izzie
Active Member
I'm a big fan of spicy ginger beer. Maine root and 'Q' brands available in local higher end grocers are great, but expensive ($8+ 4pk 12oz). I tried using some yeast last year to carbonate a batch but no one cared for the flavor. Made some syrup and added it to club soda and that was better. Since then I've upgraded a lot of my brewing equipment and decided that force carbing a batch was the way to go. Here's my current recipe.
7.5L water
12oz Ginger root
3c granulated sugar
1 lime
1/2 tsp corriander
1 tsp 60k-70k SHU cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Pulsed the ginger root with skin on in a food processor, adding it to the water over medium heat. Stirred in sugar, cayenne, and cream of tartar. Zested about half the lime then cut into wheels - pitched it all in. Held a light boil for a couple minutes, then reduced heat and steeped. ~1 hour total cook time. Used my brew in a bag as a filter. Chilled in the fridge for a couple hours and poured 7 liters into PET bottles.
This stuff is hot. I didn't think 1 tsp of pepper would do it, but almost everyone thought it was a touch too hot. It was really tasty right out of the kettle warm, but felt a bit sweet. Would have been nice with some bourbon sitting outside by the fire pit. Used a stainless carb cap and hit the bottles with 35 psi for 14 hours @ 36 degrees. It had a light bubble to it which helped with the heat up front. Carbed the next bottle for ~24 hours and it had a nice commercial style carbonation that really let you smell the lime before that slow cayenne burn set in. The sweetness felt balanced at this point.
I liked how it turned out, but the heat was very much a 'to taste' sort of deal. Some folks wanted a batch with less heat, and a couple wanted it a touch hotter. Some ideas for future batches were adding lemon, maybe replacing lime. Lowering the sugar and augmenting it with some honey. Maybe less cayenne and add cinnamon sticks for a different heat.
7.5L water
12oz Ginger root
3c granulated sugar
1 lime
1/2 tsp corriander
1 tsp 60k-70k SHU cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Pulsed the ginger root with skin on in a food processor, adding it to the water over medium heat. Stirred in sugar, cayenne, and cream of tartar. Zested about half the lime then cut into wheels - pitched it all in. Held a light boil for a couple minutes, then reduced heat and steeped. ~1 hour total cook time. Used my brew in a bag as a filter. Chilled in the fridge for a couple hours and poured 7 liters into PET bottles.
This stuff is hot. I didn't think 1 tsp of pepper would do it, but almost everyone thought it was a touch too hot. It was really tasty right out of the kettle warm, but felt a bit sweet. Would have been nice with some bourbon sitting outside by the fire pit. Used a stainless carb cap and hit the bottles with 35 psi for 14 hours @ 36 degrees. It had a light bubble to it which helped with the heat up front. Carbed the next bottle for ~24 hours and it had a nice commercial style carbonation that really let you smell the lime before that slow cayenne burn set in. The sweetness felt balanced at this point.
I liked how it turned out, but the heat was very much a 'to taste' sort of deal. Some folks wanted a batch with less heat, and a couple wanted it a touch hotter. Some ideas for future batches were adding lemon, maybe replacing lime. Lowering the sugar and augmenting it with some honey. Maybe less cayenne and add cinnamon sticks for a different heat.
