Barkshack Gingermead Adaptation

[D.B.Moody]

Today I brewed a gingermead based on Charlie Papazian's "Barkshack Gingermead." I adapted it to a two gallon batch and not boiling the honey. Orange blossom honey was my favorite honey for this from previous batches, so I used here and call it "The Orange Blossom Special."

2 gal. water
3 lbs. orange blossom honey
1/2 lb. corn sugar
3 oz. freshly grated ginger root
1/2 tsp. gypsum
1/2 tsp. citric acid
1 1/4 tsp. yeast nutrient
1/8 tsp. Irish moss
1 Red Star Premier Cuvee yeast

Put 1/2 gal. water in refrigerator for later use
Dissolve honey in 1/2 gal. water in fermenter
Boil grated ginger in 1/2 gal. water for 15 min.
Strain into brew kettle (or a large enough pot for over 1 gal.)
Add corn sugar, gypsum, citric acid, yeast nutrient, and Irish moss
Cool in sink bath, adding the 1/2 gal. cold water to get to 80 F or below
Pour into fermenter, top to 2 gal., stir to mix well
Pitch at 78 F or below

Move to secondary at 1.020 or 7 days
Age 1 to 1 1/2 months before bottling with 1/3 cup corn sugar

This will be bottled in February and be aged a year for our 80th birthdays in 2023.
The label is a shamless parody of a book cover.

 

[z-bob]

I'm working on a ginger beer (not mead) recipe, trying to figure out how much fresh ginger to use and how much powdered ginger; I want to use both. You used 3 oz fresh for two gallons? I was thinking 3 to 4 ounces of fresh ginger plus a tablespoon of dried ginger in a 3 gallon batch. The fresh ginger will go in at the middle of the boil and and powdered ginger maybe 5 minutes from the end. I'll be brewing it later this week.

You recipe looks good, and the label is clever and well-done.

 

[D.B.Moody]

You used 3 oz fresh for two gallons?

Papazian's recipe for "Barkshack Gingermead" called for 1-6 oz. (by weight) freshly grated ginger root for a 5 gallon batch. I brewed that several times using 6 oz. I like the ginger taste, so when I adapted this to a 2 gallon batch, I went heavier on the ginger than the recipe calls for.
I don't know anything about ginger beer or dried ginger, but dried spices are usually intense, at least when fresh. You like ginger or you wouldn't be doing this, so I'd go with your gut instinct and see what happens. Good luck.

 

[Dan O]

I'm working on a ginger beer (not mead) recipe, trying to figure out how much fresh ginger to use and how much powdered ginger; I want to use both. You used 3 oz fresh for two gallons? I was thinking 3 to 4 ounces of fresh ginger plus a tablespoon of dried ginger in a 3 gallon batch. The fresh ginger will go in at the middle of the boil and and powdered ginger maybe 5 minutes from the end. I'll be brewing it later this week.

You recipe looks good, and the label is clever and well-done.

You should be able to find something, (either on the bollte of powdered ginger or online), on how much powdered ginger = the equivalent of 1 Tbsp fresh. This would probably help you a little better deciding on dosages for your batch.
I hope this helps you.

 

[D.B.Moody]

I bottled the Orange Blossom Special in February so it will be a year in the bottle for our 80th birthdays in 2023. We did a taste taste yesterday. For an excuse we celebrated the 65th anniversary of our meeting in 1957. It was all fated by alphabetical order: I was seated behind my to be wife in 9th grade Latin I class when we were 14 years old. Just in case you don't know, school started in September back then.

It looked the same in the glasses, so I just uploaded the bottle.

 

[Buzzkilltroy]

I bottled the Orange Blossom Special in February so it will be a year in the bottle for our 80th birthdays in 2023. We did a taste taste yesterday. For an excuse we celebrated the 65th anniversary of our meeting in 1957. It was all fated by alphabetical order: I was seated behind my to be wife in 9th grade Latin I class when we were 14 years old. Just in case you don't know, school started in September back then.

View attachment 780903
It looked the same in the glasses, so I just uploaded the bottle.

Looks fantastic - love the label!