Batch #12 - Honey Banana Wheat Ale

This is my white whale brew.  This time I have come at this brew at full steam, and applied all lessons previously learned.  The most recent lesson is how yeast behaves.  Yeast wants to eat simple sugars first, then move onto the more complex sugars.  However it is when eating the simple sugars does the yeast produce the banana flavor esters.  More simple sugars = more esters.  There are a couple of other factors with this yeast which is to under pitch the yeast, and to ferment at a warm temperature.  In addition not using oxygen to start with will also help.  My new recipe and process takes into consideration all of these things.  Here it is:

Yield - 5 Gallons

Grains & Adjuncts
5.0 lbs - 2-Row
3.75 lbs - White Wheat Malt
1.0 lbs - Torrified Wheat

.1 lbs - Roasted Wheat

.5 lbs - Rice Hulls

3.0 lbs - Honey

Hops
7g - Nugget

2.5g - Horizon

2.5g - Summit

9g - Willamette

18.5g - Santiam

10g - Willamette

Yeast
Wyeast 3333 - German Wheat

The brew schedule was as follows:

Mash
45 min at 150 degrees
Heat to 170 degrees
Sparge for approx 45 min

Boil
90 minute boil
Start - Add Honey, Nugget Hops, Horizon Hops, Summit Hops
45 min - Add 9g Willamette Hops
75 min - Add Santiam Hops and remaining 10g Willamette Hops

80 min - Add Whirfloc (1 tablet)

Here are the specs on this brew:

IBU's - 31.62
Color - 7.5 SRM
Calories - 190 per 12 oz
Estimated OG - 1.058
Actual OG - 1.057 (much better!)
Estimated FG - 1.016
Estimated ABV - 5.5%
New Estimated ABV from OG - 5.37%

Fermentation Schedule

14 days at 73 degrees

14 days in keg conditioning (last time I brewed banana with some success, it needed time to condition)

Time to drink!

I have taken a quick look underneath the hood in the fermentation chamber and it seems to be progressing nicely.  I can't smell any banana yet, but I'm not sure that I will from simply the blow-off.  I probably won't be able to tell until after I transfer to keg.  Last time I had some success with banana it was obvious at transfer time, am hoping the same here.

Here's to my 4th attempt, and possibly a more successful attempt!