Banana Beer... Any Thoughts

[dannbrew]

for what my opinion is worth (probably nothing), I did an extract of a banana/vanilla stout back in January 2011. All I did was dice, blend and boil my bananas (whatever your amount of bananas is) in about 2L of water for about 10 mins. I then did my normal extract brewing as normal. It turned out to be a great beer for an extract, with a hint of vanilla. It was simply really good.

 

[Paulielow]

for what my opinion is worth (probably nothing), I did an extract of a banana/vanilla stout back in January 2011. All I did was dice, blend and boil my bananas (whatever your amount of bananas is) in about 2L of water for about 10 mins. I then did my normal extract brewing as normal. It turned out to be a great beer for an extract, with a hint of vanilla. It was simply really good.

So you used the water from the bananas to do your boil, is that right? I know it probably wouldn't effect a stout but did you notice any pectin haze from the bananas...

 

[MaltyHops]

Too late I just put it on the stove with 8L waters...... :unsure: have I just wasted it or
would my original idea work?

Somewhere in Africa, a devastated troupe of monkeys are weeping uncontrollably.

 

[dannbrew]

So you used the water from the bananas to do your boil, is that right? I know it probably wouldn't effect a stout but did you notice any pectin haze from the bananas...

Almost, Paulielow. In a separate pot I just boiled the B's for 10 mins, and then just dumped the whole lot in another pot that had the malt extract (and whatever else) in it - then in the fermenter it went to, well, ferment.

As for the haze, I sure did see that. My personal preference was that I didn't care too much about the haze. I had suspected it would do it but didn't know to what extent. I just let it be. What I "may" do differently in the future is once fermented, I'd rack it into secondary for 3-4 days so it can settle to the bottom of the fermenter - then bottle. Not sure if that'd help the haze but it wouldn't hurt, I suppose.

As a side note, I've done a lot of extract brews with fruit (pears, peaches, watermelon, mango) and that pretty much has that same haze you mentioned. Maybe there are other brewers out there more knowledgeable than I that can shed some lessons on how to get lessen the impact of that haze has from additions like banana. Hope that helps?

 

[Paulielow]

Ok as it turns out if you boil bananas then refridgerate them the pectin coagulates and forms clumps... I suppose its better to happen now than when I put it in beer. I got 10L of liquid from this with an SG of 1.060 so if I add another 10L water I should get an SG of 1.030, is this how it works.... Then I should be able to strain of the pectin clumps and hopefully avoid the pectin haze....

 

[freezkat]

Somewhere in Africa, a devastated troupe of monkeys are weeping uncontrollably.

They go ape for the banana beer at the zoo's commissary. They say it's flavor has a wide a-peel




Hey you asked "any thoughts?" I couldn't hold it any longer