Slice the bananas, peels and all,
into 1/2-inch slices in a 3-qt pot. Add half the water and
bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove
scum from surface and set aside to cool some. Put remaining
water in another pot and bring to boil. Stir in sugar until
dissolved. Meanwhile, cut kumquats in half crosswise and put
in nylon straining bag, removing any seeds cut during halving.
Save juice released during cutting and put in primary. Tie bag
and squeeze in primary to release as much juice as you can.
Leave bag in primary and pour sugar-water over it. Strain
bananas through nylon sieve, adding the water to primary. When
cool, add pectic enzyme, yeast nutrient and tannin and stir to
dissolve. Cover primary and wait 12 hours. Add activated yeast
and recover. Squeeze bag twice daily for 5 days. Remove bag
and squeeze well, adding drained juice to primary. Recover and
set aside 5 additional days. Rack into sterilized secondary
and fit airlock. Rack after 60 days, top up and refit airlock.
Rack again after additional 60 days, stabilize, sweeten to
taste, top up and refit airlock. After 10 days, rack into bottles and allow to age 6-12 months. Will continue mellowing with
additional aging
