Can anyone with Ginger experience look over this recipe?

[JDFury]

I'd like to start a holiday ale this weekend (with the goal of four weeks in primary and six to eight weeks in the bottle). Here's what I've come up with.

6 lbs light LME
2 lbs clover honey
4 oz. Belgian Special B (steep 30 minutes)
4 oz. American Crystal 90L (steep 30 minutes)
4 oz. Belgian Biscuit (steep 30 minutes)

1/2 oz. Magnum (60 minutes)
4 oz. peeled, sliced fresh ginger root (60 minutes)
1 tsp. nutmeg (15 minutes)
zest of one naval orange (15 minutes)
2 oz. peeled, sliced fresh ginger root (5 minutes)

Safale US-05

Beer Calculus predicts an OG of 1.059 and 26.1 IBU

I've read a lot of different threads and sources about using ginger. I'm operating under the theory that the longer boil addition is what imparts the "heat" and that last five-minute boil will make sure the scent is a prominent feature in the final product. I'm also hoping the nearly 2 months of bottle conditioning will help to keep it from being too overpowering...

Thoughts? Suggestions? Thanks.

 

[homebrewhaha]

Disclaimer: I haven't brewed with ginger, but I've had beer brewed with ginger.

All I can say is that, in the brew I had (I think it was a one-off from Brooklyn?), the ginger was an interesting flavor, but I could see how it easily could become overpowering. 6 oz. total sounds like a lot to me, but you're the one who's done the research. Personally, I think the fragrance element of the ginger is the more pleasing part of it in a beer, so if it were me I might back off a bit on the heat. Eager to hear how this works out, please report back with results. Good luck, and happy brewing.

Will the slices of ginger be transfered to the primary or filtered out?

 

[JDFury]

My plan is to keep the ginger in a small "hop bag" (both additions) and then yank them when I put the wort into my ice bath. I'm fairly certain that leaving them in the primary would definitely result in an overpowering product.

I like the idea of a "winter warmer" type of beer, but I'm more interested in getting that warmth from spice than from something with a larger amount of alcohol. Plus... 'tis the season and all that... That's why I'm interested in... featuring... the ginger for lack of a better term.

Sadly... as far as the "research" goes, I've read everything from "I put in half a pound and didn't notice anything" to "I put in 2 oz. and found it to be way too much." I will certainly report back some time in early 2013 to report how this specific process worked (and maybe after brew and bottle day to report on relative progress/heart-wrenching regrets).

 

[Spikemead]

How did this go it sounds good ?

 

[tagz]

I used an ounce at flameout in a wit and it was a pretty dominant flavor. Turned out to be a great beer, but I brewed it again last week and used half an ounce this time for a more subtle touch.

 

[jtejedor]

Yeah ginger can get out of hand quick. i did a green tea ipa with 2 ounces of fresh cubed ginger with 5 minutes left in the boil. It dominated the flavor for months.