Advice On Ghetto Ginger Beer Recipe

[Tim F]

Hey all,
I told my mum I'd do some ginger beer for xmas lunch but haven't been able to find a kit anywhere. So I am limited to what I could grab at the supermarket, which is:
Dextrose
Coopers brew enhancer 1 (dextrose + malt)
Dry ginger powder
Half kilo fresh ginger
A lemon
2 bottles ginger cordial
And I have either bread yeast, or those vials of yeast that come with the fruit juice screw cap things.
Reckon I can make a decent gb with that lot?

 

[Tim F]

ps I can also grab either a kit of something or some extra dme but wasn't sure how malty you'd really want a gb?
I also have a temp controlled fermenting fridge.

 

[drsmurto]

Your Mum is probably expecting the old fashioned GB which is largely sugar based so I'd steer clear of the malt.

The GB I make during the hotter months is simple, dry and very gingery.

For 20L

1-1.25kg of fresh ginger
4-6 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
a few lemons, sliced
Dex or raw sugar to hit your desired abv
Champagne yeast - a bread yeast could work but I've never tried.

I aim for between 5-7% abv (finishes around 1.000) and then water it down with lemonade to sweeten it up and lower the abv.

Simple and refreshing.

 

[Tim F]

Nice one, cheers! Diet lemonade or do you just add it right before serving?
Btw my mum lives on the dirt rd that continues on from your street... Look for the smoke from my new spit on xmas

 

[drsmurto]

Nice one, cheers! Diet lemonade or do you just add it right before serving?
Btw my mum lives on the dirt rd that continues on from your street... Look for the smoke from my new spit on xmas

Regular lemonade. 1/3 of a glass of lemonade, top up with the GB. Some ice and a slice of lemon if you are into presentation :icon_cheers:

I'll be able to smell the smoke, having xmas lunch at our place sitting under the willows near the creek if the weather holds.

 

[bkmad]

Your Mum is probably expecting the old fashioned GB which is largely sugar based so I'd steer clear of the malt.

The GB I make during the hotter months is simple, dry and very gingery.

For 20L

1-1.25kg of fresh ginger
4-6 cloves
1 stick cinnamon
a few lemons, sliced
Dex or raw sugar to hit your desired abv
Champagne yeast - a bread yeast could work but I've never tried.

I aim for between 5-7% abv (finishes around 1.000) and then water it down with lemonade to sweeten it up and lower the abv.

Simple and refreshing.

Do you do a small boil for this recipe?

 

[drsmurto]

Yes.

Process the ginger into small 'bits', chop up the lemon and add everything other than the yeast to a few litres of water. Boil for 30 mins. Strain into fermenter, top up with cold water and pitch yeast.

 

[bkmad]

Thanks Dr Smurto, I'll be giving this one a try over summer for sure. B)

 

[Tanga]

Doesn't the whole lemons make it bitter - or is it a balanced bitterness?

 

[Tim F]

Well, I have about 12L in the ferm fridge right now. Doing it at 15C to try and stop the bread yeast from getting too funky. Only difference in my recipe was I did use the brew enhancer 1 for just a little extra mouth feel.I left the ginger in the fermenter too and I chucked in a couple of vanilla beans for kicks. I reckon I will bottle some of it with artificial sweetener too so its ready to go out of the bottle.

 

[drsmurto]

Doesn't the whole lemons make it bitter - or is it a balanced bitterness?

Funnily enough as a beer drinker i am not adverse to bitterness

In all seriousness i have read a lot about the pith being bitter and you should zest.

Appart from the fact this is supposed to be a ghetto recipe and zesting and juicing lemons sounds suspiciously like work to me i don't find the resulting drink is bitter.

Bone dry and packing a big ginger kick, yes. Bitter, not that i can taste.

 

[Tim F]

Wow the cinnamon comes out pretty strong! I might have to fish it out soon. Tasting great though - lots of ginger. I'm going to bottle with some more fresh ginger too I reckon.

 

[Tanga]

Ginger cordial works well as a primer. Careful not to overdo it though.