Ginger beer - double batch with 5th generation ginger bug

[CrealCritter]

Saturday evening i brewed up a double batch of ginger beer. This is the 5th batch with my original ginger bug yeast strain. I was a little concerned about pitching my saved yeast into a double batch, 6 gallons of wort + 2 pints of ginger bug juice. But after a slight lag of about 36 hours, I'm happy ginger bug alive and is reproducing and happy fermenting. My ginger bug was home grown, you can't just go out and buy a package of ginger yeast, like you can with bread, beer, wine, spirits...

I have no idea how many generations, I could expect to see from my original culture of ginger bug. This is the 5th generation, I suspect as long as I continue to treat it right, it may last indefinitely, it seems rock solid, very forgiving and quite resilient so far.

 

[sumi]

The bug that just keeps on giving Looking good so far!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

It'll be interesting to see how long you can keep it going!

 

[CrealCritter]

This is perhaps the most active ginger bug ferment yet. Its putting a bubble through the air lock about once every 1/2 second. Although It had a long lag, it took off nicely after that.

A couple of things, I've learned about brewing ginger beer with ginger bug yeast.

1) There's no malt, so it's a ultra clean no krausen type of ferment.

2) Fermentation produces a tiny bit of sulfur dioxide, but that clears off after a few days of active fermenting, leaving behind a nice floral aroma. The aroma become more like a floral bouquet once its bottled and fully carbonated.

3) Only ferment 1 week or perhaps 1 week and a few days longer in the primary, then bottle. No need to do a secondary fermentation because it clears nicely, in just the primary. Its not going to be entirely clear no matter what you do. Unless you kill off the yeast, which totally defeats the the purpose of making it to begin with.

4) I highly suggest if your going to make some of this ginger beer. Bottle in plastic pet bottles because when the bottles get hard you know they are carbonated and ready to put them all in the refrigerator to drink and enjoy. Refrigeration slows the fermentation down to a crawl, thereby producing less CO2 and less chance for explosion in the same amount of time. Else left on their own like on a kitchen counter. I'm 100% certain the bottles would carbonate so much that they would explode, making a huge mess. They might still explode even after refrigeration, so just be aware and maybe occasionally twist the bottle cap slowly to allow some C02 gas to escape. Keep in mind that it is alive and in a confined space (plastic pet bottle).

 

[CrealCritter]

Day 4 - still percolating like an old school coffee pot

 

[sumi]

Hang on... I'm not seeing the raisins?!?

 

[CrealCritter]

Day 7 - We bottled up 48 pints plus 4 pints of what my daughter is calling mother. Mother being, ginger beer that's bottled without blueberry priming sugar to use as a starter for the next batch. My son in law and daughter are going to be making her own since I gave them a 5 gallon big mouth bubbler pet carboy, lid, bung and airlock.

Day 9 - here is one of the pints in a pet pint bottle. I didn't shake it, as a matter of fact I carried it very carefully. Its developed a foamy head right in the bottle. I'm almost afraid to open it and have a steaming ginger beer mess on my hands. I guess I'll open real slow -:lol I have it in the refrigerator now to get cold before sampling.

 

[wyoDreamer]

@CrealCritter
Are you still making the Ginger beer? I know you have an octoberfest party to plan and 16 million bottles of wine to get finished by Christmas, but are you still doing the ginger beer for your arthritis
I am wondering if you are still having less pain when you drink it?

 

[CrealCritter]

@CrealCritter
Are you still making the Ginger beer? I know you have an octoberfest party to plan and 16 million bottles of wine to get finished by Christmas, but are you still doing the ginger beer for your arthritis
I am wondering if you are still having less pain when you drink it?

Yes I sure am, and what arthritis pain I just haven't posted any about my ginger beer making because I have my recipe set and there's really nothing new. After my wine and beer makings, I would call my ginger beer a soft drink. My granddaughter's 3 and 4 even drink a little now and then, they like it maybe a little too much.

I came upon a concoction that works well for my arthritis, fermented ginger, lemon and blueberry. As long as it continues to work, I don't see a need to change anything about it.

I think I'm on like generation 18 now with my original ginger bug. That mother is very fertile.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Glad to hear it is still working for you.
We were allowed to have wine when we were just a little older than you GD's. Just a little glass for supper when we had Spaghetti and Meat Sauce, lol. Little sis always made sure to sit next to me too, because I never drank my wine and that way she could sneak mine. I am pretty sure that is why Spaghetti is my sister's favorite meal, even though she is old enough to have wine any ole time she wants it, lol.