ginger ale/beer

[Gman20]

anyone ever make this was wondering your method used


ive seen some vids on youtube and some people have some what id call unsanitary techniques im guessing it would be treated like beer

also wondering how it would taste? im also guessing not much like the crap you buy in a can

[BigPapaG]

I have had a couple commercal beers with ginger...

Not a fan really, but I do love Ginger Ale... Go figure!

Just had one the other day... It was Saranac's GPA (Ginger Pale Ale).

If I was going to make one, I'd probably start with a good pale ale recipe @ about 5.5% ABV.

Use Pilsen or Pale malts and about 5% C10 or C20... Jus to add some sweetness.

Your design should allow for a more fermentable mash if AG, for extract brews, include about a pound of table suger per five gallons in your grain bill.

The reason for this is to allow it to hit a lower FG, thus producing a drier, more crisp beer that provides the perception of a ginger ale, sort of...

I would pick a hop that would compliment the ginger rather than fight with it...

Maybe Hallertau Mittlefrau... An use maybe a 15-20 IBU bittering charge...

Maybe another small flavor or aroma charge, depending on where you want the ginger to appear...

Or just a bittering charge letting the ginger dominate... Depends on how much you like ginger...

I would peel and slice the ginger and add a little to the boil @ T-10

Start with a very small amount as it can get overpowering very fast.

You can taste it at flameout and see if you can guage if it's enough or not.

If you think it needs more, you can sanitize some more and add it during secondary.

Use a clean, neutral yeast that attenuates well... Or a French Saison like Belle from Danstar.

I would carbonate it a little higher than a pale ale, maybe 2.5-2.7 volumes of CO2.

you might also wast to have some Lactose around in case you need to sweeten the flavor at bttling time. Remember, lactose won't ferment so you still need to prime the bottles.

> Try a commercial example if you can before designing this to see if you like it.

Good luck, keep us posted!

[Gman20]

not sure yet if im actually gonna do it...... but was just wondering how it might be done

[Crazy Climber]

Last year, I brewed an extract batch that sounds similar to what BPG is describing, in some ways. Turned out very drinkable, and it scored a 37.5 in a regional contest.

I started with a can of Mr. Beer Craft Series Northwest Pale Ale that I had laying around. I even added a packet of the dreaded Booster (!) for which I had no other purpose. And about 1/3-lb of honey. I should mention, this was an LBK-sized batch.

At flameout, I added a hop sack containing 1/2 ounce of freshly-ground ginger root, and 1/2 ounce of Saaz hops. I left that sack in there for one week, throughout primary. Fermented in mid-60s with 5g of Coopers Fromunda that came with the NWPA. Bottled after three weeks. Here's where things got a little tricky.

At bottling, I felt there wasn't much ginger character. It might've gotten churned off during primary; not sure. So, I quickly took an inch-sized piece of ginger root and sent it through my Omega juicer, and added the resultant liquid to the bottling bucket. Carbed on the high side, 2.8 vols.

Turned out just right. And obviously, the judges thought it was pretty good, too.