Scratch ginger beer, no sweetness

[GringoT]

G'Day Team,

Love the forum and read it regularly and thought I would post a problem (opportunity) i came across with my scratch ginger beer. Since no longer being able to procure the coopers tins for my old faithfull ginger beer i thought i would have a crack at a ginger beer from scratch. My recipe was as follows;

1.5kg of grated ginger
1kg organic box honey
1kg raw sugar
5 juiced and zested lemons
1 cinnamon stick
all in a 10l pot, bring to boil for 30mins
take off the heat
into a large fermentor
top to 23l of water
pitch dry EC1118 yeast in at 20 degs

I made this batch about 2 weeks ago and my air lock is still bubbling away. Fermentation temp has been steady at around 19-22 degs. Its slowing up now so I thought I would take a taste...

On initial taste its gingery, but on the back end its super dry / peppery and has absolutely no sweetens.

My question to the people here much smarter than I, is there a possibility to post sweeten this brew? I was thinking of maybe adding 1 kg of lactose to try and bring the sweetness up. Or will this just turn my tallies into bottle bombs? I had planned on bulk priming if that makes a difference.

If all else has failed I can use it as ginger cordial for dark and stormy for the guests.

Thanks for your help!

 

[kadmium]

Lactose is not fermentable but in my opinion gives things a milky sweetness that I do not like.

Ec-1118 will ferment things bone dry. No sweetness.

Only option for back sweetening is if you stabilise by using sorbate and potassium metabisulphate (KMETA) to kill off the yeast. Then you can sweeten with sugar but can't bottle prime.

 

[Luxo_Aussie]

I was thinking of maybe adding 1 kg of lactose to try and bring the sweetness up. Or will this just turn my tallies into bottle bombs? I had planned on bulk priming if that makes a difference.

I'd dissolve a bit of lactose in a sample small glass to see how you like the taste - I've had a bit of success in the past so it might save the brew. I would bottle either way (even if no love for the lactose) and use it to mix, as you say.

 

[GringoT]

Thanks for the tips fellas. I can keg it but i'd like to bottle as I don't drink a whole lot of ginger beer at the moment. I think ill try dissolving a known amount of lactose and/or natural sweeter (Erythritol) in a bit of the brew before adding to the mix.

These guys talk about using natural non fermentatables.

I'll keep you posted on the results.

 

[mje1980]

I did one not long ago. I like ginger but bloody hell its dry!. I mix with lemonade if i want a little sweetness to balance the ginger burn

 

[banksy20]

If you can get your hands on xylitol it gives sweetness and a nice cool mouth feeling to the ginger beer. Not sure how difficult it is to get these days. It’s an unfermentable sugar alcohol which comes from the conversion of xylose (5 carbon sugar present in plant mass). Apologies for the chemistry!!