Hardywood Park Gingerbread Stout help.

[ptownbmac]

Incidently, I also live in RIC and have had the original multiple times.

 

[eulipion2]

I'm currently doing a side-by-side. Color is close, original had lower head, but better retention. The original has more prune/raisin flavor, less ginger. Could be caused by age (6 mos) old. Also noticing a bit more cocoa and a smoother, fuller mouthfeel. Ginger is smooth and subtle, cinnamon is very noticeable, and vanilla is just behind.

Mine has a much larger ginger presence, but I'm also getting a hint of plastic (chiller hose leaked a bit into the beer). Vanilla and cinnamon are missing.

Both are good beers, but the spicing makes them very different. Next time more vanilla and cinnamon, less ginger, or baby ginger if I can source it (not in Richmond anymore). Also may up the C-120 or use Special B, but will try changing the spices first. As it is I would call mine a ginger stout, not a gingerbread stout. Will brew again!

 

[CoopersGoose]

Eulipion,

Will be pulling together another batch in the next few weeks to prepare for Christmas. If I find the baby ginger here in Richmond, want me to ship you some? Be more than happy to. Looking forward to my second go round on this one.

 

[eulipion2]

Eulipion,

Will be pulling together another batch in the next few weeks to prepare for Christmas. If I find the baby ginger here in Richmond, want me to ship you some? Be more than happy to. Looking forward to my second go round on this one.

Thanks for the offer, Coop, but I still have a case left from my last batch. Just couldn't bring myself to drink much of this over the summer. I should be able to find some baby ginger in the new location when I give this another go.

Are you planning to adjust the recipe? I think the base recipe is fairly close, maybe a little more Extra Dark Crystal. To my tastes the spices made the most difference.

Sidenote: I entered this into the Dominion Cup this year. Got a pretty good score, 32 or 34 (can't remember). I'm pretty happy with it.

 

[CoopersGoose]

Yes. I'm going to get a batch going for the winter months. I definitely will adjust the recipe I did. Probably review yours, check my proposed adjustments in BeerSmith and give it a go soon. Hopefully it will be ready, Dec/Jan timeframe.

 

[eulipion2]

Okay, just tasted again. I was wrong about the base. I think I'd lower the roast a bit, maybe use some Carafa III. The roast in mine was a bit too strong. Also, less ginger, more cinnamon & vanilla.

Let us know your changes. I think we can get a definitive clone out of it if we keep trying.

 

[MadGus]

Brewed up 10 gallons last weekend, had a nice primary ferment this week, and am ready to rack to secondary and add spices. Couple of questions:

1) How much ginger? 2 tsp per 5 gal? ground or chopped?
2) One vanilla bean per 5 gal? scrape out the bean?
3) Three whole cinnamon sticks per 5 gal?

I've seen many different levels of spicing for this kind of beer, and was also thinking about making a tincture with unflavored vodka (since I didn't add any of these spices during the boil) to reduce infection chances with adding to secondary.

Appreciate any help/thoughts.

OG was 1.088 (about three points shy of what I was expecting from beersmith recipe).

 

[eulipion2]

Brewed up 10 gallons
...
1) How much ginger? 2 tsp per 5 gal? ground or chopped?
2) One vanilla bean per 5 gal? scrape out the bean?
3) Three whole cinnamon sticks per 5 gal?

I'm not sure how the spices will translate when added to secondary, but I'd recommend weighing out the ginger. I added my spices with 15 minutes left in the boil:

I used 4 oz fresh grated ginger, and it was a bit much. I'd go with, maybe, 2 oz.

I added 2 split & scraped vanilla beans and can barely taste vanilla, but not sure how it'll translate to secondary addition and less ginger.

No advice on the cinnamon, but 2 tsp ground cinnamon didn't come through much in mine. Again, use less ginger and maybe the cinnamon and vanilla will come through more.

 

[MadGus]

Ended up getting 4oz of vodka tincture, split evenly between each of my 5 gallon carboys of beer. Bottled a couple of 12oz'ers so I can check flavor and carb levels in a few weeks, before I give most of this away over the holidays.

Thanks again for your advice guys... this was a fun beer to make.

 

[reidjoshua]

Okay, just tasted again. I was wrong about the base. I think I'd lower the roast a bit, maybe use some Carafa III. The roast in mine was a bit too strong. Also, less ginger, more cinnamon & vanilla.

Let us know your changes. I think we can get a definitive clone out of it if we keep trying.

We're looking to brew this in the next couple weeks. Took your recipe and suggestions and came up with this. (lowered ginger/black barley, increased carafa, cinnamon, vanilla). Thoughts? Suggestions?

Recipe:
11 lb Maris Otter
1.5 lb Victory malt
1.25 lb Lactose
1.25 lb flaked oats
1.0 lb crystal 120
.75 lb Chocolate malt (UK)
1.5 oz Black Barley
1.5 oz Carafa II

3.5 oz Challenger (6.9% AA) 60 min

2 oz Ginger, fresh, peeled, and sliced - 15 min
2.5 tsp Cinnamon, ground - 15 min
3 Vanilla beans, split & scraped - 15 min
2 lb Wildflower honey - 5 min

2 packs US-05

Mash: 156 for 60 min
Mash-out: 170 for 15 min
Boil: 60 min

 

[Sheldon]

would also like to brew this, looking for some input to joshreid's recommendations:fro:

 

[eulipion2]

Looks great! I think we're still trying to hash this out by trial-and-error, but every iteration gets us a little closer to an actual clone. Let us know how it turns out!

 

[reidjoshua]

Looks great! I think we're still trying to hash this out by trial-and-error, but every iteration gets us a little closer to an actual clone. Let us know how it turns out!

At 70 IBUs you don't think that's too high? I saw a couple other recipes on here were in the 50's.

 

[eulipion2]

At 70 IBUs you don't think that's too high? I saw a couple other recipes on here were in the 50's.

Sorry, didn't notice the IBUs. According to Hardywood's website, GBS has 55 IBUs, so I'd shoot for that.

 

[Sheldon]

thanks

 

[ditch]

I have not seen anyone mention how Hardywood introduces the Ginger and Honey to this beer. From watching the video on the making of it, it looks like the honey ginger and vanilla beans are all added to the finished imperial milk stout. "Pumped into our Imperial Milk Stout" is what Patrick states as he is adding the peeled and puréed ginger to a pot of steaming honey that I assume is mixed with water. Then they show him cutting the vanilla beans. So what I gather on this is the same thing I do with my flavored stouts. Ferment them out. Cold condition for a few weeks to drop out as much yeast as possible. Then add your flavorings for whatever duration you desire. Then rack off or filter into keg or bottling bucket. If you are bottling you will of course have problems with all the honey, since it was used to back sweeten the final stout. Just some useful into I picked up from a little research from their site. Cheers!

 

[eulipion2]

Then add your flavorings for whatever duration you desire. Then rack off or filter into keg or bottling bucket. If you are bottling you will of course have problems with all the honey, since it was used to back sweeten the final stout. Just some useful into I picked up from a little research from their site. Cheers!

IIRC, I think this was their problem last year. Overcarbed due to adding honey too close to bottling. When I get around to rebrewing this, I may boil the honey, ginger, and spices together and add to secondary, but I'll let it ferment out before bottling. Adding to the kettle is easier though.

Honestly, I think the amount of ginger is more important than when it's added.

 

[orj]

We're looking to brew this in the next couple weeks. Took your recipe and suggestions and came up with this. (lowered ginger/black barley, increased carafa, cinnamon, vanilla). Thoughts? Suggestions?

Recipe:
11 lb Maris Otter
1.5 lb Victory malt
1.25 lb Lactose
1.25 lb flaked oats
1.0 lb crystal 120
.75 lb Chocolate malt (UK)
1.5 oz Black Barley
1.5 oz Carafa II

3.5 oz Challenger (6.9% AA) 60 min

2 oz Ginger, fresh, peeled, and sliced - 15 min
2.5 tsp Cinnamon, ground - 15 min
3 Vanilla beans, split & scraped - 15 min
2 lb Wildflower honey - 5 min

2 packs US-05

Mash: 156 for 60 min
Mash-out: 170 for 15 min
Boil: 60 min

Took a similar version for a spin yesterday. Upon tasting a sample of the wort I can report the spice mix is damn near spot on. It's maybe a little on the strong side but I suspect it will fade somewhat after fermentation.

Only difference in mine is I used 1.5# of oats (accidentally bought that much), only 3oz of challenger and I added 1.5oz of carafa III

Thanks for putting in the work on this guys. I'll report back with notes after fermentation. Obviously it won't be done for a few months but I should have a good idea of where the spice blend sits after a few weeks.

 

[vabeergeek]

Curious, how things are coming along here? I was looking to put together a clone of their Farmhouse Pumpkin but saw this thread. Now I'm inclined to brew this now to get some age on it for Xmas and brew the Farmhouse later. So what's the latest news on recipe, tips, technique?

 

[rocketsan]

Can anyone muster up an extract recipe for those of us who aren't all-graintastic yet? Please and thanks...


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[Kody]

Seems like the hops are off, I'm using a variation of this recipe on brewtoad. But I've added 1 pound flaked oats and adjusted the SRM and IBUs.
But with the hop amount in the recipe on brewtoad its 115 IBUS!?

Please see attachment for corrected recipe.

What do you guys think?
************************************************
Ginger Root 5.0oz at 5 min Boil

3 Cinamon Sticks at 5 min boil

Vanilla Beans 5 split and scraped at 5 min boil

Lactose 1.0lb at 60 min boil

Steep grains 25 mins between 150-165F

Wildflower honey at 10 min to end of boil

 

[ironbum]

Thanks for all of the info on brewing a Hardywood GBS clone. We're going to give a double batch a try tomorrow. I just picked up local Yohman's honey (no wildflower but got their buckwheat - which has notes of bourbon and caramel) and got freshly harvested baby ginger at the Forest Hill Farmer's market, score!

I'm going to go with 5 oz of baby ginger since it's milder than regular ginger.

I'm in Richmond and have a few bottles of the GBS in storage, so will do a tasting when these are done. I'll let y'all know how it turns out.

Thanks again!

 

[marckw]

I hear the Hardywood GBS release is at 2pm today. A number of folks in the local HB Club are headed up to RVA for the weekend--a few brewery and local pub stops. Wish I could have gone, but responsibilities call.

 

[Sparge]

It is very hard to find right now. Most places have sold out. I am lucky enough that a co-worker followed the beer truck to the store and ran to the back of the store and met the truck driver in the Employee Only area of the store. He grabbed two cases. My co-worker gave me a bottle. I'm hoping to make some of this soon. Hopefully, the recipe above will get me close.

 

[Kody]

My above recipe is missing .46oz of Challenger at 5 mins.
The page wasn't all the way scrolled up when I took a screenshot.

Kody

 

[SixthGear]

Looking to brew this for christmas weekend...any updates/feedbacks since brewing?

 

[eulipion2]

Looking to brew this for christmas weekend...any updates/feedbacks since brewing?

If I brew this again, I'm going to try to track down some baby ginger. If I use mature (grocery store) ginger again, I'll probably cut it down to about 1-1.5 oz.

I still have some of this from my initial brew, and the ginger has faded a bit, and it's tasting more like the commercial version now than it did fresh.

 

[SixthGear]

If I brew this again, I'm going to try to track down some baby ginger. If I use mature (grocery store) ginger again, I'll probably cut it down to about 1-1.5 oz.

I still have some of this from my initial brew, and the ginger has faded a bit, and it's tasting more like the commercial version now than it did fresh.

Awesome! Thanks for the heads up, I'll be sure to dial back the ginger a little.

 

[mattmmille]

So, I'm not so much interested in a clone...just a good gingerbread stout. I did a Scottish Ale with pumpkin this Fall and it was great. The spice was there, but not overpowering. I did use some fresh ginger and that was a good move..really enhanced the flavor. So, what I'm doing is a batch of Yooper's Oatmeal Stout...several have brewed and rated highly. It's in primary fermentation as of yesterday. My plan is to split 2 gallons off and add gingerbread flavor in secondary. The reason I'm here is to research the gingerbread component. I'll figure out the ratios, but I have a few questions. 1) Isn't gingerbread made with molasses? So why not use it, instead of honey? 2) Wouldn't a good quality vanilla extract do just as well as beans, if adding to secondary? 3) Wouldn't you get more flavor from ground cinnamon? 4) And ground ginger powder is usually used in gingerbread and has a very different flavor from fresh...why no ground ginger?

I really like fresh ginger, but I think I'm going to use some powdered as well. I understand going for the highest quality ingredients, but if the result you are looking for is an authentic gingerbread flavor, then fancy honey, baby fresh ginger root and Madagascar vanilla beans are probably unnecessary. Now, if a clone is what you're after and those are the ingredients that THEY use, then I get it.

For a two gallon batch, I'm thinking of tossing into secondary a couple teaspoons each of powdered ginger and cinnamon, a couple teaspoons vanilla extract, and a tablespoon of fresh grated ginger root that have been mixed into 1/3 cup vodka and covered/refrigerated for a week or so to sanitize. Plus 2 tablespoons of unsulfered molasses. Let that go for an additional 2 or 3 weeks, then bottle when ready.

 

[eulipion2]

1) Isn't gingerbread made with molasses? So why not use it, instead of honey?

Because we are trying to clone the beer. Since Hardywood uses fresh local honey, I used honey as well.

2) Wouldn't a good quality vanilla extract do just as well as beans, if adding to secondary?

Again, I'm pretty sure Hardywood uses whole beans, so that's what I did. It's also been my experience that using a whole bean, whether in cooking, baking, or brewing, gives a different flavor.

3) Wouldn't you get more flavor from ground cinnamon?

Probably.

4) And ground ginger powder is usually used in gingerbread and has a very different flavor from fresh...why no ground ginger?

Again, Hardywood used fresh, local baby ginger. I couldn't source baby ginger, but I could still find fresh.