Dubbel bananas

[jonnymorris]

I made a Dubbel with WLP530 a few weeks ago and am drinking my first pint now. Its very bananary and, whilst I like bananas, I'm not sure I like them in beer.

Anyone have experience with this yeast and know if the bananas are likely to fade with time (admittedly it has only been in the bottle two weeks) or where the hell they came from in the first place? I didn't think it was meant to be particularly fruity.

 

[Jimmy321]

I tried a Saison I brewed as soon as it was carbed and it had a strong banana profile, handed some round and others had the same impression. After about 4 weeks bottle conditioning at room temp it had a much more balanced flavor with spices dominating the palate, still some fruity flavors but much better.

I guess the banana come from under pitching and high fermentation temps mine was 18°C rising to 28°C.

**Edited I used Belle Saison and not the same yeast as yourself**

 

[Asalpaws]

I used WY 1214, it intially was very bannanery but it also faded with time. I suspect yours will balance out. T

 

[jonnymorris]

I guess the banana come from under pitching and high fermentation temps mine was 18°C rising to 28°C.

I made an appropriately sized yeast starter and kept the temp around 19degC (despite knowing I could've/should've let it go higher) so I'm not sure that's it. Hopefully it's just too young.

 

[brewtim]

Used WLP380 in a Hefe, 5 weeks from brewday more spice and less banana is coming through, more to my taste. Maybe WLP530 will turn out the same

 

[fizz head1982]

Could this banana taste be a buttery Diacytel taste? - I like banana's, i might like them in beer

 

[morethanworts]

In the form of WY 3787, reportedly the same as WL 530, I've got AG2 on the go and it smells mega bananary! AG1 was the same. Waiting for bottles to condition so interested to see how it develops.

I'm happier with the bananas in my tripels than I would be in a Dubbel, I think.

 

[saccharomyces]

I made an appropriately sized yeast starter and kept the temp around 19degC (despite knowing I could've/should've let it go higher) so I'm not sure that's it. Hopefully it's just too young.

That's too high for an Abbey yeast. An Abbey yeast should be pitched at 16C. Abbey yeasts are capable of throwing tons of the ester amyl acetate, which smells like banana. Keeping the temperature low reduces the production of amyl acetate.

 

[morethanworts]

I made an appropriately sized yeast starter and kept the temp around 19degC (despite knowing I could've/should've let it go higher) so I'm not sure that's it. Hopefully it's just too young.

That's too high for an Abbey yeast. An Abbey yeast should be pitched at 16C. Abbey yeasts are capable of throwing tons of the ester amyl acetate, which smells like banana. Keeping the temperature low reduces the production of amyl acetate.

...but I understand it is good practice to raise that temp steeply after the dividing stage, to gain full attenuation, according to Jamil and others? You may well be right as far as 16C goes for starting: I pitched both mine at 18C raised to 21C over 3 days or so, and got bananas.

 

[jonnymorris]

...and got bananas.

Are the bananas still with you?

 

[morethanworts]

...and got bananas.

Are the bananas still with you?

Johnny - you've given me the perfect excuse for some very premature quality control I will report back asap. At bottling, it was nothing like as bananary as the smell during primary would suggest, but we'll see. I actually wouldn't mind some bananas there in the Tripel.

 

[brewtim]

...but I understand it is good practice to raise that temp steeply after the dividing stage, to gain full attenuation, according to Jamil and others? You may well be right as far as 16C goes for starting: I pitched both mine at 18C raised to 21C over 3 days or so, and got bananas.

The question is at what stage do you start to raise the temp, I think day 3 or 4 which is after the intial stages of fermentation for a high OG Beer, when the Krausen is falling/fallen, raising the temp earlier may produce too many esters.

 

[morethanworts]

The question is at what stage do you start to raise the temp, I think day 3 or 4 which is after the intial stages of fermentation for a high OG Beer, when the Krausen is falling/fallen, raising the temp earlier may produce too many esters.

I still had krausen almost up to three weeks! It would be no guide with this yeast, it throws up so much. But I'd guess 3 days would more than see out any possible lag phase, even underpitching. My second batch had over 10L of krausen by 48hrs at 18-18.5C.

 

[morethanworts]

...and got bananas.

Are the bananas still with you?

... Tested. 11 days only in bottle. Still some bananas. Nice in the light Tripel, for me.

 

[jonnymorris]

... Tested. 11 days only in bottle. Still some bananas. Nice in the light Tripel, for me.

Need more data points.

 

[kev]

Tasting a tripel after 11 days? Wtf?

K

 

[morethanworts]

I know, I know. Was entirely for banana research purposes.

Rest are tucked away safely.