Fiery Ginger Beer

[ash132]

looking at this recipe for my next home brew. I'm thinking of adding most of the fresh ginger and limes at about 1.5 weeks into the primary ferment though. From the last 2 ciders I've done I've noticed a lot of the initial flavours get a bit lost during the primary. I'm wondering if I for a 20l batch i start with say 500g of ginger, some apple juice and sugar (get the OG to around 1040 . Then after 1.5 weeks add another 500g-1kg ginger, the limes/ lemons and chilli's to ferment out for a further few days/ week. Hopefully keeping in a lot more of the flavours?

 

[Personal91]

looking at this recipe for my next home brew. I'm thinking of adding most of the fresh ginger and limes at about 1.5 weeks into the primary ferment though. From the last 2 ciders I've done I've noticed a lot of the initial flavours get a bit lost during the primary. I'm wondering if I for a 20l batch i start with say 500g of ginger, some apple juice and sugar (get the OG to around 1040 . Then after 1.5 weeks add another 500g-1kg ginger, the limes/ lemons and chilli's to ferment out for a further few days/ week. Hopefully keeping in a lot more of the flavours?

I didn't see chilli's on the recipe !

how did it go ?

 

[ash132]

I didn't see chilli's on the recipe !

how did it go ?

I haven't actually done it yet, i'm just waiting to bottle my last batch and then i'll look at having a crack this.

I like mine fiery so will add 1- 2 dried chilli's and maybe substitute a bit of the ginger with galangal. Galangal is used in Asian cooking similar to ginger but has a much stronger taste.

 

[brewuuhu]

Finally tasted my ginger brew the other day; I backsweetened it a bit and it was nicely carbonated like commercial ginger beers / hard sodas. I guess thanks to the carbonation, the bit sour 'white wine' flavor and aroma imparted by the champane yeast, mellowed down a lot. There was still some nice spice from the ginger, but no huge ginger flavor or aroma. Overall a nice, easy to drink ginger beer.

But yea, I can see where you come from ash132, I'd definitely put some ginger (and lemon, chili, etc) in the fermentor as well, rather than everything during the boil. I'm not sure if I'd do it 50/50, but injecting it with some fresh ginger flavor after the fermentation's done should be good!

I'll definitely be making this again (the lady likes her ginger beers), but next time I think I'll use some neutral beer yeast (S-04 or S-05 perhaps) and add some extra ginger/lime/lemon in the fermentor à la dry hopping. :thumb:

 

[Personal91]

I haven't actually done it yet, i'm just waiting to bottle my last batch and then i'll look at having a crack this.

I like mine fiery so will add 1- 2 dried chilli's and maybe substitute a bit of the ginger with galangal. Galangal is used in Asian cooking similar to ginger but has a much stronger taste.

i have only followed this recipe once and would suggest that as a starting point you follow this recipe to see how it comes out and then tweak/change it next time so youve got a point of refrence of how it will turn out and conditioning time etc :)

 

[Rockuronium]

Just done a variation of this as a wine. Basically a Semi-WOW! :twisted:

To make 1 UK Gallon used:
200g grated fresh ginger
3 X lemons juice & zest ( unwaxed variety)
1X star anaise
2x Chillis with seeds (removed the pith)
800g granulated sugar
1L Welch's WGJ with Apple & Pear ( a real struggle sourcing 100% WGJ)
3 bag cuppa for tanning
1 tsp pectolase
1tsp Youngs Yeast Nutrient
1tsp Youngs Yeast

..................................................
DJ1: Apple & Raspberry WOW
DJ2: Fiery Ginger Wine
Bottled: Brewferm Ambrioux
Bottled: Brewferm Xmas Beer
Drinking: Cooper's Mexican Cerveza

 

[Hornet]

I made a batch of this about 3 weeks ago. Sampled it earlier and it has a weird smell that reminds me of a pint I had that was tainted with line cleaner - I wondered if I'd accidentally used a demi with sterliser in it but that one is still corked up at the back.

The smell aside, it has a good gingery aftertaste but is a bit lacking overall. I experimented and poured some old golden hen into it, and behold, it now tastes a lot closer to Crabbies. I'm quite put out by this as I love Crabbies and wanted to replicate something similar without the faff that is beer brewing. I'm now wondering if I could mess about dry hopping, adding malt, that sort of thing? I've never made beer and would appreciate some insights from those who have.

I doubt this batch is rescuable, but I may as well use it to test how additions/alterations change it, and I'll start afresh later this month.

Interestingly Fentimans list their incredients, and hops aren't among them. Pear juice is however, oddly enough.

 

[pvt_ak]

Just done a variation of this as a wine. Basically a Semi-WOW! :twisted:

To make 1 UK Gallon used:
200g grated fresh ginger
3 X lemons juice & zest ( unwaxed variety)
1X star anaise
2x Chillis with seeds (removed the pith)
800g granulated sugar
1L Welch's WGJ with Apple & Pear ( a real struggle sourcing 100% WGJ)
3 bag cuppa for tanning
1 tsp pectolase
1tsp Youngs Yeast Nutrient
1tsp Youngs Yeast

..................................................


How did this turn out ?


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[Rockuronium]

It's still in FV1 bubbling away, been 14 days, I'm starting to question my household thermometer, all my WOW brews take beyond 2 week to ferment dry. It doesn't affect the end result but others on here talk of 2 weeks from start to bottle.


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[IainM]

It's still in FV1 bubbling away, been 14 days, I'm starting to question my household thermometer, all my WOW brews take beyond 2 week to ferment dry. It doesn't affect the end result but others on here talk of 2 weeks from start to bottle.


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Snap. In my case it turned out that I had a duff batch of super wine yeast compound. Moved onto Wilko universal wine yeast and the problem disappeared.

 

[Rockuronium]

Snap. In my case it turned out that I had a duff batch of super wine yeast compound. Moved onto Wilko universal wine yeast and the problem disappeared.

I think you're right, I've always used Youngs for WOW brews as it's cheap, maybe time to change.


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[Rockuronium]

Snap. In my case it turned out that I had a duff batch of super wine yeast compound. Moved onto Wilko universal wine yeast and the problem disappeared.

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[Rockuronium]

I think you're correct Iain, all my other brews are fine as I use the kit yeast, it does appear to be the Youngs as I use this only in WOWs.


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[braziliain]

Put a 4.5Ltr batch of this on this afternoon. It tasted pretty nice as it went into the DJ. Like a spicy lemonade with a ginger linger.

140g of grated root ginger
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp ground ginger
2 lemons (grated the zest, sliced and squeezed)
1 lime (grated the zest, sliced and squeezed)
400g light brown sugar
4.5ltr water

Added it all the the pot cold, brought it up to a boil and simmered for 30min. Ended up with 4.2L in the DJ at OG 1.041. 1 tsp of Wilko Gervin ale yeast pitched at 24C.

Have made a no boil ginger beer before that needed straining when you pour it to drink. That one was lovely, so I hope this turns out as nice.

 

[Rockuronium]

Sounds good Braz! I've got a Ginger Wine on the go! [emoji106]


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[Personal91]

Sounds good Braz! I've got a Ginger Wine on the go! [emoji106]


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I have some on the brew also, but i blended the ingredients instead of grating/ slicing them instead to save my fingers and ALOT of time, i also used more ginger, lemons, lime and sugar + was generous with the yeast nutrient:whistle:

 

[Rockuronium]

Here's a glass of my Ginger Wine, absolutely stunning, first I've made. Only a week old, 11.5%. Gonna do a 10 Ltr this weekend and go for a 12.5% abv. The Ginger comes through great with an after tingle of chilli.


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[pvt_ak]

That looks beaut !!!


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[Rockuronium]

The base was Welch's White Grape, Pear and Apple. Easily accessible from Tesco, Sainsbury. Gonna defo do a 100% WGJ next with the Ginger, there's a Waitrose a few miles away.


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[Personal91]

The base was Welch's White Grape, Pear and Apple. Easily accessible from Tesco, Sainsbury. Gonna defo do a 100% WGJ next with the Ginger, there's a Waitrose a few miles away.


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Did you manage to get your brew to 12.5% yet ?