Pale Ginger Ale - Thoughts

Recipe: Pale Ginger Ale
Brewer: The Complex Brew
Asst Brewer:
Style: American Pale Ale
TYPE: All Grain

Recipe Specifications
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Batch Size: 5.00 gal
Boil Size: 5.72 gal
Estimated OG: 1.061 SG
Estimated Color: 12.2 SRM
Estimated IBU: 34.0 IBU
Brewhouse Efficiency: 75.00 %
Boil Time: 60 Minutes

Ingredients:
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Amount Item Type % or IBU
10.00 lb Munich Malt (9.0 SRM) Grain 90.91 %
0.50 lb Caramel/Crystal Malt - 10L (10.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
0.50 lb Honey Malt (25.0 SRM) Grain 4.55 %
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (60 min) Hops 28.5 IBU
0.25 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (30 min) Hops 5.5 IBU
1.00 oz Amarillo Gold [8.50 %] (0 min) (Aroma HopHops -
1.00 items Whirlfloc Tablet (Boil 15.0 min) Misc
4.00 oz Ginger Root (Boil 12.0 min) Misc
1 Pkgs Nottingham (Danstar #-) Yeast-Ale


Mash Schedule: My Mash
Total Grain Weight: 11.00 lb
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My Mash
Step Time Name Description Step Temp
60 min Step Add 13.75 qt of water at 164.8 F 153.0 F

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I love a good, crisp, strong ginger ale, and I love refreshing Pale Ales. I figured the Amarillo's citrus notes would compliment the ginger well. Honey malt as I wanted a touch of honey sweetness.

Any ideas on the recipe?

I brewed a darker ginger ale about a month and a half ago, and I was not pleased with result. I added about 3.5 oz of fresh ginger at the 10 min mark, and the ginger aroma was far below what I was shooting for, and the ginger flavor was not fresh, but rather cooked tasting. So if I were you, you may want to cut back on the ginger added to the boil, and add some more to the primary or secondary.

Last time I made ginger ale, I was brewing professionally. But my method will work just the same in homebrew.

I brewed a batch of Special Bitter. Nothing over the top, just Pale and 55L Crystal malt to 1.044, Challenger to 35 IBU, finished with Goldings. Racked 5 gallons into a corny keg for use on the pub's handpump. Tossed in about 4 oz of ginger in a cheesecloth bag. Let it steep for two weeks, then started serving.

People raved about it. Kicked the 'cask' in about three hours.

So, my advice is to 'dry-hop' in the secondary if bottling; add it to the keg if kegging. The character will change over time.

Bob

I'm thinking about doing this as my first AG good or bad idea? let me know how it turns out for you please.