Ginger beer
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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?
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?
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I'd like to make an alcoholic ginger beer,originally thinking of using raw ginger as a base. Hadn't thought of using grain.....
Would that be like adding a late infusion 3days before bottling?
In which case,could do a larger or pilsner kit and and add a certain amount of ginger?
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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?
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?
I'm still new to brewing,all In 1kits...
The pro biotic ginger beer had a low Abv, using natural yeast from the ginger.
If I did an all in 1or and extract brew and added ginger near the end if Fermentation,would that work?
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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.
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.
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.
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.
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Not worried about the pro biotic version,although it was nice.
Wanted something I could make a larger volume of and with the same kick and a good shelf life.
Plus not to complicated make.
Thanks again for your quick response.
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.
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!
BigDave1303
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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.
Gilbert Spinning Horse
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60% pale ale malt
20% chateau crystal
20% flaked oats
Magnum hops bittering to 45 IBU
140g fresh ginger/gallon - liquidized, boiled and added to the fermenter prior to pitching yeast.
Voss or Laerdale kveik yeast
Dry hop with citra and idaho 7 hops on day 4 of fermentation at 5 grams each per gallon
20% chateau crystal
20% flaked oats
Magnum hops bittering to 45 IBU
140g fresh ginger/gallon - liquidized, boiled and added to the fermenter prior to pitching yeast.
Voss or Laerdale kveik yeast
Dry hop with citra and idaho 7 hops on day 4 of fermentation at 5 grams each per gallon
Nathan Graen
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I just made 2.5 gal. I averaged a bunch of recipes I found around the internet and this is what I came up with.
1.5 lbs ginger root, unpeeled
1 lime, zest and fruit, discard peel
1 lemon, zest and fruit, discard peel
2.5ish lbs sugar(it got away from me)
2.5 gal water
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp yeast nutrient(I used Wyeast)
1 sachet yeast
1/4 tsp K-meta
1-1/5 tsp Potassium Sorbate
1-1/2 - 2 lbs sugar
Put ginger, zest and fruit in blender and blend. Combine blender contents, sugar, ginger, cream of tarter, cayenne, yeast nutrient and water(as much as will comfortably fit in your pot). I boiled for 10 minutes, but next time I'd probably just mash.
I put a sanitized paint strainer bag in my Fermenter, and poured it all in. Topped up to 2.5 gal. Waited for it to cool and added the yeast. I pulled the strainer bag out after 3 days and squeezed it out.
I don't think the yeast type is critical. I used S-04, but with sugar it will 100% attenuate, and the ginger flavor will overwhelm any flavor contributions from the yeast.
After a week I went from 1.050 to 0.992, or ~7.75% ABV(I was aiming for 4%).
Transfer to a keg and stabilize with k-meta and Potassium Sorbate. Wait 24 hours. Backsweeten with sugar(I started with 1lb, needed more, added another 1/2 lb last night).
It's firey, was really good, still playing with the sugar.
1.5 lbs ginger root, unpeeled
1 lime, zest and fruit, discard peel
1 lemon, zest and fruit, discard peel
2.5ish lbs sugar(it got away from me)
2.5 gal water
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp cream of tarter
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp yeast nutrient(I used Wyeast)
1 sachet yeast
1/4 tsp K-meta
1-1/5 tsp Potassium Sorbate
1-1/2 - 2 lbs sugar
Put ginger, zest and fruit in blender and blend. Combine blender contents, sugar, ginger, cream of tarter, cayenne, yeast nutrient and water(as much as will comfortably fit in your pot). I boiled for 10 minutes, but next time I'd probably just mash.
I put a sanitized paint strainer bag in my Fermenter, and poured it all in. Topped up to 2.5 gal. Waited for it to cool and added the yeast. I pulled the strainer bag out after 3 days and squeezed it out.
I don't think the yeast type is critical. I used S-04, but with sugar it will 100% attenuate, and the ginger flavor will overwhelm any flavor contributions from the yeast.
After a week I went from 1.050 to 0.992, or ~7.75% ABV(I was aiming for 4%).
Transfer to a keg and stabilize with k-meta and Potassium Sorbate. Wait 24 hours. Backsweeten with sugar(I started with 1lb, needed more, added another 1/2 lb last night).
It's firey, was really good, still playing with the sugar.
I've been pondering taking a crack at a beer inspired by Short's Brewing's "Mule Beer." Damned tasty stuff, but lower abv than I typically target. Haven't come up with a recipe yet, but I like the idea of a bit of pepper to kick up the ginger bite. My wife says that although black pepper is used in some of her ginger recipes, white pepper can be less obvious that it's pepper providing the accent. Cayenne scares me, but I suppose that could work too. Having an actual malt base and a moderately high target abv gives the opportunity for a bit of residual sweetness. But, pondering is about as far as I've gotten.
Beer enhancer...is that a light malt extract or a brewers sugar?
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?
BigDave1303
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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?
I've just figured it out what you mean. I know it as brewers sugar.
BigDave1303
Well-Known Member
If bottling, yes
Thanks for the help. It's made things a bit easier get my head around the process.
The one time I brewed a Ginger ale, I started with a basic pale ale recipe and added a little ginger late in the boil, then made a ticture with about 2 cups vodka and 1 lb of fresh grated ginger for two weeks, shaking daily, then strained out the ginger and I added this to the keg. There was a nice fresh ginger bite, but it was a beer. I was thinking this could also be done with DME, no boil, add hop/ginger tea and ferment, then add the ginger ticture at packaging like before. I know there is a huge thread on here about no boil NEIPAs. Do the same and add the ginger. Should work well. 
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.
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.
BigDave1303
Well-Known Member
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.
I personally like the bite the fresh ginger provides, but I have also used powdered and it works. I'd add more at packaging than into the boil though.
