Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-10-21
BANANAS FOR ALCOHOL
ElL0 WILL TAKE Up
THE DI TILlERY PROBLEM
DR.. HOLLAND SECURES REPORT
FROM EXPERIMENT STATION.
MATTER OF EXPENSE BE-
ING INVESTIGATED,

Hilo. Oct. 17.--Dr. John Holland sub.
mitted TO the Board OF Trade. at the
meeting Friday afternoon, samples OF
banana spirits. or alcohol. extracted
from Hilo bananas, together with re.
Iort Of Edward c. Shorcy. chemist Of
the United States Hawaii Experiment
Station at Honolulu. The report
shows the perfect feasibility of trans
forming bananas into high proof alco
hol. The sample furnished to DR.. Hol
land was 80 per cent. alcohol. which 10
the usual strength u commercial al
tohoL In appearance Il Is as clear as
crystal and has faint aroma Of the
banana. Il Is shown that a GO.pound
bunch OF bananas, when converted in
To alcohol. will make one gallon of
proof spirits. The bananas used were
the Chinese variety. the fruit being
maceratcd to form the pulp. from
which, after fermentation. the spiritG
were distilled. The waste product. al
ter disuLIation. forms an excellent
iced for pigs, says Mr.. Shoroy.
Spirits distilled from bananas would
make most excellent brandy, which
ordinarily contains a per cent. of al
colol. Whisky is usually turned out
Of the distillery at 10 to 1870 proof, OF
en- equivalent TO 50 per cent. to 60 pcl
cent. alcohol. Subsequently II Is di
Iuted by reCtiners and sold at 80 to 81,
proof. Commercial alcohol is sold a
q strength OF 30 per cent. to 90 pc.
cent, or 5uproof spirit.
Professor shorey's report in part Ia
es follows:
in the matter Of the amount of alco
hol to he obtained from bananas by fer
nentatlon and distilation, beg to 70
port as follows:
Analysis OF average well ripened
bananas without skin gave the follow
ing figures:
Water, 1888 per cent: ash, "A,
protein, l.25; fat, .21; fiber, 1888; re-
ducing or fermentable sugar 1873. No
cane sugar present.
THE skins make about % per cent
Of weight Of bananas, SO that II the
iermentable sugar is calculated to tho
weight OF the whole fruit 1t will be
10.S5 per cent. The theoretical yield
Of sugar on fermentation is approx
mately so per cent. of alcohol by
lbV pouuuH vi
81 this composition should give 5.17
pounds absolute alcohol, or eight.
tenths Of a gallon, equivalent to ia
proof gallon of proof spirit, or gallon
OF proof spirit from 62.5 pounds OF ba
uanas.
There Is considerable variation In
the content of fermentable sugar, ac
cording to the condition. stage Of ripe.
ness. etc, but think the above may
ls taken as an average theoretical
yield. The first lot of bananas receiv.
ed from you were badly infected with
a fungus (gleosporium spD, causing
ripe rot, and in consequence did not
become well ripened. OF this lot
number Of small lots were used in ma.
king preliminary tests to determins
the best method of treatment, and Their
these lots were worked up, with re
suits as follows:
Lot 1857 lbs. Single extraction.
Fermentation, 60 hours. Yield, .179
Of proof spirit, or l gal. proof spirit
from 1911 lbs.
Lot. 2. 1889 lbs. Double extrac.
ton. Fermentation, 60 hours. Yield
LOG at. proof spirit, or l gal. proof spl'
It from 1917 lbs.
Lot 3. 2579 lbs. Double eXtrac
tion. Fermentation, 20 hours. Yield
1857 at proof spirit, or | gal proof spir
It for $50 lbs.
Lot 4. Well ripened Honolulu ba'
nanas bought in market. Is lbs. Dou1
BILE extraction. Fermentation, 20 hours.
Yield, IL at. proof spirit or gal proof
spirit from 545 lbs.
Lot s. Hilo bananas, 1877 lbs.