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Wing Nut · 05-06-2010, 01:18 AM

Wow thanks for this one! I just pitched the yeast and had to add my comments. I followed the recipie to the letter except for the hops. I couldent get Cascade localy so I whent with crystal. I tried a little bit from the sample jar before letting the yeast at it and all I can say is wow! The ginger is very forward and leaves a nice bit of heat. Not too much just enough to be pleasent. I am realy looking forward to trying this beer this summer. I might add a bit more lemon zest just to complement the flavor a little. The clover honey is a good suggestion too, I got some localy and it smelled wonderful.

I will let y'all know in a few weeks, only one quick question how much CO2 should it be under? I was thinking about a pilsner level, might be a little more "soda like"

Cheers

Wing Nut

pacifisticuffs · 07-17-2010, 11:48 PM

Just about finished brewing it up! I've been fooling with ginger beer (soda versions) for a few months now, and this sounds fantastic. Can't wait to try it out.

BostonRogue · 02-16-2011, 10:31 PM

Thanks for the post; I adjusted a few things that seemed like they may be a bit too much (per personal preferences and prior experiences).

The malt and grains I kept the same, however I only used 8oz of ginger. The taste is fantastic, and to be frank, I don't know if I could tolerate any more than it; as there isn't anything to crazy in here the ginger is front and center (as well it should be).

I didn't use lemon pith (I wouldn't recommend using the pith in anything).

After 2 weeks the flavors were right where I wanted them, after 2 months this stuff rocks. If you like ginger, this is a great baseline recipe. Fantastic paired with Chinese food.

BONUS: I keep my fermenting tank in the bathroom (warmest room, and c'mon, the bucket is locked in). My bathroom smelled like fresh ginger for a week; SWMBO loved it.

Rogue

mgc · 02-23-2011, 05:22 PM

I would love to do this one sometime. I have a question. Do you guys leave the ginger skin on, or do you peel your ginger then grate/cut it?

GreenMan · 02-23-2011, 05:28 PM

Just grate it all. It is going into the boil so it will be sanitized.

RobWalker · 07-21-2011, 10:54 PM

Oh hai old topic!

I'm interested in this, but would there be a better way to add the ginger instead of using so much? It's so damn expensive in the UK. Surely you could steep it in or something? Maybe steep and boil some water on its own with the ginger in, and add it directly to the brew?

Shuznuts · 10-18-2011, 02:50 PM

I love this recipe. I've brewed (versions) of it twice for the summer. It's so good on a hot East Coast day. Anway, my 1st time with this was something like this:

0.5 lb Honey malt
0.5 lb carapils/dextrin
Steep grains 30 min at 150
3 lbs light LME, 3.3 lbs Pilsen LME
1 lb honey

Total of 2 lbs fresh ginger, peeled and food processed to a fine pulp.
Boiled 1 lbs ginger 60 min
0.75 oz cascade 60 min
0.5 lbs ginger 30 min
6 anise seeds 30 min
0.5 lbs giner last 15 min
0.25 oz cascade last 15 min
used Nottingham yeast. OG 1.058
Taste notes: Slight hops, slight sweetness and ginger taste. Mild ginger heat. Couldn't even taste the anise. After 2 months in the bottle, sweetness is nearly gone.

2nd time was a partial mash. Wanted more ginger flavor so:
1.5 lbs American 2 row
0.5 honey malt
o.5 carapils/dextrine
Mashed at 152 for only 15 min (should have done longer)
3.3 lbs light lme
3 lbs DME
1 lb honey
Used a total of 2.5 lbs freshly peeled and food processed ginger
boiled 4 anise seeds for 60 min
0.25 oz simcoe and half the total ginger for 60 min
0.25 oz simcoe and a quater of the total ginger for 30 min
0.5 oz simcoe and the last quarter of the total ginger for 10 min
Used Safale S-04 and threw in about 0.5 lbs of the boiled ginger into the primary. OG 1.058. Used a bit more corn surgar to carbonate, put in a whole 5 oz priming surgar package plus 2 teaspoons more.

Taste Notes: Definitely more ginger flavor, slightly more ginger heat. Anise comes through in the background. More carbonation (which adds to the ginger heat). Slightly more sweet than 1st round. Sweetness fades the longer in the bottle.

I left out the lemon/lime addition from the original, but I would agree that 2.5 lbs of ginger is spot on for this recipe. This is a great, light, and refreshing summer ale. A favorite for my friends and family. Thanks!

slinky0390 · 11-07-2011, 11:59 PM

Triumph Brewery in Princeton made a ginger ale back in late September/early October. Might try this and see how it stacks up.

RobWalker · 11-08-2011, 11:45 AM

Shuznuts, have you thought about dry roasting the anise first? I cook a lot of curry and every dried ingredient like that gets a quick blast in a dry saucepan until you can smell it before its added to 'boil' in the curry. Hey - cooking experience number two here :-P

Shuznuts · 11-08-2011, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobWalker

Shuznuts, have you thought about dry roasting the anise first? I cook a lot of curry and every dried ingredient like that gets a quick blast in a dry saucepan until you can smell it before its added to 'boil' in the curry. Hey - cooking experience number two here :-P

I've never done that with the anise, but it sounds amazing! I wonder if it would make the anise more potent or just change the flavor profile? I was told to be careful with anise in beer because it can really dominate the flavor if used in large amounts.