Dark And Stormy

[kuzzy]

I did a search and didn't find a definite answer....

Looking for an extract recipe for a "Dark and Stormy"

What kit of ginger beer kit would you recommend and dex?

I have at hand:
1 bottle of Bundy rum normal stuff 700ml
1 bottle of Bundy Red Label 1L

What would you fine people recommend - happy to get another regular Bundy rum bottle if need be.

Have fementor & cube setup and plan to put this in bottles (PET) - not keg as I will not drink this all the time - plan to age for a bit

Cheers in advance....

Kuzzy

 

[manticle]

I would (and have) make up an alc ginger beer and mix each glass with the rum. I wouldn't try and ferment them together if that's what you're thinking - I don't think the yeast will cope if you feed too much high alcohol.

 

[kuzzy]

What about if I add sugar, put a nip of rum in the bottle, fill up with ginger bear & seal up & leave for two weeks minimum?

Any issues with doing this - will it stop secondary fermentation (gassing up)?

 

[manticle]

Carbonation relies on the yeast to be active so I think you would have issues depending on the final abv and the tolerance of the yeast. If you were kegging you could presumably add it to the keg.

If you used a high gravity yeast and stayed within the range then I guess you could.

 

[beerbog]

Ferment the ginger beer, keg and carb it, have a taste then add a bottle or 2 of bundy. Delicious. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[hendos]

Has anyone added a shot of bundy before bottling there ginger beer in stubbies. Curious as i will be doing it in a couple of weeks

 

[ekul]

Has anyone added a shot of bundy before bottling there ginger beer in stubbies. Curious as i will be doing it in a couple of weeks

I haven't tried this but i would be interested in hearing your results.

I have been thinking of doing something similar ( i don't like bundy but i do like scotch). I was thinking of making up some alco ginger beer and then adding a bottle of scotch before i bottle.

A 750ml bottles of scotch is around 37%, 370mls of pure alcohol per bottle. So if i added that to 18L of alco ginger beer the scotch would contribute 1.97% alcohol.

370mls alc / 18750mls (volume of ginger beer + bottle of spirits) x 100 = 1.97% alcohol

So if the alco ginger beer starts at say 2.5%alc, i gain .5% alc during carbonation and the scotch adds 1.97% alc then i should end up with nearly a 5% scotch and dry ginger ale, around perfect i reckon.

The yeast should still be able to carb this as its not above the alcohol content of most beers, or does something happen when you add alcohol, raher than 'make' it during fermentation?

 

[earle]

Can't see why it should be a problem. Thinking of doing something like this with porter and bourbon. I'm pretty sure there has been previous discussion on this combo.

 

[hendos]

will let you know how it goes i will be starting the ginger beer today after i bottle my wheat beer

 

[Brewjohno]

I have done this before but only for kegging.

I don't make the Ginger Beer Alcoholic I just mix it up and pour it straight into the keg, there is no fermentation necessary with forced keg carbonation.

I use a ratio of 1:4. 1 litre of Rum to 4 Litres of Ginger Beer.

I use a 10L keg for this as it is normally more than enough.

The reason I don't make the G.B. alcoholic is because it will blow your head off. You will end up with an alco % that is very high and not socially acceptable for those coming to my house during the festive seson. At least with the 1:4 ratio you are better approaching a standard drink serving for those counting their drinks.

My one suggestion is that you make your Ginger Beer in an old fermenter. I found that it really tainted the fermenter and I couldn't get the smell out of it.

 

[Brewjohno]

Can I make another suggestion.

I agree with other posters that the rum with most likely kill the yeast.

What if you were to make the ginger beer alcoholic and then purchase something like a Sam Willards or Top Shelf rum essence used by other brewers making spirits?

These are effectively a rum flavouring, without the alcohol and therefore should have no impact on your yeast.

Some essences are good for up to 5litres of spirit so you could experiment with this and bulk prime your batch and then bottle it for secondary natural fermentation.

Brewjohno.

 

[Newbiebrewer]

what about replacing some of the sugar with molasses/dark sugar?

 

[hendos]

well i bottled my ginger beer yesterday, did 8 stubbies with half a shot of bundy in each bottle,
see how it goes.

 

[Tanga]

Let us know how it turned out. I'll be using bourbon in mine.

I think the suggestion of using molassis instead of sugar was an interesting one. Though apparently you can get some pretty off sulphur smells if their aren't enough nutrients in the brew.