For our Sunday spring brunch, I thought I should brew up some soda. There's nothing particularly new here, but I'm trying for 11 bottles, even though that won't fit in the gallon glass jug I've been brewing in. Bigger portions on the ingredients to make a more concentrated base, and then a little extra water mixed in some how or another.
3 1/4 oz fresh ginger
11 cardamom pods
3 Tbsp juniper berries
1 1/2 tsp white pine bark
1/2 cup yarrow flowers
1 tsp dry lemon rind
1 scant tsp citric acid
scan 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cups sugar
1/4 tsp yeast
1 1/2 gal water
So, even though this is pretty much the same recipe I've been using, this batch didn't turn out nearly as awesome as the last. First, it isn't very fizzy, despite the mini-test-bottle that gushed after 4 days fermentation and a night in the fridge. (Though Fentiman's has about the same amount of fizz.) The rest didn't go in till 5 days. I'm wondering if the bale-top bottles aren't holding the fizz. The big difference is that this ginger seems to just not have had much punch. It has more in common with Vernor's or Canada Dry (I'm aware they're fairly different) than the Caribbean style ginger beers like Reed's. Aside from sharper ginger (the "young" stuff?) a bit more citric acid wouldn't hurt, though maybe that's only needed because of the tamer ginger. Overall it's good, just not the best.
Hi Craig, thanks for the blog! I was wondering your opinion on how your brew compairs to vergils? I'm new to the brewing game and am going to try to make a batch this week when I round up all the ingredients :) thanks wish me luck
ReplyDeleteSorry my last post was posted to your wrong post it was directed toward your root beer thanks again
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I've tried Virgil's, but I don't recall it to compare. The recipe's I've made are definitely rooty, but quite a bit different than what's in the grocery store, which usually throws people.
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