Alton Brown makes ginger ale

[bendavanza]

My latest 3 gallon recipe:
2.5 lbs ginger root, run through my juicer
4 lemons run through the juicer (whole)
1 cup sugar
2 cups agave nectar
1/3 cup honey
1/2 cup maltodextrine
2 tsp vanilla extract (homemade)
I simmered some water to dissolve the sugars, and then added half the ginger juice and the vanilla, strained that mixture into the keg, then took the pulp and a couple pints of water, heated it up into a paste, then squeezed it through a strainer to get as much of the liquid out, added the lemon juice and filled the keg with water.
I suppose juicing the ginger was not necessary and the fibers definitely clog the juicer blades, but I think that having some of the juice not get heated helps with retaining the bite. It's not carbed up yet but it does taste good.
Next time I'll probably use a little more ginger but it does seem like plenty.

 

[Yambor44]

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.

Yuri,

I'd like to make a 2.5 gallon version and store in a 3 gallon keg. I have no where to chill the keg at this time. Do you, or anyone else, know if it's okay to leave it in a room temp environment hooked to the proper amount of CO2? The temp would range from 70-75 degrees.

 

[Yambor44]

Ended up with the following for a 3 gallon recipe:

1 pound 10 ounces of ground ginger root
2 pounds sugar
5 cups water
4.5 ounces lemon juice

Will force carb in 3 gallon keg and leave at 30 psi for 48 hours and test.

 

[IrregularPulse]

So is this alcoholic at all? Like even a little? I'd assume it would have to be with the yeast, but to what extent?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

If you naturally carbonate, it winds up being less than 0.5% ABV.

 

[IrregularPulse]

cool, thanks for the number. I have a friend that just started brewing. His wife teaches biology and was wanting to make some sodas for her class.

 

[Jif]

I'm going to have to make some...

But what I am really interested in is the 11% ABV Ginger Beer he mentioned.

Seconded. I'd love to make this stuff!

Edit: Found this link:

http://www.instructables.com/id/The-REAL-ginger-beer-recipe/

Looks to be close. Around 5% ABV, not quite there. Intriguing nonetheless.

 

[friarjohn]

Dumb question. Do you wash and peel the ginger first?

 

[rico567]

Many of us are quite aware of the Good Eats homebrewing episode that was chock full of barely useful techniques and misguided but well-intentioned advice, so spare us your opinion on that one.

However, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on Alton's ginger ale recipe. I can't find a reason not to try it. The segment starts around 7 minutes.

I'm not sure how my question should be classified...perhaps "impertinent" is good, if in fact the term has any meaning left in this age....and I'm pretty sure it doesn't on the Internet. Nevertheless: if you didn't want anyone to bring up AB's brewing episode, why did you bring it up? Sure sounds like an invite to me.

 

[Yambor44]

I'm not sure how my question should be classified...perhaps "impertinent" is good, if in fact the term has any meaning left in this age....and I'm pretty sure it doesn't on the Internet. Nevertheless: if you didn't want anyone to bring up AB's brewing episode, why did you bring it up? Sure sounds like an invite to me.

Uh, perhaps because he wanted to stay on topic?

 

[Yuri_Rage]

It seems that anytime anyone mentions AB on this forum in any context, it's a matter of mere minutes before the conversation degrades to, "yeah, good recipe, but did you see all of the mistakes he made on the homebrew episode?" I figured I'd cut that one off before it ever started.

 

[rico567]

Uh, perhaps because he wanted to stay on topic?

First rule to stay on topic: don't refer to off-topic matters.

 

[Yambor44]

First rule to stay on topic: don't refer to off-topic matters.

 

[kunstler]

this thread hasn't been touched in a bit...but I'd figured I'd ask anyways:

I'm making my father some home-made sodas for Christmas. (going to put in glass bottles - but use splenda to sweeten with a minimal amount of sugar to carbonate)

He has always loved ginger beer, and there are few places around here where he can get it, from what I remember ginger beer was far spicier than your canada dry ginger ale. I'm not looking to ferment anything (other than needed to carbonate) but what differences are there between ginger ale and ginger beer as far as what is commercially available today - is Jamacian Ginger Beer just ginger ale with far more ginger bite in it?

 

[Sedge]

Ginger beer is different from ginger ale and is trickier to make at home. You might be able to emulate it though. I know some brands of ginger beer add capsicum to their products to give it that bite (Goya comes to mind). For proper ginger beer, you need to inoculate your gingery sugary water with ginger beer plant. You can get close with yeast, but its not quite the same.

http://www.fermentedtreasures.com/gingerbp.html

 

[DeadDoc]

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.

Just kegged a batch with that recipe. Used approx 2.81# of ginger.

 

[cheesecake]

I will be making a batch of this once i get my kegerator

 

[aeonderdonk]

I made this today using 3oz grated ginger and champagne yeast. Hopefully it'll turn our well

 

[Azharen]

Just for clarification, if I force carbonate, I don't need to use any yeast correct? I just have to recarbonate if I'm using a carb cap, correct?

 

[Yambor44]

Just for clarification, if I force carbonate, I don't need to use any yeast correct? I just have to recarbonate if I'm using a carb cap, correct?

If you keg it and force carbonate you do not need to add any yeast.

 

[Sedge]

You won't need to add yeast for carbonation's sake, but you need to adjust the sugars in your recipe to compensate. If you were going for a fermented beverage to ferment out and then force carbonate then you still need that first yeast pitch for fermentation.

 

[Azharen]

You won't need to add yeast for carbonation's sake, but you need to adjust the sugars in your recipe to compensate. If you were going for a fermented beverage to ferment out and then force carbonate then you still need that first yeast pitch for fermentation.

So less sugar since it's not going to be consumed by yeast? I was actually thinking of just using Splenda.

 

[jamesjensen1068]

So has anyone who did the 5 gallon batch ever bottle this like beer??? What do you have to do different to the recipe to bottle this????

 

[Randar]

Well, I made something along these lines tonight. Something close to Yuri's recipe:

4 lbs ginger through the food processor
3.5 lbs sugar
8 or 9 cups water
2 fresh and HOT serrano chili's

made the syrup base and added to 5 gallon corny with water and 2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice

Tastes awfully good already. Put it under pressure in the fridge to start force carbing it... can't wait!

 

[pdbreen]

What are you guys paying for ginger to make this come out at a reasonable cost? Supermarket prices would put put a 4lb batch at ~$15/case. If I use Splenda instead of sugar, that's another $2/case.

I found one online bulk supplier that sells 10lbs/$36 - are there better sources?

Or, does cost just not matter once you taste the results?

 

[dataz722]

I found it at a farmers market for under $1 a lb. That is the best I have found.

 

[pdbreen]

Just finished my first batch with the following recipe:

almost 3lbs ginger - not the best quality, next batch should be better
3.5lbs sugar
8oz lemon juice
8 cups water
1 finger tip - last time I use a hand grater for this much grating

Just put it on gas, but first taste is nice & spicy and not too sweet!

 

[Randar]

Update to my version:

(also, it cost me less than $10 for 4 lbs of very fresh ginger at the produce market I go to)

I didn't let it settle very long and the first few glasses were VERY cloudy and excessively strong. After sitting for a couple weeks now and getting all the sediment out, it is awesome.

Very good with some spiced rum.

 

[bendavanza]

Very good with some spiced rum.

Or Pimm's No. 1 for a Pimm's Cup. Deelisch!

 

[ArcaneXor]

Making a batch of this (5 oz sugar, 2 oz ginger) right now. Really looking forward to trying it tomorrow.

Edit:yum!