Banana Wine Recipe # 2

[dralarms]

I'll answer that. No leave it alone until it slows down.

 

[Dend78]

I'll answer that. No leave it alone until it slows down.

ditto, what was your gravity like at starting and what is it at now? once it slows down it should start to settle out more, yours may be fermenting slightly slower than Allie's where her's took 5 days yours may take 10

 

[rockinsoul]

Thanks guys, I'll heed your advice. Much appreciated!! No idea what the gravity was but the brew is doing a fine display of antigravity at the moment I will have to procure a hydrometer in the next few days. Looking forward to trying this. I have had to resort to keeping my bedroom window shut as it seems to be acting like a beacon to hungry wasps!!

 

[Dend78]

Thanks guys, I'll heed your advice. Much appreciated!! No idea what the gravity was but the brew is doing a fine display of antigravity at the moment I will have to procure a hydrometer in the next few days. Looking forward to trying this. I have had to resort to keeping my bedroom window shut as it seems to be acting like a beacon to hungry wasps!!

good call, they do love the smell of fermenting bananas, for sure get a hydrometer it makes it easier to follow whats happening.

 

[rockinsoul]

Mistake?

I think I have just learnt a lesson the hard way. My house is cold so I think the initial fermentation process was taking longer. It was still bubbling happily but had slowed enough after 1 week to siphon the liquid from the pulp. However, now there is no fermentation at all. I think I should have left it until it had stopped bubbling. I think I have cut the fermentation period short and now it is going to have much lower ABV. I followed the recipe above as closely as I could, but I think I should have adjusted the times accordingly. I hope it isn't ruined. What can I do at this stage? Should I add more yeast/sugar? Or just leave it now and see what I get?

 

[Dend78]

do you have a hydrometer? yet? if so check the gravity and see where you are sitting. i wouldnt try doing anything to it until you get ahold of one.

whats the temp in the house?

what is the temp of the must?

 

[vernsgal]

This is going to be my 1st attempt at a non-kit wine. I have been making (and tweeking) kits for about 3 years now and feel it's time to delve into fresh.My question on this wine is- if I wanted to get a hint of peach in the taste, what would I add, how much, and when?

 

[Dend78]

well being as peach requires a lot and flavor gets killed during fermentation I would add it at the end as an fpac

 

[vernsgal]

If I'm going to add tannin powder instead of using the peels, do I add it to the heated banana mixture or into the primary?And, if I'm making 5 gallons would I go with 1 1/4 tsp? That seems a bit much

 

[Dend78]

as for the tannin go with what the label reccomends or less, as far as when to add in i would toss it in the heated mix just before you put it in the primary

 

[JohnnyB78]

I realize this is an old post but hopefully someone will answer. I have been kicking around the idea of making this wine for a while. I have made the bananna dishwater and added it to a fruit mix i had during primary fementation. I believe it greatly improved my wines body and added a pretty unique flavor. I now just want to try it alone. I just had a few questions: 1- what was your beginning S.G, I may have missed it in your post. 2- what exactly is the purpose of the lemon, I have noticed it in a few recipes but not all. 3- what do you think about the sugar substitution, I mean have you tried both variations of white, or brown, or even both. Finally I have a recipe here that calls for both the peels and tannin, would you recomend using only one or the other. Well hope to hear back, I am looking forward to trying this out finally. Thanks

 

[Dend78]

1) 1.085 i would assume is the SG
2) not totally sure on this one
3) different sugars will give you different outcomes/flavors, brown if done right will give you that maple like flavor but it also changes the color, gives it a dirty brown caramel color.
4) how much tannin do you like? its up to you in what i made i just added peel's, if you like lots of tannin add both, its a personal thing

 

[JohnnyB78]

i followed this recipe, and after i put in yeast I have seen no activity at all i am getting worried. I just put it in yesterday morning but with every other wine I have made I have seen activity within 12 hours were going on almost 48 with nothing, as a matter of fact the s.g. has went up. How is that even possible. I used montrachet red star yeast and followed the direction on the back as well. not sure whats wrong. any advice, any idea why no fermenting is happening? and what can I do.

 

[vernsgal]

I too didn't get any action with mine,so after 48 hours I made a starter in a pitcher( 1 cup warm water, yeast,about 1/8 tsp sugar and a sprinkle of yeast nutrient.) When it started bubbling I added a cup of must and waited a bit for it to get going ( about 10 min.) then added a cup more, did this 3 or 4 times, then slowly poured it all into my must and bam! next morning she was foaming well. I also noted that the temp of my must was only at 70, didn't have one of those heat belts so I wrapped a heating pad to bucket and turned it on low. It brought my temp. up to a stead 76.

 

[Dend78]

yeah check your temp, it should take off pretty easy i would think, mine took off with no issues, if you dont have a heating pad and stuff put it in a sink full of hot water that will help boost the temp, if it doesn't take off then shoot for a starter as versgal stated

 

[JohnnyB78]

I think it was a temp thing put in front of the heater vent and wala....holy crap, very big foaming, bubbling, sizzling the whole works. so all is well, looks nasty lol, smells pretty good though. I am excited about this one, I am not sure which way to go with it though dry or sweet. to be honest I have never had bananna wine, one main reason I wanted to make it always thought it sounded good. I am wondering why the recipe say to add the sugar every racking and why not just backsweeten at end any Idea?

 

[Dend78]

it wont taste much like banana when its done from what i understand, it becomes a run of the mill white wine, im not sure on the sugar thing though it may not be very good dry lol, for back sweetening i have heard white grape is a good way to go

 

[JohnnyB78]

ok I have just racked it out of the primary, which by the way was pretty difficult due to the thickness of the must and the raisins kept clogging the racking cane. now I have it in the secondary and it is already settling a bit. It is looking like half the wine will be lost due to the amount of sediment has any one else that made this had a massive amount of sediment, and does any one have any suggestions how to make up the volume, I am thinking I need to start another batch just to compesate for the lost amount. I was trying to make 3 gallons but it seems I will end up with about a gallon and a half after it clears.

 

[Dend78]

yeah i ran into the same thing with my Sherry im making, i lost almost 1 gallon, next time strainer bag all the way. i even went through and put a bunch of the banana bits in a cheese cloth bag and still had nearly 3 inches of sediment when i was trying to rack it from pirmary

 

[ilurk]

I just started a batch and I was wondering if other folk found their wine thick. It's only day two, fermentation is rigorous and foaming has subsided, but its thick. I'm wondering if the thick maple syrup consistency will go away in the final product. Is it caused by starch? Do I need to get some amylase?