Smooth Ginger Beer

[danbriant]

Ginger Beer Standard Brew

This is the current 1st brew I'm using. Never done this before, but wrote down everything I did.
This should in theory produce a smooth tasting ginger beer with a slight ginger spice kick.

1KG White Sugar
200 Grams Fresh Ginger Root (Washed)
1 Demijohn (4.5L)
1 Measuring Jug
1 Glass / Jam Jar / Cup etc
1 Airlock
5 Gram Beer Yeast
1-2 Lemons (Juiced) & Zest
Milton Sterilising Fluid

1. Begin by sterilising the demijohn, measuring jugs, cups, airlocks, rubber seals using the Milton Solution. (Follow instructions on the packet)
2. Place 2 litres of water into a pan, measured out by the measuring jug, while this is boiling:

a. Cut Up the ginger root or grate it with a coarse grater and place into a bowl.
b. Juice the lemons into a cup.
c. Zest the lemon into the bowl of ginger.
d. Slowly pour in the sugar into the bowling water stirring slowly until fully dissolved.
e. Pour the contents of the ginger bowl into the boiling water and allow to simmer for 10 15 minutes then remove from the heat.​

3. While the contents of the pan is cooling, you can start priming the yeast. Put the yeast into a cup / glass / jug of warm water (Body Temperature) with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Around 150ml of water.
4. Once the pan has cooled, pour in the lemon juice and you can filter off a quick sample to ensure there is the right amount of Ginger and Sugar and Lemon for your taste preference. If not continue to add to taste.
5. Pour the ginger, sugar and lemon liquid into the Demijohn, don't bother filtering it.
6. Boil up the remaining water, let it cool again, pour in the yeast into the demijohn and then add the remaining water.
7. Seal the demijohn with the airlock and leave in a warm place out of sunlight.
8. Allow to ferment for 4 weeks. Then filter off and bottle.


==
= Brew 1 - Start Date: 20/5/2014
==

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

Dan, I might give that one a go tonight.

can you post again when you drink it let us know how it turned out, will follow your recipe and post when its being drunk too !

 

[danbriant]

I started a 2nd batch along side my current ginger beer.
It's Orange Ginger beer, same recipe as above minus the lemons. I used 3 oranges, zested them and juiced them. The Orange really made a rather interesting lava lamp fermentation!

The yeast in my original Ginger beer I believe is finally settling in the demijohn as there's white deposits sitting on the bottom after a week.

So my next question
Is this OK to still leave in the Demijohn as it is for a few more weeks? I'm still getting a fair bit of bubble activity from the airlock.
What's the side effect of leaving this all in the demijohn? I was planning on leaving it in the demijohn for 4 weeks then bottling it.
I assume limited fermentation is taking place now?

I did take an OG before starting and it was 1.100
Should i crack it open and check a reading?
I don't fancy exploding bottles!

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

Hi Dan, I made this at the weekend too, am planning on leaving in the demijohn for 3-4 weejks then bottling in plastic containers with screw tops, that way I can remove some of the pressure build up. I didnt use beer yeast I used the champagne one so could be extra fizzy !!

 

[danbriant]

I took a quick reading of my First Brew Ginger Beer last night and it's sitting around 3.6% so far ^_^
So excited! It's going to be a nice strong brew I think
OG was 1.100 and the reading I took was 1.072

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

have made up a second demijohn now, only difference between them is I used limes instead of lemons, and gervins ale yeast instead of the champagne one

currently bubbling away like a good un, will know in about 5 weeks what its like

 

[danbriant]

Awesome. I have two on the go as well, started brewing an orange one a week after the ginger.



Its all going nicely. I do plan on bottle conditioning them for a week or so.

Possibly even before I start to bottle them, racking into a second then let it settle for a few days then bottle.

Been using nothing but Gervin Yeast. Going to take a reading of both brews to see how they are going. As last reading was a week ago.

The smell coming from both is awesome.

 

[Baldilocks]

This looks really easy and tasty. Perfect for a beginner like me !

Due to lack of equipment I will be making my own demijohns from 5L water bottles and utilising the water in the brew. I will be cutting holes the right size for rubber bungs in the lids and inserting airlocks. I will vaseline seal the lid threads and round the bungs and airlocks. Does all that sound ok ?

 

[danbriant]

That sounds like it could work :) Make sure its all clean!



I just took a reading of the ginger beer. If I have my calculations correct its around 9% xD

Start 1.100 currently 1.030 Still fermenting to!!!

I think I will be using mostly 370ml bottles rather than 500ml xD

 

[danbriant]

Also same reading from the orange one again still going!

However the oranges do add more body to it. Can taste the orange to!

 

[Jakedaykin]

Has anyone tried making a ginger beer by adding yeast (wine or beer) to supermarket ginger beer? I imagine it cannot be that simple and I haven't measured the OG of ginger beer so have no idea which yeast might be appropriate. Any ideas or experiences welcomed.

 

[JamesMcS]

The things to watch out for are stabilisers and such in commercial drinks like that, they inhibit bacterial (and yeast) growth. I'd go all natural, much more satisfying!

I put a gallon on yesterday with 220g fresh ginger, 2tsp ground ginger and a teaspoon of cinnamon, along with 300g dextrose and 300g honey. 9% sounded a bit strong to me!

 

[danbriant]

Yer this yeast has surprised me. I think next time 1kg sugar in a demijohn for ginger beer is a tad to much xD

It tastes nice and its still bubbling away. It does look like its going to be around 8-9%! Maybe more! That's with Gervin yeast! Which is an ale yeast.

Im kinda shocked with this result. But so far samples are really tasty and warming with a ginger kick.

I think next time maybe 600g sugar for a weaker brew

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

Has anyone tried making a ginger beer by adding yeast (wine or beer) to supermarket ginger beer? I imagine it cannot be that simple and I haven't measured the OG of ginger beer so have no idea which yeast might be appropriate. Any ideas or experiences welcomed.

Thats all turbo cider is, apple juice sugar yeast so I expect you can do it that way

Dan I used 700gms in the demijohn as 1kg sounded too much to me too, btw still bubbling after 3 weeks !!

 

[JamesMcS]

I think next time half a teaspoon of cinnamon for me, it's quite... Cinnamon-ey

 

[danbriant]

Looking good James. Starting to settle nicely.



Yer this is really strong now. Im at 10% or there abouts xD Dam that Gervin Yeast and 1kg sugar.

Still bubbling away ever so slightly. However I have racked it into a 2nd demijohn this evening.

Will be doing the same with my ginger and orange one this weekend. I do intend to bottle condition as well for a few weeks.



I think next batch I make im going to use less sugar but also add spray medium malt to it to add a body dynamic.



Maybe 250 Grams Malt and 450Grams sugar.

Or should I use full 500grams of the malt and no sugar?

 

[Baldilocks]

I'm in the middle of making a 2 gallon batch of this , but with a lower sugar content.... 10% sounded a bit heavy for summer bbq slurping !

I went for 600g of sugar a gallon.

The only yeast I have is youngs wine yeast so that will be added later.

The smell of the steeping ginger is amazing ! Its one of my favourite flavours.
Update in a bit.

 

[danbriant]

Wait until it ferments it reminded me of hot cross buns smell :)

Yer 10% is a tad heavy for summer sipping all evening. Its more of a select reserve



Can't wait to start another batch once this current one is ready :) of course with less sugar and using malt. Dam sugar is my nemesis!

 

[danbriant]

Im so glad I racked this and let it mature slightly. The taste is bow lovely. No more harsh alcohol aftertaste. Just slightly sweet ginger kick which mellows out and warms your mouth and throat. With a fizz as well.

I will be bottling soon once the airlock activity dies down

 

[cheshirehomebrew]

have bottled my first demijohn which was the one with lemons in it, noticed last night that the version with Lime in it has stopped bubbling away, will try and bottle at the weekend, I may rack it off first though