Alton Brown makes ginger ale

[Yuri_Rage]

Yesterday's 5 gallon recipe (following the same method):

2.5 lbs grated ginger
3.5 lbs sugar
8 cups water

9.5 oz lemon juice + enough water to top up to 5 gallons

It's a little spicier than the original but not significantly different in flavor.

 

[dirt55]

so i'd love to do this and keg it, any idea how long it would keep even if you boiled and sanitized everything???

 

[talenos]

I just made this stuff as an experiment. I used 3 oz. of ginger because I knew I would need the stronger flavor. Small problem though. It stank like maybe some "rhino farts". It had a really nasty sulfur like odor. I drank it anyway. Anyone have a theory as to why my batch turned out this way?

Sounds like it has to be the yeast. How long did you have it out, and what yeast did you use?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

With good sanitation, a keg of soda should last several weeks (or more!).

 

[mutedog]

I've done this using champagne yeast instead of baking yeast. Also if you're looking for some more flavor try adding other spices you like, cinnamon, clove, etc. I put a dash of cayenne pepper in one and it really turned up the heat on it.

 

[talenos]

I tried making this last night. We used some honey in place of sugar and I put some of the lemon zest from the lemon into the steep.

I tried some today. Wasn't carbed, but it tasted pretty good. Ginger was definitely an understatement though. I will add more next time, but it was still quite good.

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I still have my last batch (recipe a few posts above) on tap. It's GOOOOOD!!!

 

[paulthenurse]

Yuri,
If you make up a Corny of this and put it immediatly into the kegerator under pressure do you need to add the yeast at all? Since you aren't looking for alcohol and the CO2 comes from the kegerator it doesn't seem like you need it at all.

PTN

 

[Yuri_Rage]

I use no yeast, I just force carbonate.

 

[Reinheitsgebot]

Jeffrey Morgenthaler » How To Make Your Own Ginger Beer

I make this stuff all the time.

To get the intenseness of the ginger, this guy recommends juicing the grated ginger, thus making a ginger juice. It is very concentrated, but when mixed as per the recipe, it is great.
Spicy, yet sweet enough - just like most store bought ones.

I make these in beer bottles, but will go to 2 L plastic bottles from now on.

 

[sourmashjack]

I made alton's brown version and then i made a much more spicier version

8 oz of sugar
4 oz of ginger root
3/4 cup of water(boiling)
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of vanilla extract

after boil
4 table spoon of lemon juice

(the rest of the recipe is the same)

i like alton browns version but it was to tame

i like the spicer version but, next time i will go more ginger, more lemon juice less cinnamon

 

[lustreking]

I've made this twice now and have a question. Are there different kinds of ginger? I was hoping this would turn out like the commercial ginger beer that I've tried, but both times it was much more mild.

The first time I made it, I used 1.5 oz of ginger as in the original recipe. I chopped it up with a food processor. This one hardly had any ginger flavor, and no "bite". It wasn't a bad lemon soda though...

Yesterday I made it again, with the same ginger. This time I used double the ginger (3 oz), and grated it with a microplane, creating a very fine mush. This one has a hint of a gingery bite, but nowhere near what I remember from the commercial ginger beer that I've tried.

So are there different types of ginger, and I got the kind that isn't spicy? How do I know what ginger to buy?

Thanks,
-S

 

[paulthenurse]

I made Yuris' basic 5 gallon recipie but with 4 pounds of ginger grated in the food processor, 3.5 pounds of sugar, 9 lemons and water to top off. Needless to say, I really like the ginger bite. I'm enjoying a glass this morning with some Gosslings Rum and I am one happy lad. One VERY happy lad.

PTN

 

[lustreking]

I made Yuris' basic 5 gallon recipie but with 4 pounds of ginger grated in the food processor, 3.5 pounds of sugar, 9 lemons and water to top off. Needless to say, I really like the ginger bite. I'm enjoying a glass this morning with some Gosslings Rum and I am one happy lad. One VERY happy lad.

PTN

Ok, so you're using between 6 and 7 ounces of ginger per 2 liters of soda, which is still twice what I last made (And quadruple AB's original recipe).

Next time, I just need MORE ginger. I already have the rum waiting.

 

[hcarter]

Is everybody putting this in PET bottles? I don't want to spend more money to get more bottles. Can I use a Cleaned/Sanitized 2L bottle, say a pepsi bottle, or will I have problems since it's been opened?

 

[cheezdog]

I've been reusing 2L bottles from store bought soda for the last few weeks with my ginger beer and I have no problems.

 

[hcarter]

Cool! Thanks.

 

[GreenMan]

I've made this twice now and have a question. Are there different kinds of ginger? I was hoping this would turn out like the commercial ginger beer that I've tried, but both times it was much more mild.

The first time I made it, I used 1.5 oz of ginger as in the original recipe. I chopped it up with a food processor. This one hardly had any ginger flavor, and no "bite". It wasn't a bad lemon soda though...

Yesterday I made it again, with the same ginger. This time I used double the ginger (3 oz), and grated it with a microplane, creating a very fine mush. This one has a hint of a gingery bite, but nowhere near what I remember from the commercial ginger beer that I've tried.

So are there different types of ginger, and I got the kind that isn't spicy? How do I know what ginger to buy?

Thanks,
-S

There is only one type of ginger as far as I know, but as ginger gets older it loses its spiciness. So make sure you have relatively fresh ginger or you will need to use more of it to get the same flavor. Fresh ginger should be really juicy when you cut it up.

 

[hunhaylou]

Alton Brown has never let me down with a recipe, from pan seared ribeye, to prime rib (both of which I highly recommend doing, awesome!). This, however, was fair only, I enjoyed it, but like a lot of other people I like it a bit spicier. I do a cup of sugar, about 4 tablespoons of grated ginger, 1/8 teaspoon of yeast and the juice of one lemon. All of it goes in a two liter bottle with some water and sits for 48 hours. I don't know if it is leaving the ginger in the bottle, and allowing the flavors to "marry" a little better? I think next batch I will try the Alton Brown recipe, with the extra sugar, lemon juice and ginger. I do not mind having a little chunk of ginger in my ginger ale, but my wife and daughter do not like it. So it may be worthwhile to make a ginger simple syrup first?

Seriously though try the pan seared rib eye, that has become my favorite way to cook any steak, tastes so good.

 

[fidjit]

Got myself a carbonater cap this weekend. I am gonna try this recipe next weekend.

 

[Yambor44]

Made this 2 days ago and it is now in the fridge cooling down. I have a question about the yeast that I see in the bottom. Do you shake it into suspension or just pour each time trying to be careful? It's not a lot (obviously) but I saw some sediment in the bottom before putting it in the fridge and assume there will be more once it chills.

 

[Yambor44]

I have another question. I made another 2 liter of this 2 nights ago. Just checked it to put it in the fridge and zero carbonation. The bottle is as soft as the night I filled it. I used regular dry bakers yeast from the first packet that was opened. It had been in the fridge. Is this yeast no longer usable since it has been opened? I can only imagine that the yeast is the problem.

 

[hcarter]

I may be reading your post wrong, but I left mine on the counter for about a day and I was almost scared to open it. Maybe add a little more yeast and see what that does.

 

[Yambor44]

The 2nd batch I made I let sit for 4 days and it didn't carb very well. My 1st batch was nice and carbed (the bottle was tight) after only 24 hours. I let it sit for another 24 then put it in the fridge until chilled. It was great. This batch tasted great but little carbonation.

I was wondering if the dry yeast can go bad once you open the packet and stick it back in the fridge? I used the exact same yeast from the same packet that was stored in the fridge. Maybe I should have let the yeast come up to room temp first?

 

[fuzzybee]

Any thoughts on making this with Stevia or Splenda?

 

[cheezerman]

Any thoughts on making this with Stevia or Splenda?

The yeast need some sugar to eat, in order to carbonate. Perhaps you could get away with SOME splenda.

I see no reason you couldn't force carbonate, though.

 

[fuzzybee]

Yeah - I was planning on force-carbing in a keg.

 

[dantodd]

I have made this recipe and it was acceptable. I also tried with active Ginger Beer Plant. This was the original Ginger Beer and it quite a unique drink. My culture died but I really enjoyed it while it was active. Once the new baby is here and our travel slows back down I'll likely try to acquire a new culture and start making Ginger Beer again.

Raj Apte has a great presentation about Ginger Beer Plant and sour ales:
http://www2.parc.com/emdl/members/apte/GingerBeer.pdf
(A veritable microbiology primer)

Fermented Treasures sells Ginger Beer Plant: Ginger Beer Plant

 

[Sedge]

I made this recipe a few months ago and remembered thinking that the flavor was good, but the sourdough bread aroma from the instant bread yeast was a little off putting. I would be interested in trying this again with some ale yeast in a more fermentation friendly vessel.

 

[bendavanza]

I made a similar ginger ale but I did mine with thin slices of ginger and let it simmer in the syrup for about 10-15 minutes. I don't remember the quantity but it had some serious bite. Not Blenheim, but maybe half. I added a bit of molasses and some real vanilla, along with honey replacing about half the sugar.
I think this is a good candidate for my 3g corny keg. I need a longer line and a secondary regulator to get it to a better soda pressure.