# Ginger Beer - Non-Kit + AG



## Luxo_Aussie (27/4/19)

G'day All,

New to the Forum after lurking for over a decade. Recently returned to brewing after an 8 year absence & looking for some feedback on creating a ginger beer from scratch since Coopers have discontinued their kit. I'm looking to make something which is refreshing (light bodied) with a mild ginger kick but limited peppery-ness. There's been a lot of great information on this forum but I have come across some questions concerning making the perfect ginger beer :

1) What is the best yeast to go for on a GB? I'm wavering between a Wyeast 1056, Wyeast 3638 or WLP530, since that's what is leftover from some earlier batches. 

2) I'm keen to do a partial mash to give some residual mouthfeel & body with at least carapils, crystal & special B but wanted to know if anyone has had success using other adjuncts such as oats, flaked barley, biscuit malt or wheat malt when making a ginger beer?

3) What's the best way to add sweetness? Lactose, speciality grains or maltodextrin?

4) What duration should the ginger be boiled for? @20/30/60 minutes? Is there any benefit to boiling some of the ginger for 60 & other parts later in the boil such as @15?

5) I've made a ginger beer once with 1.5KG of LME but the resulting beer was too think - if adding malt (I'd do a partial mash) to a batch what would one recommend?

Read through https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/ginger-beer-recipe-scratch-brew-no-kit.30492/ and found a lot of already helpful info but keen to refine the recipe, prepare a 5L tester batch and move from there!

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated!


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## sp0rk (27/4/19)

I wouldn't add any malt at all
Ginger beer usually isn't actually a beer
The best I've made is the Powderkeg GB recipe
https://aussiehomebrewer.com/threads/recipedb-powderkeg-gb.39541/


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## nifty (27/4/19)

Hi Luxo_Aussie

Have a look at this forum/thread, there is a partial recipe at about post 25. I have made the all grain recipe 4 times now, with variations each time and it comes out very nice.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/ginger-ale-3rd-place-2009-hbt-bjcp-comp.141080/

Sorry sp0rk but i have to disagree with your comment above, this recipe is excellent, you wouldn't know it was an all grain based beer.

Below is my last recipe which i am still drinking, it came in at about 6% abv.

Recipe Specifications
--------------------------
Boil Size: 40.37 l
Post Boil Volume: 34.38 l
Batch Size (fermenter): 30.00 l 
Bottling Volume: 28.50 l
Estimated OG: 1.054 SG
Estimated Color: 13.5 EBC
Estimated IBU: 34.8 IBUs
Brewhouse Efficiency: 74.00 %
Est Mash Efficiency: 81.4 %
Boil Time: 90 Minutes

Ingredients:
------------
Amt Name Type # %/IBU 
4.75 kg 000. Pilsner, Malt Craft Export (Joe Whi Grain 1 73.1 % 
0.50 kg 003. Caramunich I (Weyermann) (100.5 EBC Grain 2 7.7 % 
0.25 kg 023. Wheat Malt, Dark (BestMälz) (18.0 E Grain 3 3.8 % 
45.00 g 000. Amarillo 7.5% [7.50 %] - Boil 60.0 Hop 4 32.2 IBUs 
3.00 Items 000. Lemon Juice (Boil 30.0 mins) Flavor 5 - 
270.00 g 000. Ginger Root (Boil 30.0 mins) Herb 6 - 
100.00 g 000. Ginger Root (Boil 10.0 mins) Herb 7 - 
35.00 g 000. Czech Saaz 4.4% [4.40 %] - Boil 5.0 Hop 8 2.6 IBUs 
1.00 kg 008. Honey [Boil for 1 min](2.0 EBC) Sugar 9 15.4 % 
1.0 pkg 000. Safale American (DCL/Fermentis #US Yeast 10 - 
170.00 g 000. Ginger Root (Secondary 7.0 days) Herb 11 - 


Mash Schedule: ~~ My Mash - Guten 50lt ~~
Total Grain Weight: 6.50 kg
----------------------------
Name Description Step Temperat Step Time 
Protein Rest Add 22.85 l of water at 55.8 C 52.0 C 20 min 
Saccharification Heat to 66.0 C over 15 min 66.0 C 60 min 
Mash Out Heat to 75.0 C over 10 min 75.0 C 20 min 

Sparge: Fly sparge with 23.03 l water at 75.6 C

Regards
nifty


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## Kingy (28/4/19)

nifty said:


> Hi Luxo_Aussie
> 
> Have a look at this forum/thread, there is a partial recipe at about post 25. I have made the all grain recipe 4 times now, with variations each time and it comes out very nice.
> 
> ...



Thanks for sharing that Nifty, I’m definately going to try that, sounds awesome. [emoji106]


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## Luxo_Aussie (3/5/19)

Thanks All. I've had a think and going to give the following a crack mid-month. Wanted to cover all bases with mostly specialty malts to get some residual sweetness on the GB, any thoughts on the below appreciated :

*Total Batch Size : 25L
Mash (3kg) - [email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected] | [email protected]*
Ex. Pale Pils 30.00% 0.900kg
Carapils 20.00% 0.600kg
Munich 15.00% 0.450kg
Wheat 15.00% 0.450kg
Crystal-60 15.00% 0.450kg
Flaked Wheat 5.00% 0.150kg
*Extras - 30min boil*
Ginger @ 30min 0.750kg
Ginger @ 10min 0.350kg
Ginger @ dry hop 0.150kg
Brown Sugar @ flameout 1.000kg
Honey @flameout 0.400kg
Lemon Zest+Juice @15min 3.000
Lime Zest+Juice @15min 3.000
Cinnamon Stick @15min 5.000
Wyeast 1056

I haven't seen anyone try adding wheat malt / flaked wheat to a GB - anyone had good/bad experiences with this in the past? Open to any feedback here!


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## nifty (8/5/19)

The recipe i posted above has wheat malt in it but not as much as you are going to use, not sure how it would go in a ginger beer. The above came out pretty good though it could do with a bit more ginger bite, nice smooth flavour, not dry at all.

Something to watch out for is too much lemon and lime juice/zest, it can be a bit over powering.


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## Ian Smith (9/5/19)

I did a 20L GB with 
2.5kg Pale Malt
2.5kg wheat Flaked
32g EKG at 60min
Wheat beer yeast

100g Ginger Root at 10min left in boil.

The result was a very palatable light coloured beer - this is one to session drink, not too much of any one attribute.
The interesting thing is carbonation - I have it gassed to 16psi and it still seems flat. It pours ok, and has a nice 15mm head, however this does not last. 
Verdict - 
2 = needs more ginger.
1 = smells like ginger, tastes like ginger = nice.
Me = love it.

I don't know if it needs sweetening - I think that is for Cider.

My next batch will be double down on ginger - ( did not want to destroy it on first attempt) see if that is "a thing".
This one could be offered up at any BBQ and would not polarise the crowd( "too <insert opinion here>").


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