Candied Ginger Ale

[Moonshae]

I've brewed a ginger ale that was (gasp) soda, and then extended the fermenting time to make it alcoholic, and enjoyed them both, although they were very different. I've been playing around with some ideas to make a more beer-like recipe, and came up with the following, but haven't tried it yet. Any thoughts?

2 lb Crystal 90L
3 lb light DME
4 lb (9 packed cups) light brown sugar
2 lb honey
0.75 oz Kent Goldings (bittering)
0.75 oz Fuggles (bittering)
.5 oz Tettnang (finishing, @ 20 mins)
.5 oz Cluster (dry @ end of boil)
2.5 lbs sliced, unpeeled fresh ginger
1 sliced lime
1 tsp whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 oz pure vanilla extract (@ flame out)
1 tsp Irish moss (@ 15 mins)
WLP005 British Ale Yeast
3/4 lb sliced ginger (secondary)
1 cup lactose (priming)
3/4 lb extra light DME (priming)

Recipe:
Steep the grain @ 150-160 (45 mins)
Add malt, sugar, and honey, bring to boil. Add 2.5 lbs ginger (note, cut ginger into small enough pieces to allow easy transfer into primary vessel), lime, cloves, cinnamon sticks, and bittering hops.
With 20 mins remaining in boil, add finishing hops.
With 15 mins remaining, add Irish Moss.
At flame out, add vanilla extract and dry hops.
No starter needed for yeast. Ferment in primary @ 65-70 °F for 2 weeks.

Add the secondary ginger to boiling water for 15 sec, then add to secondary vessel. rack the beer on top of the ginger. Increase/decrease amount of ginger at this stage to adjust ginger heat. Bottle after 2 weeks in secondary.

Use 3/4 lb extra light DME and 1 cup lactose at priming.

 

[david_42]

Can't say as I'd use vanilla or Centennial in a ginger beer, but other than that, looks good.

 

[Moonshae]

Can't say as I'd use vanilla or Centennial in a ginger beer, but other than that, looks good.

I was using the vanilla to add to the candied flavor, but that's easily dropped. I don't know a lot about hops...what would you use instead of Centennial?

 

[zoebisch01]

From what "they" say, microwaving isn't really the best method of disinfecting your Ginger (if that is your intention) because there is no garauntee that the surface will heat up evenly. To be on the safe side, I'd just drop it in boiling water for 15 seconds and toss the whole thing in (so don't use much water).

 

[Moonshae]

From what "they" say, microwaving isn't really the best method of disinfecting your Ginger (if that is your intention) because there is no garauntee that the surface will heat up evenly. To be on the safe side, I'd just drop it in boiling water for 15 seconds and toss the whole thing in (so don't use much water).

Ah! I wasn't sure how long to boil. That's much better, then.

 

[Moonshae]

I changed the Centennial hops to Cluster, after reading a little bit about hop descriptions. Is this a better choice?