Ginger Beer Recipe - Scratch Brew No Kit

[philmud]

Hi guys!

I've skimmed through this thread looking for ideas. I used Chappo's recipe from the first post, but added a bit more ginger. Also, I only used normal brown sugar (I'd never seen or heard of dark brown sugar until a few days ago when I saw some in Woolies). It has been in the fermenter doing it's thing for 7 days. I'm a shift worker so I kinda loose track of how many days have passed, so I have only just gotten around to doing a gravity reading and a bit of a taste. According to my maths it is at 3.6% It is unfortunately not very sweet at all. I am guessing this is because I left it for too long. Question is, is there any way of sweetening it up again? Do i just dump some more brown sugar in there or have I ballsed it up completely?

Seven days isn't that long, so while fermenting out all the sugars will reduce sweetness, if you'd bottled it before it was finished then it would have continued to ferment there and probably blown up at some point.
To sweeten it up you *could* add non fermentable sweetners like stevia (and I think lactose) but I'd have a google to see if you can find some first hand advice - from what I read in the cider threads that doesn't always go well. You could sweeten it as you drink (eg. Pour onto lemonade or similar) but if your ABV calculation is right, you may not want to do that.

 

[Jabba1701]

That as what I thought would happen and I guess that is why, from what I read, a lot of the guys where crash chilling or use something to kill off the yeast. If I did something along those lines, could I just add more sugar then kill of the yeast? Adding sugar to it now would make it taste odd?

 

[philmud]

If you crash chill it you won't kill the yeast, but they'll become inactive (until/unless they warm up again, at which point they'll explode). Even if you keep the bottles below the temps at which yeast are active, the difficulty is knowing when to halt the yeast. Obviously you want carbonation, so I guess you could keep testing them till they are fizzy enough, and then cool them down. The residual sugar would make your brew sweeter, but personally I think it's too risky. I did read in the non-beer thread that someone was planning on pasteurising a cider in their dishwasher. Heat will kill the yeast dead, so maybe that'd be a better option?

Adding sugar now won't make it taste odd necessarily as the yeast will eat it (upping your ABV % by the way) - the question is how much sugar, and how much of it do you allow to ferment?

 

[Jabba1701]

...someone was planning on pasteurising a cider in their dishwasher. Heat will kill the yeast dead, so maybe that'd be a better option?...

That idea is brilliant and also so crazy it might just work! I'll be using PET bottles, so I might just keep adding sugar until i get the GB a bit sweeter than I'd like and then bottle. I can then wait until the secondary fermentation gets the bottles nice and firm then use the dishwasher trick and then whack them all in the fridge. I was considering using lactose, but i had read that it doesn't dissolve as easily and is not as sweet as the equivalent amount of sugar. And I have no idea how much I;d have to buy to sweeten my current brew.

Thanks Phil, definatly food for thought

 

[philmud]

I can then wait until the secondary fermentation gets the bottles nice and firm then use the dishwasher trick and then whack them all in the fridge...

Thanks Phil, definatly food for thought

No worries, but just remember, the fermentation that continues to take place post bottling will eat sugar, so they won't be as sweet as your last taste. Also, the level of carbonation will be difficult to gauge just by feeling, but other than that, good luck and let us know how it goes!!!

 

[Kingy]

I've got all the ingredients ready to try this (my first ever) ginger beer.
Followed the recipe from the first post.
Not quite sure what I should stop the ferment at.
Should I just let it ferment completely or stop around the 1005 mark? I want it to be drinkable as its cost a fair bit for the ingredients lol.
I can keg or bottle.
Also could I boil in a 15 litre pot then top up to desired gravity around 20litres in fermenter.
I don't really feel like getting my 80litre pot going for a 23 litre boil that's all.

 

[bum]

Yes, the smaller boil and diluting will be fine.

If you are putting any in bottles you need to let it ferment out. Kaboom, glass in the kiddies' eyes, etc.

 

[jbanthony]

Hi there!
I know this thread is from awhile ago but I have brewed Chappo's recipe + some chilli, its still fermenting and I am a complete rookie brewer so when I bottle Im not sure exactly how to prime with sugar? Chappo if your still out there could you give me an idea of what is the normal amount of sugar you mentioned? Do I make a mix of sugar and water to add? very sorry for silly questions!
thanks heaps in advance - any advice appriciated!!!

"On the alcoholic version bulk prime with the normal amount of sugar but on the lean ish side, even 3/4 is good. But taste test first to see how dry it is that will give you an indication of where to go bottle priming wise. There is a whack of fermentables in there and you don't want bottle bombs trust me."

 

[bum]

"Normal" here refers to your general preference for any brew. If you normally just use a scoop/carb lolly per bottle then that will be fine for your GB.

 

[Kingy]

Has anybody had any experience using lactose in there ginger beers ?

 

[brettprevans]

That idea is brilliant and also so crazy it might just work! I'll be using PET bottles, so I might just keep adding sugar until i get the GB a bit sweeter than I'd like and then bottle. I can then wait until the psecondary fermentation gets the bottles nice and firm then use the dishwasher trick and then whack them all in the fridge. I was considering using lactose, but i had read that it doesn't dissolve as easily and is not as sweet as the equivalent amount of sugar. And I have no idea how much I;d have to buy to sweeten my current brew.

Thanks Phil, definatly food for thought

please dont put PET into a hot dishwasher. Its not HDPE plastic and will shrink shrivel melt whatever. Trust me. I forgot once and absent mindless put some pet and glass bottles into wash. Lets just say I had mini bottles.

 

[Kingy]

Has anybody had any experience using lactose in there ginger beers ?

I've decided to crash chill my 2nd batch of ginger from scratch at a fg of 1014. Hopefully it stalls the yeast quickly and I end up with some retained sweetness. Tastes great from the fermenter. 3 chillies this time and can notice them coming through after the sample.

 

[indica86]

Putting one down today.
Thanks to the OP.
Ginger here is $29kg, fortunately mine has started growing, I managed to dig up about 1/2 a kg.

 

[Linford]

When kegging Chappos GB, should I carbonate at the same pressure I do for my beers? Will my normal routine of 250kpa for 24hours and then serve at 75 produce a good result? Does it like more or less carbing?

Rgds

Linford

 

[Linford]

Anyone? Cold crashing at 1020 to give me 3.8% and tasting amazing. Thanks Chappo.

 

[bum]

GB can carry a heavier carb than most beers, IMO. Certainly wouldn't undercarb it - especially one with that much body.

 

[Linford]

Cheers Bum. Will take it on board.

 

[Glot]

KISS. Dry ginger, some neutral yeast, sugar, water. After one week, bottle. Leave a day or two to carbonate but not detonate. Then into the fridge to stall fermentation. Don't let it age or the yeast tastes will come through. I also like to put one mint leaf in each bottle but that is personal taste.

 

[Linford]

Thanks Glot, but have gone with Chappos recipe, and nailed it. And it's goin in a keg. Plan on servin a few with a pint of ice and a crushed mint leave but. Maybe a splash of Absinthe on a big night!

Rgds

Linford

 

[bum]

KISS. Dry ginger, some neutral yeast, sugar, water. After one week, bottle. Leave a day or two to carbonate but not detonate. Then into the fridge to stall fermentation. Don't let it age or the yeast tastes will come through.

Wow. Truly awful advice.