Ginger Beer Recipe - Scratch Brew No Kit

[chappo1970]

YOU LITTLE MONSTERS!!!
This recipe is from SCRATCH!
S C R A T C H
I leave this place for 12yrs and look what you have reverted too!
Back to putting manufactured goop into your fermenters

 

[KegLand-com-au]

YOU LITTLE MONSTERS!!!
This recipe is from SCRATCH!
S C R A T C H
I leave this place for 12yrs and look what you have reverted too!
Back to putting manufactured goop into your fermenters

I think we might need to work out what people expect from making the ginger beer from scratch. So far on this thread we have people talking about different levels of processing for the ginger itself.

1. Fresh ginger root similar to what you see at the supermarket in the fresh goods area
2. Ginger pulp that you purchase in a jar
3. Ginger Juice that is heat pasteurized and had solids separated
4. Pre-fermented ginger that has been separated from solids with a centrifuge

So we probably have to define what this thread is about. Is this thread about only 1. above or do we also talk about 2, 3, 4 also? Once we work this out then we can see if another thread is required.

 

[chappo1970]

Explains why this forum is a ghost town

 

[livo]

Hi Chappo! Since the post just under your OP includes the use of a kit GB, I'd hardly call that a "from Scratch" contribution, but you seemed ok with that back then. Would we be correct in assuming your reference to manufactured goop is in relation to artificial sweeteners and flavouring cordials?

Having not so long ago tried several different "scratch" recipes and procedures with varying levels of cost, processing and success, I can say that what people want is something that works easily and produces a nice GB. That's what I want, and I've recently been making an acceptable product using a kit GB with a little Nestle Malt syrup. Simple, fast, affordable and very nice and refreshing to drink. I add a splash of it on top of whatever beer I'm drinking, and I love it. I also like it on its own.

As you would be well aware, people are trying to find the best way to maintain a level of sweetness and avoid full dry fermentation. Easy enough for big manufacturers (Four Pines, Great Northern) to achieve in canned GB, but not so for the home brew bottler. If you are a kegger who can sterilise your yeast and carbonate it's a different story, but I don't do that.

Are you still making the same OP recipe, or do you have other advice for bottled GB you've learned since then? I'd be very interested if you do.

 

[chappo1970]

Still use this recipe with a few twists.
Have you tried back sweetening with lactose? Or to complicated? Too much bother? Honey also works and is hard for the yeast to consume. By all means stick to your chemical goop comrade.
Being a commercial Beekeeper these days gives me access to some very wonderful and natural ingredients.
I have been working up a cracking GB recipe using pure unadulterated honey, native ginger, black wattle and native barks.
It isn’t simple or fast. You’ll need to work at it which seems counter to your needs.

 

[livo]

I have no objection to work or performing required processes, and I've done it with varying degrees of success / failure. Lactose I found to be ok, but not exactly what I'm after either. I couldn't say whether or not I use chemical goop until I understand your definition of same. As I said, you were quite ok with the post by Iczaban where he used a GG's recipe with a Morgan's kit and Buderim Refresher Cordial.

Another Hot Head GG? Excellent! :lol:

Chilli what an awesome idea. I'm gunna give that a crack on the next GB brew for sure. Might have to do a double batch one for me and one for the hordes. My GB a bit of a house brew here kids and the father in law consume 30 bottles in a matter of weeks.

Great recipe BTW GG thanks for sharing!

So, are you just referring to artificial sweeteners as manufactured goop?

 

[KegLand-com-au]

At the end of the day we are happy to respect what @chappo1970 has made this thread for but if you can outline what is ok and not ok in the thread that would be appreciated.

Do we need another thread that is "How to make the best ginger beer with any ingredients you can easily source in Australia"? This can be a more broad thread that encourages people to post recipes of any type irrespective of that being a kit, ginger cordial, real ginger or whatever else people find.

As @chappo1970 started this thread I think he should be able to decide what this thread is about so can you tell us the boundaries?

 

[chuck*]

Ok so i finally got around to making version 2 of the Father & Son Special Ginger Beer.

Version 1 was lacking in a few areas so I have tweaked it a little and changed a few things to see if I can improve it.

Recipe

1.5kg Fresh Ginger
2.0kg Brown Sugar
1.0kg Iron Bark Honey
4 Cinnamon Sticks
5 Large Bush Lemons
5 Limes

Yeast Safale S-05

Steps

1. Wash the ginger thoroughly
2. Cut Ginger into 2cm long pieces
3. Add 500ml of cold water to blender as well as the ginger. I found it's best to add a couple of pieces at a time. If you don't have a blender grating is fine but you may want to consider freezing overnight to break up the cell structure as the ginger root is very fiberous.
4. Set Ginger pulp aside in the fridge for an hour to set up a little. Makes it easier to get out of the blender.
5. Juice the lemons and limes. Set aside two lemons and limes for zesting.
6. Zest the lemons and limes taking care not to have any white pith. I used a fish filleting knife. Then cut into thin strips.
7. Crush cinnamon. I put the cinnamon sticks in a zip lock bag and used my palm to crush them. Less mess that way.
8. Add all the sugar and honey to the boiler with 22lt of hot water. You will need a further 500ml of water to rinse the hoey from the pot. Stir to disolve. Boil size should now be 24lts.
9. Bring up to the boil. Gentle at this stage. Boil time is 60mins.
10. Add ginger pulp, zest and cinnamon to hops bag and drop it the boiler.
11. Boil gently for 50mins. Scoop ginger scum from top of boil. Dunk the bag like a tea bag every so often to get as much ginger flavour to impart to the boil.
12. Boil vigorously last 10mins. Keep a vigil as it will try to boil over!
13. Flame out 60mins.
14. Remove bag from boiler, just the remaining water seep out, don't squeeze. Scoop any scub from the top of the boil.
15. Rehydrate yeast in starter.
16. Cool it to pitching temp 18-20C.
17. Pitch yeast.
18. Ferment till steady readings.

SG - 1057
FG - 1012

I put it into the fermenter yeasterday. It was happily bubbling away this morning. I want to make mine a little less alcoholic so I will rack to a secondary vessle and crash chill before bottling.

I hope you enjoy it!

I'll just stick to my Morgans Ginger beer kit and Brewblend from The Brew Shed, so much easier and tastes great. https://thebrewshed.com.au/collections/soft-drinks-billsons