RWurster
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I looked through a whole lot of threads on this subject here and elsewhere and can't find an answer.
I recently made a few batches of ginger beer and for both batches I followed a simple recipe: 1.5 gallons, 2 cups of grated ginger, and the zest and juice from 2 small limes, and I added 4# of cane sugar. I went off recipe though as I added the ginger and sugar to 3 quarts of water and boiled it for 20 minutes (recipe said to just let it set for 3 months). I then brought up to 1.5 gallons, added the lime juice and lime zest, let it cool and pitched 1 cup of my ginger bug. (The ginger bug has hefeweisen and saflager t23 yeast instead of wild yeast). It fermented for 30 days. O.G. was 1.086 F.G. 1.024 which is 8% abv but the beer finished with a flavor so intense as to knock you out. I can take the heat, and I can take a lot of strong flavors but this stuff is so strong it is bordering on stripping paint with the vapors. I forced 3 of them down and the rest I am letting bottle condition for another 2 months in hopes they mellow out a little...
So my question is, has anyone else had a similar experience with such a strong tasting ginger beer and what caused it?
I have looked through several other recipes and they are not far off of the amount of ginger i used. Also, I have searched quite a bit and have not found anyone talking about why their ginger beer is so strong. I gave some to my friend and it looked like he had a tear in his eye, he couldnt even hide how brutal this stuff came out. This is only the 9th batch of "beer" I have made so I am still a beginner so am I missing something obvious?
I have another batch made exactly like the one above except I started it a week later and used lemons, it is still bubbling.
I recently made a few batches of ginger beer and for both batches I followed a simple recipe: 1.5 gallons, 2 cups of grated ginger, and the zest and juice from 2 small limes, and I added 4# of cane sugar. I went off recipe though as I added the ginger and sugar to 3 quarts of water and boiled it for 20 minutes (recipe said to just let it set for 3 months). I then brought up to 1.5 gallons, added the lime juice and lime zest, let it cool and pitched 1 cup of my ginger bug. (The ginger bug has hefeweisen and saflager t23 yeast instead of wild yeast). It fermented for 30 days. O.G. was 1.086 F.G. 1.024 which is 8% abv but the beer finished with a flavor so intense as to knock you out. I can take the heat, and I can take a lot of strong flavors but this stuff is so strong it is bordering on stripping paint with the vapors. I forced 3 of them down and the rest I am letting bottle condition for another 2 months in hopes they mellow out a little...
So my question is, has anyone else had a similar experience with such a strong tasting ginger beer and what caused it?
I have looked through several other recipes and they are not far off of the amount of ginger i used. Also, I have searched quite a bit and have not found anyone talking about why their ginger beer is so strong. I gave some to my friend and it looked like he had a tear in his eye, he couldnt even hide how brutal this stuff came out. This is only the 9th batch of "beer" I have made so I am still a beginner so am I missing something obvious?
I have another batch made exactly like the one above except I started it a week later and used lemons, it is still bubbling.