Hi all,
I'm considering brewing a ginger beer with a malt base. Before you slander the examples of "beers with ginger" compared to "all ginger" brews, hear me out.
I'm thinking of doing an all pilsner + some carapils mash to around 3.5% alc, but mashing high (maybe 69C or 70C) for body, sweetness and head retention. I'm also going to add roughly the same amount of ginger that all-ginger brewers seem to add (in the ballpark of 1kg to 1.5kg per 20L) AND local honey around 1kg/20L. I'm hoping for a final result of a more balanced ginger brew that isn't so dry, but also not too beery.
My thoughts are that perhaps the "beers with ginger" that are commercially available are brewed a bit cheaply with bad beer ingredients and processes, not enough ginger and too beery?
I did have a good read of the "no kit" ginger beer thread and had some good thoughts from there.
If I do some experiments, maybe even on a small scale BIAB (10L or so) and need more sweetness, I might even chuck a bunch of crystal malt in the mash.
Anyone's experiments? Thoughts? I'd still do a boil of the mash and add the ginger for the last 10 mins, and from reading up on brewing with honey, more like "sterilise" it by pasturising rather than in the boil. Although for the little experiments I may just chuck it in with the ginger...
My other thoughts are to include nuts of some description, perhaps even roasted hazelnuts in the mash. Will also consider (and probably experiment with) adding golden syrup, brown sugar, molasses etc - more for flavour than fermentability.
All opinions/experience appreciated!
I'm considering brewing a ginger beer with a malt base. Before you slander the examples of "beers with ginger" compared to "all ginger" brews, hear me out.
I'm thinking of doing an all pilsner + some carapils mash to around 3.5% alc, but mashing high (maybe 69C or 70C) for body, sweetness and head retention. I'm also going to add roughly the same amount of ginger that all-ginger brewers seem to add (in the ballpark of 1kg to 1.5kg per 20L) AND local honey around 1kg/20L. I'm hoping for a final result of a more balanced ginger brew that isn't so dry, but also not too beery.
My thoughts are that perhaps the "beers with ginger" that are commercially available are brewed a bit cheaply with bad beer ingredients and processes, not enough ginger and too beery?
I did have a good read of the "no kit" ginger beer thread and had some good thoughts from there.
If I do some experiments, maybe even on a small scale BIAB (10L or so) and need more sweetness, I might even chuck a bunch of crystal malt in the mash.
Anyone's experiments? Thoughts? I'd still do a boil of the mash and add the ginger for the last 10 mins, and from reading up on brewing with honey, more like "sterilise" it by pasturising rather than in the boil. Although for the little experiments I may just chuck it in with the ginger...
My other thoughts are to include nuts of some description, perhaps even roasted hazelnuts in the mash. Will also consider (and probably experiment with) adding golden syrup, brown sugar, molasses etc - more for flavour than fermentability.
All opinions/experience appreciated!