Strawberry wine: bananas or pectic enzyme?

[themottspot]

Hey everyone. New member, making first wine (strawberry).

Do bananas take the place of pectic enzyme in some recipes, or should you use PE in every fruit wine? The recipe I was initially going to use didn't list PE in the ingredients, but did list bananas (which most of the recipes for strawberry wines that I've seen DIDN'T list).

Do they serve the same function? If so, which is better?

Thanks. Looking forward to learning from this forum.

 

[Deezil]

2 different functions..

Pectic Enzyme breaks down the pectin in the fruit - pectin is what makes jam/jelly a solid - so it breaks that down and turns the fruit into mush basically..

Bananas were probably suggested to add body, you could also supplement some golden raisins but strawberry being a light flavor, be light-handed with raisins or go with bananas because they ferment out practically tasteless. This is all just to keep the wine from seeming 'flat' or one-sided.. Body helps a wine seem more well-rounded, gives it more substance

 

[themottspot]

Got it. Thanks very much

 

[dangerdave]

...making first wine (strawberry).

Strawberry wine is my nemesis! I'll get it down one day. My last batch wasn't too bad, I think, if a little alcohol rich. But I did start with a 1.100 SG. It's on the virge of strawberry port!

For me, it's less sugar in the primary next time---more strawberries.

Good luck to you!

 

[themottspot]

Yeah I expect a lot of trial and error before I have a good batch. We'll see what happens. I'll post my results either way