I regularly brew chocolate/licorice stout and I add the Cacao nibs (200-300g) ten minutes before the end of the boil and then transfer them to the fermenter for the duration. Likewise with licquorice and/or vanilla depending on the brew.
Well, the second banana brew came up trumps and was well received at our local group gettogether.
There was a subtle banana aroma but not so much in the taste.
What it does seem to add is a lot of body and a need for more!
I bought 100 sheets of 25mm paper labels from Avery for £20 incl.
I use their online template to layout my own artwork and text.
I then print on my own printer.
It works out at 20p a sheet for 48 cap labels per sheet.
I am happy with the price for reasonably good looking labels.
Yes
I don't bother drying them, I just go right ahead and brew the lot.
I like to brew on the day of harvest or the day after.
I use a 5:1 ratio by weight for ease (wet:dry).
My first banana beer was:
4000g pale malt, 400g crystal malt; mashed at 65.5C for 90 minutes
Sparged at 75C and boiled for 90 minutes.
In the boil went 15g each of Fuggles and Goldings at start.
1000g (equiv.) bananas, 15g Styrian Goldings and Irish moss for the last 10 minutes.
All of the hops...
I have three hop plants, Northdown, Yeoman and East Kent Goldings; all planted in 2018.
This year the harvest was down slightly on years before coming in at 1.750 Kgs total.
I used all in two brews!
I've just made my second banana beer, it's still conditioning.
But the first one was well received.
Both are made a traditional bitter, such as London Pride (ish) but with 2kgs of bananas added at the end of the boil.
However, I must admit to using "dried" bananas from the local health food...
I've reduced from 100g because of persistent (almost zero collapse) bubbles causing too much froth (for my taste) that is why I am happier with less. It also depends on whether I am bottling or kegging as to the ideal amount. Obviously different size/style of head is required for different...
I've found out that adding some wheat malt to my grain bill can produce longer lasting bubbles in the head but it doesn't take much to end up with a lot of froth. I'm still experimenting between 10 and 30 grams for a 23 litre batch.