something with bananas ?

[fatbloke]

Dunno what it'll end up as yet........

But I've washed and chopped 11lb of banana, and as I don't have a stockpot, I've boiled and simmered the nana in about 6 litres of water, which will be increased to 9 or so.

Once its cooled down, the mix will be strained and the fruit pulp will be wrung out to get the last of the juice/flavours.

I will sulphite it, but do I also use just pectolase, or amylase, or both ? And then is it one at a time or can use both together ?

[mcblades]

If you've boiled the bananas do you need sulphite?
can't help with the enzyme choice other than to agree you'll need the pectolase. Amylase will break down starch to glucose. If the banana is green then there will be plenty of starch in it (also amylase as this is what ripens the banana, but you'll kill that by boiling). Ripe bananas should be relatively starch free. If you have access to some iodine solution (next door keep sheep so I've got a big bottle) then you can check as the starch will be blackened by the iodine wheras glucose / fructose is not.

I am sure someone will be along to correct me in due course.

[Cellar_Rat]

I feel the need for raisins - but that is an instinct not a fact. I would have made banana jam - it goes a bizarre purple color but it brill. Sorry no help.

[lockwood1956]

The fluid you have produced will be a good addition to wines, as it adds body and aids clearing. you should need amylase, but not pectolase.

I wouldnt use the pulp in wines, it makes them too bananary

hope that helps

[fatbloke]

The fluid you have produced will be a good addition to wines, as it adds body and aids clearing. you should need amylase, but not pectolase.

I wouldnt use the pulp in wines, it makes them too bananary

hope that helps

Yes it does indeed Bob. I mixed in 6lb of local wild flower honey as I decided on a mead rather than a wine (no surprise there eh!). Anyway, it tastes like mild-ish banana at the moment, but your point also gives me an idea - that I'll just ferment as it is, let it go dry, then rack it onto a pound or two in weight of banana and let it steep for a month or two - the point being that I'm aiming for a reasonably "bananary" sort of taste, but will eventually back sweeten it to a medium sweet level (1.010-1.015), I'll just hit it with amylase then, too shift any residual starch hazing that might exist.

I was wondering about how to increase the banana flavour if the ferment kills it off too much i.e. at the moment it's the same as adding fruit to primary, but most times I like to add the fruit to secondary/tertiary for a nice fruity presence. You've answered that thought brilliantly, TVM