What did you brew today?

[IainM]

Interesting!!!
Are you using actual bananas or flavouring as I would be interested to transfer this to a beer without using specific yeast to help impart flavour.

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Actual bananas. The local tesco were selling kilos of over-ripe bananas for next to nothing and it reminded me of banana wine recipes I've seen on the web. I was super busy yesterday so didn't get to do much research, but I managed to botch together a recipe from what I remembered. 3.5kg over-ripe bananas, washed and sliced (skin and all), boiled for 20 mins. I then added 2kg sugar, let it cool a bit, then added 2x out of date white wine enhancer and a couple of campden tablets. This morning I added 3tsp pectolase and a 4g packet of amylase. I'll strain and ferment it tonight.

I'm not sure about how it would work adding banana to beer - at the moment I'm using amylase which I guess would break down the non-fermentable sugars in the wort and dry the beer out, but then again there are a few recipes online which only use pectinase in the wine and they manage to clear ok with finings. Perhaps it could be added to the mash to break down the banana starch, though I think BIAB would be the only way to go to avoid getting it stuck. Another thing, some people say the banana taste fades during fermentation so it's present but subtle in the final bottled wine. Perhaps in beer this taste would be overpowered by hops and malt. Anyway, buying a load of old bananas on a whim to chuck in a bucket and see what happens is one thing, but if I was going to do invest the time to make a beer I'd do some research first.

 

[Gerryjo]

Actual bananas. The local tesco were selling kilos of over-ripe bananas for next to nothing and it reminded me of banana wine recipes I've seen on the web. I was super busy yesterday so didn't get to do much research, but I managed to botch together a recipe from what I remembered. 3.5kg over-ripe bananas, washed and sliced (skin and all), boiled for 20 mins. I then added 2kg sugar, let it cool a bit, then added 2x out of date white wine enhancer and a couple of campden tablets. This morning I added 3tsp pectolase and a 4g packet of amylase. I'll strain and ferment it tonight.

I'm not sure about how it would work adding banana to beer - at the moment I'm using amylase which I guess would break down the non-fermentable sugars in the wort and dry the beer out, but then again there are a few recipes online which only use pectinase in the wine and they manage to clear ok with finings. Perhaps it could be added to the mash to break down the banana starch, though I think BIAB would be the only way to go to avoid getting it stuck. Another thing, some people say the banana taste fades during fermentation so it's present but subtle in the final bottled wine. Perhaps in beer this taste would be overpowered by hops and malt. Anyway, buying a load of old bananas on a whim to chuck in a bucket and see what happens is one thing, but if I was going to do invest the time to make a beer I'd do some research first.

Just had a quick look on Wikipedia.

"The function of pectinase in brewing is twofold, first it helps break down the plant material and so helps the extraction of flavours from the mash. Secondly the presence of pectin in finished wine causes a haze or slight cloudiness. Pectinase is used to break this down and so clear the wine."

Would certainly toy with the idea of mashing the bananas separately and keeping in a sterile container to clear the haze then maybe add it to the equivalent in wort which would have already have started it's fermentation.
Could be interesting.....
Cheers for the info @LianM.

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[dad_of_jon]

Nothing... the plan was good as the remainder of my supplies arrived at 10am, around the same time I discovered a leak in the bathroom radiator valve. I now have the replacement part a bowl under the valve and await a plumber :headbang: brewing off til friday. Think i'll use up my steeping grains for a Barley wine or Abbey before doing my mangrove jacks pink grapefruit ale, tripel or saison. :unsure:

 

[pms67]

Bottled my hop filled who knows beer, my Shed is chaos,moving house is stressful

 

[pms67]

Didn’t mean to attach the Wasted Degrees bottle pic

 

[Fore]

Westmalle Tripel #2 in progress. #1 was a HUGE success with everyone who tried it, most importantly, me. Last time I substituted some hops from the recipe I'd found, so this time round I'm following the recipe. I have a feeling it won't be as good this time round, as trying to top the last one will be a difficult feat. Whatever, Westmalle is right up my street, so I can't go far wrong.

This will fill the 3rd of my 3 fermenters. Can't remember a time when I did that before; maybe once. Unfortunately, and all too frequently, my 3 kegs are completely empty. Give it some time, and a continued push, and I might just manage to fill all 3 kegs as well.

I'm drinking and enjoying the starter "light beer". Am I the only one? Reminds me of young wine or fermenting apple juice. It also gives you a pretty good idea of what the yeast will bring. I like M31.

 

[Dutto]

......... my Shed is chaos,moving house is stressful

you have my sympathies! Apparently it comes in at No.3 right after "1. Death of a Near Relative." and "2. Divorce..:wave:

Personally, I found "Divorce" a lot easier! :thumb:

 

[Frogbrew]

Put this on today for when we get some sunshine hopefully, dont usually do lagers as i like lidl rheinbacher.
Brewed to 21 ltr with 500g brewing sugar/500g table sugar.
I've got 35g of saaz hop pellets i can add, but not sure how to add or when if anyone can advise please.

 

[Martybhoy]

I bottled a Belgian Blonde today.

Smells so good I could have just drank it there and then.

 

[MickDundee]

FG 1.041 so 2 points below what I expected but if it finishes at 1.010 then it’ll still be 4.1%.

FG was 1.008 which is the lowest I’ve ever had, probably due to the golden syrup. Gives me 4.33% ABV.

Sneaked an early sample - it’s fruity and citrusy but more subtle than I’d expected. Very fresh and easy-drinking, i can’t wait to see what it’s like in 4 weeks.

 

[Clint]

Brewing today...hurrah! Gh dry stout grain bill but using CML real ale yeast and subbing the hops for brambling cross. Pre heating the mash tun,grain weighed and water just coming up to temp. Tea made sun shining....it's a go Johnny go Johnny go go go!
All done...got 24 litres in the fv at 1048...giving 77.2% bhe...up 2 points again! 2 x 10 litres sparge and a couple of good stirs during the mash.

 

[Clint]

Brewing again today. American cream ale. Sort of based on the gh recipe but subbed the 5kg pale male with lager malt and the flame out hops of Mount hood with hallertau hersbrucker. Yeast cml cali common. Water on!
All done..og at 1058/9 3 points over but only got 21 litres to fv...this would give me over 6% abv so liquored back to 23 litres. Efficiency around 72%..left a couple of litres in the fv due to massive amounts of break material which blocked the bazooka!

 

[dad_of_jon]

nowt but a fart :-(

I'm having a competition with my fv which has an abbey beer in it. it's one big one every 30 seconds I can't compete with that!

 

[Clint]

wort very clear!

 

[Ajhutch]

Cap doffed @Clint

 

[Clint]

:hat:

 

[Dutto]

Brewing again today. American cream ale. Sort of based on the gh recipe but subbed the 5kg pale male with lager malt and the flame out hops of Mount hood with hallertau hersbrucker. Yeast cml cali common. Water on!
All done..og at 1058/9 3 points over but only got 21 litres to fv...this would give me over 6% abv so liquored back to 23 litres. Efficiency around 72%..left a couple of litres in the fv due to massive amounts of break material which blocked the bazooka!

Sorry Clint, but you're beginning to remind me of my Mum! :wave:

On the phone when driving down for a visit from Scotland my Mum promised us "Duck a l'orange." so after four hours of driving I was quite looking forward to my supper!

After proudly presenting her "Duck a l'orange." Mum explained that as she couldn't find any duck she had used chicken instead and then, as she'd run out of oranges, she had used lemon juice; but somehow (and God only knows why) she still insisted that it was in the style of "Duck a l'orange." and old as I was I got a clip round the ear for saying "Surely it's 'Lemon Chicken'." :headbang:

Happy days! :thumb:

 

[Clint]

I have the delightful sound of stereo fermentation from my two fv in the garage....the cream ale has gone mental....looks like bubble bath coming down the blow off tube!

 

[MickDundee]

I have the mash on for a slightly modified GH Kolsch (all Tettnang hops as I couldn’t get spalt). Mashing at 65C for an hour and a quarter.

 

[MickDundee]

I have the mash on for a slightly modified GH Kolsch (all Tettnang hops as I couldn’t get spalt). Mashing at 65C for an hour and a quarter.

Mrs Dundee decides to put the washing machine on - boiler is struggling to get up to boiling as quickly as usual!