, i think it would be hard to crush the seeds that way.


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## Hippie (Mar 20, 2005)

Yes, put the berries a handful at a time into a gallon ziplock, zip it while trying to get most of the air out, mash the berries, open, pour into fine mesh straining bag. This is after they thaw from the freezer. Blackberries will give up lots more of their fruit after being frozen a while.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 20, 2005)




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## Hippie (Mar 21, 2005)

You like that method, Joe? 


Aloha right back atcha.


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## Maui Joe (Mar 21, 2005)

Ya, and quite sano too!


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## MedPretzel (Mar 21, 2005)

Man, I can't wait til fresh-fruit season starts here!!!!


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## Maui Joe (Mar 21, 2005)

CW, I like your new avatar..would that be 3 fingers or 4?


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## Hippie (Mar 21, 2005)

About 4 fingers of delicious Scuppernong wine!


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## Maui Joe (Mar 21, 2005)

I keep looking at it...now I gotta go find a glass an toast with ya!


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## MedPretzel (Mar 21, 2005)

It _does_ look good. I'll toast with a diet coke tonight.


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## Hippie (Mar 21, 2005)

Alright! "Throughthe teeth and over the gums, look out tummy, hear it comes!"


Salute!


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## MedPretzel (Mar 21, 2005)

Hahaha, never heard that one. Pretty funny!


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## Maui Joe (Mar 22, 2005)

That has so much truth


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## Hippie (Mar 22, 2005)

Normally a whiskey or other hard liquor toast, cause of the effects on the system.


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## Mandlin (Jan 6, 2015)

Now I've noticed in some recipes you should keep the pulp in the primary. This recipe doesn't say (I had the book and was curious about other things). I'm almost done with the primary & didn't keep the pulp with it. Will it just have a weaker taste? I'm not much of a wine drinker, doing it for curiosity.


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