Ginger beer with alcohol!

I've played with the search function enough:

One post said as much as 2.5 lbs of ginger (not a typo), and others say 5 oz is plenty. I only have one shot at this to have it ready in time for SWMBO's graduation party, otherwise I would happily play with iterations until I got a good recipe. I plan on adding ginger to a wheat-type recipe with honey.

How much grated ginger root for a 5 gallon batch of beer (the kind with alcohol) will give a reach-out-and-smack-you-in-the-face ginger flavor?

 

I have had good luck with around 4 ounces of fresh ginger.

 

I've made ginger braggot twice and I used 4 oz as well in a 5-gallon batch. I can't imagine using much more.

 

4 oz
but i like it mo' subtle so i use 2
Czech out the radical brewing recipe for "Poets Black Ginger Beer"
kicks butt!

 

I've had good luck with 3-4 ounces in my Ginger Orange Dortmunder. The ginger does linger, BUT it also fades or more precisely it mellows. How far til graduation? If we're talking june/july, I almost would err on the side of caution for and go on the high side and do 4-5 ounces.

 

Jesus is SO a RedSox fan!!!:rockin:

 

It's middle of May, Revvy. I'm thinking I'll ferment a bit on the high side (68-70) so I'm sure to get a quick ferment, and maybe skip the secondary.

I talked to my brother in law and asked him how much ginger was in his last ginger beer batch, and he used 3 oz in the primary and 2 in the secondary, and while it was good it was a bit on the mellow side. I think since SWMBO wants a heavy ginger flavor I might go as high as 10 oz, but 2.5 lbs seems silly. Thanks for the ideas, all.

 

yes i will collected.

 

That's one prolific first post.

 

The Ginger beer that started with this post is finally ready and will be served at the graduation party tomorrow. We just sampled one, and it came out great! I ended up using 10 oz of fresh coarse chopped ginger root, and two pounds of honey in a basic wheat recipe, and fermented with WLP001 (due to a happy accident).

After two weeks in bottles the tester tasted a bit harsh, but it has mellowed out and is smooth and yummy! There's a great ginger flavor that is up front and prominent, but it isn't overwhelming like you just took a bite of a ginger root. If anyone is looking for ginger flavor in your beer, don't be afraid of using 10 oz. It will turn out great!

 

My last batch, (and I am trying this from memory, so I might be off)

6 lbs Extra light DME
1 lb Clover Honey
1lb Biscuit Malt (Steeped for flavor)
1 - 2 oz Cascade / Centennial Boiling hops. (Somewhere around 8-15HBU)
1 oz Cascade at the last five minutes of boil for hop flavor
6 - 7.5 oz fresh shredded ginger.

Ginger is added at flameout with the cascade. I don't boil my ginger, but I hold it above 160 degrees for 20 minutes to pasteurize.

1 week primaried, 1 week secondaried. Siphoning is a bitch, the ginger clogs up the siphon intake.

I've made several batches over the last year with occasional variants in the recipe. This comes out around 6 - 7% ABV, is a cool and fresh beer with very little bitterness or hop aroma, and a clean ginger bite. My goal was to make it just shy of overpoweringly gingery, and this recipe hits it just where I wanted.

My next batch of this will probably have another 8 - 12 HBU of boiling hops, and an ounce less of ginger.

 

I tried using ginger in my first brew. I used about 16 oz. of fresh grated ginger BUT I warn to anybody who wants the spicyness not to boil the ginger! I boiled it for about 10 minutes, and I cant even taste a hint of spicy in my beer. Maybe a habanero will work out a little better.

 

When did you add the ginger? At the end of boil?and did you add any to the secondary?

 

I followed Darias's recipe pretty closely. I came out with a beautiful beer. Thanks Darias.

I tried to follow his suggestion to "hold the ginger at 160 for 20 minutes to pasteurize." However when I put my ginger in the microwave i didn't watch closely enough and it boiled over. Boiling ginger reduces the spiciness so I stuck another batch of ginger in the microwave and did it again. I'm going from memory but this was a total of 12-15 oz briefly boiled.

The spicy flavor is mostly gone. Although there is some left. If you are looking for a spicy beer this isn't it. It is more of an easy drinking beer. There is a nice note of honey. There is also an interesting ginger character to the beer. Ginger has another flavor in addition to its spice. Its that flavor. The beer also has a slight astringent flavor. Doesn't detract too much.
Also the beer has a beautiful rich thick and creamy head. It has a crisp mouth feel. It is a gorgeous amber color.

If I were to do this again I would go with a little ginger in the secondary in addition. Just an oz or so. It would give it some ginger kick.