Current batch of ginger ale

[jwgh]

might be the best yet. I think that's probably mostly because I've let it mellow a few days. (It is important to occasionally let out some of the CO₂ to prevent explosions!) But anyway here are the main changes from the recipe that I tried this time:

(1) 1/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup honey.
(2) 3-4 tablespoons of ginger.
(3) 1 dried chili pepper.
(4) 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
(5) 1 tsp vanilla.

Very gingery. A little bite but not too much. Not too sweet. I may stick with this variant the next time I make ginger ale.

Comments

[secritcrush.livejournal.com]

Prevent explosions? What are you thinking?

Sounds tasty. (My lime rickey-ade was sadly mostly a flop - never carbonated well. Still good as limeade, but I could have had that a week ago.)

[jwgh]

I drank a little less than a cup on the first day because I figured that would give the soda a little headroom for it to foam into when I opened it at my dad's the second day. I underestimated the power of fermentation, though, and almost ended up blasting little chunks of ginger all over my dad's kitchen. Whoops!

Too bad about the lime rickey - I was thinking of trying that next. Hmm, this page has a recipe for some kind of weird Finnish fermented lime drink: http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f95/lemon-soda-recipe-96738/ but I don't think I'm adventurous enough to try it.

[bigevilgrape.livejournal.com]

What are you using for yeast?

[jwgh]

1/8 tsp Fleischman's Active Dry Yeast. I'm using this recipe, more or less: http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/cheese/ginger_ale_ag0.htm

[bigevilgrape.livejournal.com]

I have the home made root beer, soda and pop book. I just need to get out and try some more. The guy at the home brew store hooked me up with some champagne yeast; i was just wondering if it was all that necessary to use it over bread yeast. Looks like next time I'll be dipping into the giant jar of bread yeast instead of heading to the brew shop.

[jwgh]

When you take off the cap for the first time there's a definite yeasty smell which reminded one of my friends of bread. (This smell does dissipate, and it doesn't seem to carry over to the taste.) I don't know if that would be different if you used a different kind of yeast or not. But I certainly have no complaints about using Fleischman's.