Membership questions? Log in issues? Email info@brewersassociation.org

Author Topic: Suggestions / recipe for Hard Jamaican Ginger Ale  (Read 4126 times)

Offline rjharper

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 646
    • Angry Scotsman Brewing
Suggestions / recipe for Hard Jamaican Ginger Ale
« on: August 09, 2011, 03:57:33 pm »
I really like dry, spicy Jamaican ginger ales.  I'd like to try a homebrew recipe that makes a hard ginger ale beer, ie maybe some Pilsen DME and ginger in place of hops.  Any suggestions?  I'm thinking the following, preparing the ginger by peeling and minifood processor.  Remember, I want it dry and spicy.

3 gal test batch
3lbs Pilsen DME
3lbs Honey
1.5oz ginger pulp 30mins
1.5oz ginger pulp 15mins
1.5oz ginger pulp flameout
WLP001 yeast

Anyone? Thanks!!


« Last Edit: August 09, 2011, 04:03:53 pm by rjharper »

Offline Jimmy K

  • Official Poobah of No Life. (I Got Ban Hammered by Drew)
  • *********
  • Posts: 3643
  • Delaware
Re: Suggestions / recipe for Hard Jamaican Ginger Ale
« Reply #1 on: August 09, 2011, 07:42:13 pm »
We've tried this a couple times. The result is never really the same as Jamaican ginger beer, but worth experimenting with. We've added much more ginger, like 1-2 lbs for a 5 gallon batch. There is an interesting interaction between malt and ginger, as in, the malt completely hides the ginger flavor until its aged for about 9 months. The first time, we boiled the ginger for 10 minutes and after fermentation couldn't taste any ginger. So we added another pound of chopped ginger and aged it for a couple weeks. Still no ginger. After it was in the bottle for almost a year we could finally taste the ginger. Beats me what's going on - I'd like to know how you make out.

Other things. Someone else made a ginger "beer" once that was actually a ginger mead made with 50% honey/50% rice syrup. It was really good.

The second batch I used a blend of spices with the ginger - lemon, orange peel, and cayanne pepper. I decided to do this after reading the ingredients on a bottle of british ginger beer that listed "blend of botanicals" and capsaisin (hot pepper oil). Be careful with cayanne, but it definately helped give it the "bite" that I was looking for.
Delmarva United Homebrewers - President by inverse coup - former president ousted himself.
AHA Member since 2006
BJCP Certified: B0958

Offline tschmidlin

  • I must live here
  • **********
  • Posts: 8198
  • Redmond, WA
Re: Suggestions / recipe for Hard Jamaican Ginger Ale
« Reply #2 on: August 09, 2011, 09:50:28 pm »
I agree, more ginger, some cayenne to spice it up, and sugars that aren't going to overwhelm the spiciness.  I make a N/A Jamaican ginger beer from time to time that turns out nice.  I'd even be tempted to do make it and just add vodka to see what kind of alcohol level I like.
Tom Schmidlin

Offline rjharper

  • Brewmaster
  • *****
  • Posts: 646
    • Angry Scotsman Brewing
Re: Suggestions / recipe for Hard Jamaican Ginger Ale
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2011, 08:21:42 am »
Thanks guys. I think I'll up the ginger additions to 4oz, and include another 4oz "dry-hop", then add some lemon as well.  I might hold off the cayenne on the first round, but I do like the idea.  I'll let you know how it goes/