Beginner ginger beer/ale problems

[protonoto]

Hello, I've started experimenting trying to homebrew alcoholic ginger beer at home with some bottles, quite simple stuff, basically water, sugar, ginger and yeast. I've played around with the proportions and found one that I like however I don't know how to stop the fermentation happening once I feel it's reached it's optimum flavour.

Also I'd like to ask if anyone can give me some advice on moving away from bottles as I am having to periodically release some of the pressure to stop bottle bombs occuring.

Thank you.

 

[Fearspork]

You can try freezing it for an hour to kill the yeast, or gently boiling the bottles for 10 minutes, really anything else will require advanced techniques likeep force carbonating with a corny keg

 

[Fearspork]

If you want to move away from bottles go to a local home brew shop and get a starter kit with a bucket and airlock, or you can get a gallon jug for small batches, again you local store can get you the jug or an air lock that will fit an apple juice jug or what ever you got, some people like to make their own air locks with tube and a bucket of water but they cost like 3 bucks with the stopper so save your self the work

 

[protonoto]

thanks for the reply, will freezing it not only send it into hibernation mode? I've heard that it'll just start fermenting again afterwards.

 

[ExperimentalBrewer]

the way I do ginger beer is to ferment in a gal jug with an airlock... I don't let it ferment all the way out and I bottle in plastic bottles while it still has some sugar left. Once the bottles are rock hard, I put them in the fridge and drink them promptly (that's why I only do 1 gal batches).

 

[Barkly]

The method I use for berry wine and cider is to let it ferment it out all the way and let the yeast drop off. Siphon to a secondary to get it off the yeast bed then add a bit of sorbate to prevent the yeast from reproducing. That way you can back sweeten to taste and not have the fermentation restart.
Of course the wine is bottled still but the cider is force carbed in kegs. I usually bottle a bunch of the cider after carbing for taking camping and have never had an issue with bottle bombs.