I'd like to make an alcoholic ginger beer,originally thinking of using raw ginger as a base. Hadn't thought of using grain.....Probably depends on what you are really wanting the ginger beer to be.
There are different recipes ranging from from ginger flavored sugar water that is fermented for carbonation and little alcohol to quite a few actual beers that are made from grain with ginger additions for flavor. And they have all the ABV of a beer.
Are you wanting to go to the effort of making a beer that takes a day or two worth of effort over a 2 or 3 week period or just wanting something to mix and bottle in a free afternoon?
I'm still new to brewing,all In 1kits...Technically it wouldn't be a beer if you didn't use some grain, specifically barley malt.
Toward that end, I'd just make a very simple wort with some pale malt, add just enough bittering hops at the start of the boil and then add some grated ginger at or near the end of the boil. Probably about 6 to 10 oz maybe 12 oz of ginger per gallon size of your batch.
As for making something from just the flavored sugar water, someone else will have to advise you on that. But I suspect that some of the shelf life issues you might be having might be due to it not having something to stabilize and preserve it like hops does for a beer.
What specific issue did you have with shelf life?
Not worried about the pro biotic version,although it was nice.Are you wanting to keep the probiotic aspect? Whether you use extract or not, the boil part of the beer making process will eliminate anything pro-biotic. Or at least from the point of having live probiotic cultures.
That probiotic part might also have a lot to do with the short shelf life. However if the flavor of whatever it is you made before is what you are wanting, I'm not sure you'll get that in a true beer that is ginger flavored.
It sounds lovely,I'm from N.ireland,and new to this some what. Not sure on some of your additions,I'm guessing red star is yeast though.I recently did a 1 gallon ginger "beer" (no grain) using 8 oz of fresh ginger, grated and steeped 45 minutes at 180*F in 1/2 gallon of spring water, added 1# table sugar and 1/2 teaspoon Fermaid O. Topped to 1 gallon, shook well, added 1/2 teaspoon Red Star Premier Classique. Carbed in 500 mil plastic bottles with 1 teaspoon in each bottle of table sugar for CO2 and Truvia for sweetness. Came out with nice solid ginger flavor and a little heat, sweetness was just right for me.
This one I'll ramp up to 5 gallons.
Edit: Forgot to mention, I put in the zest of 1 lemon and juice of 1/2 lemon before fermenting.
Yes, it's a wine yeast which will give a dry finish and Femaid O in a yeast nutrient. An ale yeast like Nottingham will work for this, too, with ABV about 6%. Slainte!It sounds lovely,I'm from N.ireland,and new to this some what. Not sure on some of your additions,I'm guessing red star is yeast though.
Beer enhancer...is that a light malt extract or a brewers sugar?Since Coopers stopped selling ginger beer kits I use a lager kit with a beer enhancer. I add 200g of peeled & grated fresh ginger, 60g orange peel (not the white pith) & a stick of Cinnamon. All boiled for 10mins to sterilise. Add this to beer after active fermentation has slowed for aprox 5-7 days prior to bottling/kegging.
Just keep me right with the terminology,is beer enhancer the same as the liquid malt extract or brewers sugar you add for priming? Or do you add extra stuff to enhance it?Since Coopers stopped selling ginger beer kits I use a lager kit with a beer enhancer. I add 200g of peeled & grated fresh ginger, 60g orange peel (not the white pith) & a stick of Cinnamon. All boiled for 10mins to sterilise. Add this to beer after active fermentation has slowed for aprox 5-7 days prior to bottling/kegging.
Various types on the market. (below text taken from Coopers website)Just keep me right with the terminology,is beer enhancer the same as the liquid malt extract or brewers sugar you add for priming? Or do you add extra stuff to enhance it?
Various types on the market. (below text taken from Coopers website)
Coopers Brew Enhancer 2 contains dextrose, maltodextrin and Light Dry Malt. The dextrose will ferment out completely with no residual cidery flavours whilst the maltodextrin does not ferment thus improving the body, mouthfeel and head retention. This will further add to the body and increase the malt character of your favourite brew. Great for use with any beer styles where a fuller, maltier flavour is preferred
Can be used with any beer kit brand does not have to be Coopers
Do i still add a primer on top of this?Various types on the market. (below text taken from Coopers website)
Coopers Brew Enhancer 2 contains dextrose, maltodextrin and Light Dry Malt. The dextrose will ferment out completely with no residual cidery flavours whilst the maltodextrin does not ferment thus improving the body, mouthfeel and head retention. This will further add to the body and increase the malt character of your favourite brew. Great for use with any beer styles where a fuller, maltier flavour is preferred
Can be used with any beer kit brand does not have to be Coopers
I've just figured it out what you mean. I know it as brewers sugar.Since Coopers stopped selling ginger beer kits I use a lager kit with a beer enhancer. I add 200g of peeled & grated fresh ginger, 60g orange peel (not the white pith) & a stick of Cinnamon. All boiled for 10mins to sterilise. Add this to beer after active fermentation has slowed for aprox 5-7 days prior to bottling/kegging.
If bottling, yesDo i still add a primer on top of this?
Thanks for the help. It's made things a bit easier get my head around the process.If bottling, yes
Powdered ginger gives a softer flavour without the hot bite which fresh gives. It also doesn't clear as well. I've recently made a batch using fresh ginger forgetting I've got a bag of powdered. I should have mixed the two to maintain the ginger flavour & reduce the heat.Has anyone tried using powdered ginger instead of (or in addition to) fresh? It will taste different; maybe better maybe worse, who knows. A small amount of hops is a good idea. Hats-off to whoever said that.
I was planning to just make a simple ale about 5.5% ABV using citric actid to acidify the mash instead of lactic or phosphoric. Just 2-row malt and maybe a little sugar added to the kettle. Add powdered ginger halfway through the boil. Maybe add fresh ginger and lemon zest at flameout, and pitch a wine yeast that cannot ferment maltotriose. I'll still do it that way but will add 8 to 10 IBUs of bittering hops mainly to keep it from spoiling.
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