Banana Beer

[DeeterGroup]

Hello,

I am sure you all know there is a Banana Bread beer, but has anyone ever tried to brew something like it at home?

 

[Darcey]

BUMP!

Caledonian top banana! Amazing stuff.

 

[EskiBrew]

Yes, I've tried it once. Unfortunately it got infected (most likely from the bananas I think) and I threw it away. The secret to getting the bananas to mush up is to freeze them first - when defrosted, they pulp easily.
I may try it again one day but try and sanitise the pulped banana first - not sure how though :hmm:

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Does Banana bread Beer actually have any banana in it?

I'm not so sure, I think it gets it's banana flavour from the yeast.

I have been thinking about doing one, and found this recipe on internet.

I'm not saying it's correct, but may be a starting point.

Original Gravity (OG): 1.046 (°P): 11.4
Final Gravity (FG): 1.012 (°P): 3.1
Alcohol (ABV): 4.52 %
Colour (SRM): 10.8 (EBC): 21.3
Bitterness (IBU): 20.6 (Average)

52% Wheat Malt
34% Munich I
8% Flaked Oats
2% Carapils (Dextrine)
2% Chocolate
2% Crystal 20

1.5 g/L Styrian Golding (4.4% Alpha) @ 60 Minutes (Boil)
0.4 g/L East Kent Golding (4.7% Alpha) @ 5 Minutes (Boil)


Single step Infusion at 66°C for 60 Minutes. Boil for 60 Minutes

Fermented at 20°C with WLP300 - Hefeweizen Ale

 

[EskiBrew]

While you can certainly get banana flavours from yeast, I am pretty sure Wells Banana Bread Beer has seen a banana or two. Happy to be proved wrong though

 

[oz11]

Beers of Europe seem to think real bananas are involved. Click Me

 

[Runwell-Steve]

Ah, perhaps I am wrong then. It has been known before.
Not sure quite how I would go about adding bananas, I doubt they would appreciate being boiled. Experiment time.

 

[screamlead]

You can use the liquid from boiling bananas for a clearing agent in wines - see CJJ Berry book.

 

[EskiBrew]

Not sure quite how I would go about adding bananas, I doubt they would appreciate being boiled. Experiment time.

I thought the same thing about boiling them.

Instead I thought that a banana while within its protective skin would be pretty clean. I therefore peeled them carefully into a clean freezer bag, froze them, thawed them, mushed them up in the bag by squashing the bag in my hands and then opened and poured into FV. Unless something else went wrong unnoticed, I guess the infection was caused by bacteria already on the bananas. I've not tried again since.

Perhaps after mushing up, a short time sat in an oven at say 80 degrees would kill any bacteria without destroying the banana flavour?

 

[screamlead]

Not sure quite how I would go about adding bananas, I doubt they would appreciate being boiled. Experiment time.

I thought the same thing about boiling them.

Instead I thought that a banana while within its protective skin would be pretty clean. I therefore peeled them carefully into a clean freezer bag, froze them, thawed them, mushed them up in the bag by squashing the bag in my hands and then opened and poured into FV. Unless something else went wrong unnoticed, I guess the infection was caused by bacteria already on the bananas. I've not tried again since.

Perhaps after mushing up, a short time sat in an oven at say 80 degrees would kill any bacteria without destroying the banana flavour?

How about lobbing them in a couple of ltr of cold water and half a campden for 24 hours??

 

[Bingshoe]

Found the following for a Banana Cream Ale receipe

'...Boil 2.5lb sliced bananas with skins on in about 6 pints of water (From mash water).

Put them in the food processor and make a slurry.

Throw them in the mash tun with water from the boil.

Mash with grains.

Make the same slurry with 1lb of bananas withOUT the skins. Throw these in the boil at 5 min left....'

 

[disco_monkey79]

What about banana food flavouring?

 

[EskiBrew]

Found the following for a Banana Cream Ale receipe

'...Boil 2.5lb sliced bananas with skins on in about 6 pints of water (From mash water).

Put them in the food processor and make a slurry.

Throw them in the mash tun with water from the boil.

Mash with grains.

Make the same slurry with 1lb of bananas withOUT the skins. Throw these in the boil at 5 min left....'

Thanks for posting that Bingshoe - not sure I like the sound of putting the skins in as they definitely taste nasty if you bite one but then again... :hmm:

What about banana food flavouring?

Hmmm - I have a feeling it would end up tasting artificial :wha:

 

[Darcey]

I have emailed Caledonian to ask how the do it... Maybe they will come good?

 

[tommy]

what about dried bananas slices you can buy from health food shops and throw them in the boil???

 

[EskiBrew]

what about dried bananas slices you can buy from health food shops and throw them in the boil???

Hmmm - might work :hmm:

 

[Runwell-Steve]

what about dried bananas slices you can buy from health food shops and throw them in the boil???

Hmmm - might work :hmm:

They are certainly a possibility, I may pick some of them up and give that a try.

 

[Muddydisco]

Think I posted about this a while ago. Wells's Banana Bread beer - If you read the label the ingredients are:
Water, Barley, SUGAR, Maize, hops, Yeast, Banana and Banana Flavouring!!!
Bet most of the banana taste comes from the flavourings and 2 banana's are thrown in the boiler just so they can be added to the ingredients
I loved it and thought I'd might try it until I seen the flavourings! Don't know what Caledonian use mind you

 

[Equinox101]

I've seen banana beer made by freezing bananas in a bag too, I can't remember if they did anything else particular in that, I know they split the additions into half and half, i'll nave to find it tho.

 

[RobWalker]

I'd definitely add banana, it's half of the fun!