Ginger beer FG

[Timezero]

G'day,

Apologies I've posted this in the wrong section.

Basically I've had an attempt at my first ginger beer, and I'm a little unsure about what's going on in relation to FG.

The GB has been fermenting for two weeks, just the odd bubble here n there in the airlock.

Now I've tested the brew with a hydrometer as the bubbles are far and few and appear to have a .990, I also note what appears to be a real winey smell.

I also forgot to test the SG at the start so I don't have a starting point to begin with, live n learn I guess!

The ingredients were as follows.

1kg fresh ginger
3 lemons juiced
5kg white sugar
Ginger beer yeast was used (mad Milli)
And topped up to 23L in the fermenter.

Basically boiled and strained the ginger and lemon, then into fermenter, topped up with water to 23L and 25deg and pitched yeast.

Is the FG normal? Have I screwed up?.

Thanks.

 

[wildwhitty]

G'day,

Apologies I've posted this in the wrong section.

Basically I've had an attempt at my first ginger beer, and I'm a little unsure about what's going on in relation to FG.

The GB has been fermenting for two weeks, just the odd bubble here n there in the airlock.

Now I've tested the brew with a hydrometer as the bubbles are far and few and appear to have a .990, I also note what appears to be a real winey smell.

I also forgot to test the SG at the start so I don't have a starting point to begin with, live n learn I guess!

The ingredients were as follows.

1kg fresh ginger
3 lemons juiced
5kg white sugar
Ginger beer yeast was used (mad Milli)
And topped up to 23L in the fermenter.

Basically boiled and strained the ginger and lemon, then into fermenter, topped up with water to 23L and 25deg and pitched yeast.

Is the FG normal? Have I screwed up?.

Thanks.

Seems Ok. My last GB stopped at 0994.

 

[Gaz1111]

Hi all, Just came across this.
My original SG was 1.025
I had added yeast to a small jug prior and it was working fine. Added to main brew and it seemed to be bubbling but I wouldn't say going off by any means, but was cloudy and seemed to be okay. Its only been 5 days since putting it down (kingsleys receipe) and its pretty clear and no bubbles. Checked FG and it was just under 1.000 ( didn't take too much notice as I thought my hygrometer was stuffed).
Could it be possible that it's ready? Would it benefit from me trying to see if I can put some more yeast in and see if it starts again, although the FG seems to tell me it's ready?
Will it be okay to leave it for a bit before bottling?

Thanks for your help in advance.
Gaz

 

[Paddy Melon]

Hi Guys, I'm really trying to find out what home brew ginger beer tastes like? Can it resemble Bundaburge GB or is it like a spice Cider. I like GB and so does the missus but we like it sweet rather than tart. It doesn't necessarily have to be alcoholic but it does need to be carbonated and I'd like to make 20 odd litres at a time advice is really needed. Thanks

 

[beergee]

Hi Guys, I'm really trying to find out what home brew ginger beer tastes like? Can it resemble Bundaburge GB or is it like a spice Cider. I like GB and so does the missus but we like it sweet rather than tart. It doesn't necessarily have to be alcoholic but it does need to be carbonated and I'd like to make 20 odd litres at a time advice is really needed. Thanks

I made the one with the Morgans kit and a whole bunch of adjuncts like fresh ginger, chillies, ginger cordial, vermouth etc and the flat metallic artificial sweetener taste still comes through.

It's still sitting in the keg as I'm trying to work up the strength to dump it since it was quite pricey to make.

 

[Paddy Melon]

Yes the more I read the less inclined I am to go for a kit GB. The artificial taste is definitely what I'm trying to avoid. I don't like it in cordials so won't like it in GB. I would like to bottle it so am thinking my only option is to make it non alcoholic unless there is another way.

 

[Ben Davies]

Maltodextrin should work at adding body to the beer.
It's a non fermenatable sugar so whatever you add will remain.

Hope that helps

 

[Nick the Knife]

Yes the more I read the less inclined I am to go for a kit GB. The artificial taste is definitely what I'm trying to avoid. I don't like it in cordials so won't like it in GB. I would like to bottle it so am thinking my only option is to make it non alcoholic unless there is another way.

There's been a plethora of GB threads lately. Alas it seems very few of them have been even vaguely happy with the results, particularly if bottling. I had to dump an entire 30L batch after using an artificial sweetener - which was extra disappointing as the fermented product was terrific and all from home grown ginger and citrus.

If doing over, which I will as next season's Ginger is already going great guns - I would as dorky as it sounds, sweeten on consumption with a chilled sugar syrup in a glass of ice. Not ideal but super simple and near impossible to screw up.

Alternatively you can backsweeten with lactose, which @livo is experiementing and documenting at present. Otherwise bottling is hard - as kegging you could use potassium sorbate (IIRC) to neutralise the yeast, add some sugars and then carb in the keg - but bottling is trickier.

You might get lucky on one the new generations artificial sweeteners on the market but I'd try in a cup of tea etc first to see if you can palate it. Best of luck as seems to be a difficult one to nail for folks lately.

 

[Jon54]

Erythritol seems to pass the neutral taste test on a few videos I've watched and can replace sugar gram for gram.

 

[MHB]

Just glanced at this thread, you used 5Kg of sugar in 23L that gives you an OG of ~1.080 (a touch over).

If you are effectively at 0.000 FG you have made about 10.6% ABV ginger beer.
I strongly suspect the yeast you used is a white wine yeast, many of which would have no trouble getting to 15% some a fair bit higher. The original ginger beer "Bug is very different.
The BUT - the higher the alcohol content the more side issues the yeast will throw, that’s probably where you are getting a fair fraction of your "Winey" smell from.
I think you will get better results if you wind you sugar (and alcohol) down, use a fair fraction of raw or brown sugar rather than white and ferment a little cooler (again hotter throws more off favours and aromas).
Mark

 

[livo]

Exactly, and as recently mentioned in the other GB thread, I've seen a video where the guy used 6 kg for an ABV of near 13%, which he bottled before complete fermentation and without even knowing how much un-fermented sugar remained. Kaboom!!!

From what I've learnt recently (last night), there are 3 fermentation starters for "Ginger Beer".
Yeast, "The Bug" and the Ginger Beer Plant (or GBP). The latter 2 are very often mistakenly confused. They are not the same thing. So, there is actually Ginger Flavoured Beer, Simple Ginger Beer and Real Ginger Beer. My understanding now is that it is really only the first one that lends itself to brewing and bottling for storage and conditioning over any length of time (like Home Brewed Beer). The other 2 are far less stable and it is recommended to consume them fairly quickly, particularly if kept in warm conditions, lest they explode.

 

[nackfath]

G'day,

Apologies I've posted this in the wrong section.

Basically I've had an attempt at my first ginger beer, and I'm a little unsure about what's going on in relation to FG.

The GB has been fermenting for two weeks, just the odd bubble here n there in the airlock.

Now I've tested the brew with a hydrometer as the bubbles are far and few and appear to have a .990, I also note what appears to be a real winey smell.

I also forgot to test the SG at the start so I don't have a starting point to begin with, live n learn I guess!

The ingredients were as follows.

1kg fresh ginger
3 lemons juiced
5kg white sugar
Ginger beer yeast was used (mad Milli)
And topped up to 23L in the fermenter.

Basically boiled and strained the ginger and lemon, then into fermenter, topped up with water to 23L and 25deg and pitched yeast.

Is the FG normal? Have I screwed up?.

Thanks.

Hey time zero,
I am about to put down a ginger beer and try the mad milli yeast. how many sachets did you use for this 23L brew? How did your beer turn out?