Alcoholic ginger beer and compatible yeasts?.

[donny101]

I guess this may have been asked a number of times but Google and brewing sites seem to have conflicting info and opinions.

But I'm wanting to try a couple of ginger beer recipies (got the recipies) for over Xmas and I'm somewhat confused over which sort of yeasts can and can't be used. And I thought to ask on here and stick to what members of here say on the matter than to keep reading conflicting info and opinions on other places.

First off, bread\baking yeast. I read this can be used with fairly decent results, possibly more so with a non boiling heating process recipies. Yet it seems the more purists seem to suggest it's a big no no as it can leave a rather unpleasant bread like taste. But is that opinion based on a more beer brewing line of thought than a quick brew alcoholic ginger beer which is what I'm looking at getting to grips with?. So is bread\baking yeast really a big no no and there is genuine reasons not to use it or is it fine for quick brewing but nice tasting ginger beer?.

Also, nearly got some brewers yeast tablets from Holland & Barrett's thinking that's fine as is brewers yeast as per most ginger beer recipies. Yet read it won't work simply because the more health supplement brewers yeast is inactive and therefore won't work. But according to there info in the listing for there own 500 brewers yeast tablets it states there own brewers yeast tablets can be used to brew beer!. This would suggest there yeast tablets are active and can be used for brewing?. Anyone any thoughts on using H&B brewers yeast tablets if they really are compatible and active for brewing?.

Finally, where I can get to a home brewing shop this week, what is the correct yeast to buy for alcoholic ginger beer as places online I've looked at whilst selling countless different yeasts for brewing, they don't however have a dedicated yeast listed for ginger beer. So in the expectation that the bread yeast and brewers yeast tablets are a no no, what yeast do members suggest for an about or at least a 6% strength ginger beer?.

Many thanks & sorry for all the questions.

 

[LeithR]

Yes, bread yeast will work - but - there are far better yeasts available for brewing that are developed for that purpose. Some names of yeasts are Gervin, White Labs yeast (WLP), Safale, Saflager Danstar, Nottingham, Wyeast. I believe Wilko's also do pretty good wine and beer yeasts, they are probably made by one of the large yeast producers and badged for Wilko's, somebody on here may know who makes them.

I make Ginger Beer regularly and mainly use Champagne yeast which is a high alcohol tolerant yeast, it works well and I have recovered it a few times to re-use in later Ginger Beer brews. My brews turn out well. Having said that any of the good quality beer/wine yeasts will work well for you.

 

[donny101]

Thanks for the reply, I forgot to add that Wilkos was the first place I tried as we have 1 very local and noticed there small brew section many times during the year, but they are out of a lot of brewing items right now, must be the time of the year I guess lol.

But things are looking up, searching last night has come up with a local home brew shop just about 2 1/2 mile from me :) . And they seem to have every sort of brewing yeast under the sun lol. So I'm off there a little later to pick up some either wine or champaign yeast for me ginger beer and hope to get started this afternoon at some point as I have everything else ready. Getting rather excited to be honest at getting started at brewing again after so many years.

 

[IPA]

I make Ginger Beer regularly and mainly use Champagne yeast which is a high alcohol tolerant yeast, it works well and I have recovered it a few times to re-use in later Ginger Beer brews. My brews turn out well. Having said that any of the good quality beer/wine yeasts will work well for you.

I have made ginger beer a couple of times using Champagne yeast and for my taste I found it too dry. If I make anymore I will try Safale SO4. Which like Champagne yeast settles down really hard but hopefully will leave a bit of residual sweetness.

 

[donny101]

Well I've now got myself 50g of wine yeast and a hydrometer to calculate the alcohol content. Only in buying the hydrometer did I bugger think that I dont actually know how to use 1. All part of the fun I guess, but more wandering if I need to take an hydrometer reading once everything is mixed at the start of the brewing process as much as towards or at the end?.

Sorry for all the questions etc, but am also wandering if its simply a case of more sugar to create a higher alcohol content as per stated measurements in my chosen recipies or similar with the yeast level to?. As I've read that once the alcohol level gets to a certain point it won't go any higher anyway depending on the yeast used. The recipie I'm looking at says about 225grams of caster sugar against 1/4 teaspoon of brewers yeast for a 2 litre mix. But with using wine yeast than beer\lager\cider yeast I'd assume it can convert more sugar to alcohol and cope with higher alcohol levels with the same level of yeast on the thought that wine yeast is better suited to higher alcohol brewing?. Or am I thinking the wrong way on that front?. Don't want to create super strength wine levels of alcohol ginger beer as such, but certainly aiming for 6-9%abv than the more 4% commercial offerings give.

 

[LeithR]

Get to know your Hydrometer. HERE is an excellent Vid (if a bit long) on how to read your Hydrometer. It will tell you a lot about your brew, including how much sugar to add to get the brew to the strength you require. Adding sugar is not all of the story, sugar gives a brew ABV strength - BUT - it dilutes the taste of the brew so be careful. To get a good strong brew and taste you need to add a mixture of fermentable AND Non-fermentable ingredients.

Its worth reading THIS book, John Palmer is very knowlegable on beer (GB is not a million miles away - same process, different ingredients). This link is for an early draft of his book but the hard copy from Amazon is at version 3 or maybe even 4 now and has more updates. A well worthwhile Xmas pressy to yourself.

 

[IPA]

LeithR said

"Blessed are those who go round in circles
for they shall be known as wheels"


Presumably then those who go round in big circles are the big wheels in society!