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Author Topic: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??  (Read 15423 times)

Offline dirtybiz

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Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« on: January 26, 2013, 01:48:41 pm »
My question is what are the main differences?  Which do you guys prefer to use?  Will one get more flavor than the other?

I'm looking to add some ginger and Corriander to a Saison I'm working on and want to develop some depth of flavor. 

Offline hoser

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #1 on: January 26, 2013, 02:20:05 pm »
I prefer to use the candied ginger.  Chop it up and add it in the last 5 minutes of the boil.

Offline guido

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #2 on: January 26, 2013, 02:49:10 pm »
I prefer to use the candied ginger.  Chop it up and add it in the last 5 minutes of the boil.

My wife uses candied ginger for her Ginger Sanps Cider.
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Offline guido

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #3 on: January 26, 2013, 02:50:57 pm »
I prefer fresh, but I have used dry.  Fresh requires more, though.  For example,  I use one tablespoon fresh vs one teaspoon dry for my Pumpkin Ale.
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Offline dirtybiz

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2013, 04:49:01 pm »
Does the Candied Ginger have a different flavor profile? 

Offline morticaixavier

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #5 on: January 26, 2013, 10:36:46 pm »
I think all three types so far discussed are vastly different flavour wise

Fresh ginger is spicy but also smooth and a little sweet
Candied is similar to fresh but a little hotter and much sweeter (but that sweetness doesn't carryover as it's fermentable)
dried is Hot hot hot. okay ginger flavour but mostly that warming heat character.

I like to use all three in the same beer. I might even chop up some candied ginger and add to secondary or towards the end of primary
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Offline mabrungard

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2013, 08:00:09 am »
One of my clubmates (last year's Indiana Homebrewer of the Year and NHC medal winner) prefers to use dried ginger.  That startled me when he mentioned it.  But his point was that ginger root has such variability that being able to incorporate a more consistent product into your beer is more important than any extra flavor nuances that a fresh product can provide.  And for any of you that have used ginger, you know that the proper amount is welcome.  But overdosing a brew with ginger can easily make it unpalatable. 

If you expect to make a consistent and pleasant gingered beer, its best to use the dried form.
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Offline dirtybiz

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2013, 08:59:43 am »
Ok guys, thanks for the advice.  I'll let ya know how it goes!

I just racked my first batch to the Secondary and going to brew the second batch with the additions on Tuesday. 

Cheers!

Offline The Professor

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2013, 12:46:56 pm »
If there's a way for you to split the batch, you should try dosing half with fresh ginger and half with dry and see what  you like best...they have very different flavors.

Personally, after experimentation, I think that fresh ginger has  a  much more pleasant flavor.
But again, it all boils down to personal opinion nd it is worth trying both.

And to make it a little more interesting, try a batch with some fresh Galangal Ginger...it is different than either of the other options discussed, and quite wonderful.
 :)
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Offline dirtybiz

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #9 on: March 07, 2013, 04:36:18 pm »
So I decided to use .5oz of Dried Ginger Root I bought at my local homebrew shop for my 5 gal batch of Saison.  I added it at 15min and left it in the Primary for 2 weeks before racking to the secondary.  WOW the Ginger flavor is HUGE!  It's way more than I was looking for.  What could I have done different?

I was looking for subtle tones of Ginger not IN YOUR FACE GINGER!

Also, it completely took away the amazing notes the WYEAST 3711 gives to the nose of the brew.

Offline Iliff Ave

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #10 on: March 07, 2013, 05:17:03 pm »
I still haven't figured out the right amount of ginger after using freshly grated root twice. I used a full oz with 5 min remaining and 1/2 oz with 5 min remaining. Next time, I plan to use about 4-7 g. From what I understand, the ground stuff should be a lot more potent. Is the dried stuff you got ground as well? I have seen saison recipes with 4 g of fresh ginger root with good reviews so that might be a good starting point. Using 1/2 oz of ground (if that is what it is) may be like using 2 oz or more of fresh.
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Offline majorvices

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Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #11 on: March 08, 2013, 05:39:58 am »
I use fresh ginger and prefer to use it best. I agree with the comments above about the uniformity, and I have found that you need to look for large pieces of ginger that are plump with a clean bright color, as opposed to the small, shrivelled dried pieces - the larger the better! The one's I pick out are very uniform in appearance and I find that this uniformity passes along well into the finished beer. I will add that I use about 12 lbs of ginger a month so I have a pretty good feel for it now. I use it sparingly at WP and WP for about 20 minutes then another 10 minutes settling and whatever time it takes to run off. I am looking for a subtle ginger character with no heat. If, on occasion, the ginger is less than I want I will add a little fresh ginger tea after fermentation is finished.

I add 180 degree water to mine (chop it with knife first) and then pop in in microwave and wave it till it is close to boil then let sit for 10 minutes before pureeing in processor then add directly to kettle. I think that this process helps extract more flavor and kills molds and such present on skin. Also makes it super easy to puree.

Just going to give a little hint: Lime leaves go very nicely paired with giner using same technique mentioned above. ;)
« Last Edit: March 08, 2013, 05:45:28 am by majorvices »

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #12 on: March 08, 2013, 08:02:26 am »
So I decided to use .5oz of Dried Ginger Root I bought at my local homebrew shop for my 5 gal batch of Saison.  I added it at 15min and left it in the Primary for 2 weeks before racking to the secondary.  WOW the Ginger flavor is HUGE!  It's way more than I was looking for.  What could I have done different?

I was looking for subtle tones of Ginger not IN YOUR FACE GINGER!

Also, it completely took away the amazing notes the WYEAST 3711 gives to the nose of the brew.

This was my experience the last time I used ginger in a beer.  It was the last time.

I don't mind it as a background flavor.  But I don't like it enough to keep experimenting.

I used fresh ginger, but I don't recall the amount.  IIRC there's a recipe in the New Complete Joy for honey ginger ale, which would probably be what I brewed.

Over time, I've moved away from spiced beers.  I prefer the flavors that come from the malt, hops and yeast.
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Offline mabrungard

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #13 on: March 08, 2013, 10:12:21 am »
Keith points out an important distinction with fresh ginger.  Using the plumper, fresher root works for him.  Deconstructing his recommendation, you should recognize that the difference is the amount of water in the amount of ginger used in your beer.  The plumper root means that you are more likely to effectively use less ginger in your beer.  So Keith is self-moderating the amount.  A person using a drier and more shriveled root is going to add more 'essence' to the beer and may be more likely to overdose it compared to using a plump root.  The same thing applies to using the dried product...even more concentrated.  One brewer's recommendation to use a tsp of plump, fresh ginger may need to be far less in the dried form.  Keep this in mind.
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Offline dirtybiz

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Re: Fresh Ginger or Dry Ginger??
« Reply #14 on: March 09, 2013, 06:01:12 pm »
The Ginger I got at the Brew shop was not ground but it was in small dried chunks.  It's the cool thing about this hobby.  Experimentation!!  LOVE IT!