Sweetening ginger beer

[Sheepy]

Going to have a pop at making ginger beer this weekend but dont want it to end up too dry, so what non fermentable sugars do folks use to add sweetness or can artificial sweeteners be used?

Cheers

[irc]

I use Asda own label sweetener. After experimenting I find a whole tub (75g I think) does 24L. I just put it in a the start of fermentation.

[second2none]

hehee I just opened a bottle of my 5-6-7 or 8th generation of ginger beer and its still dryer than a *insert pun here*
I have tried using sweetner but can always taste that bitter after taste more than the ginger itself!

Im starting to think the only way you'll get sweet GB is using plastic bottles and as soon as they are firm sticking them in the fridge
thus haulting the fermentation of the sugar!

I can make the worlds greatest ginger beer pop
but my alcoholic ginger beer is only fit for the drain

[thedeckking]

If you don't want to add sweeteners, put more fermentables in at the start then you need and then chuck in a campden tablet when you're down to the gravity/sweetness you want. This'll cause problems if you want it fizzy and can't force carbonate it, but at least you won't have that nasty sweetner bitterness.

Traditionally ginger beers are bottled while they're still fermenting and then drunk before all the sugar's fermented out. this is why it has such a reputation for exploding bottles. I'd highly recommend using plastic bottles and storing them in a place where an explosion won't cause too much mess/damage.

[Sheepy]

Cheers, thats what I have done. Started it out at 1070 and let it drop to 1020. Overnight inside in plastic bottles and then into the outhouse (damn near freezing at the mo) to stop it. Tastes fantastic!!

[stan]

newbie here. i was under the impression that end of fermentation leads to yeast dying and dropping out of suspension, which is desirable, (i.e. not to drink the dregs). does the same thing happen with cold-crashing, (which is i think the term for your solution here).

[stan]

no takers?

[Sheepy]

Normally with beer there are residual sugars which are non ferment-able thereby leaving some sweetness to the drink. However with the ginger beer I have used purely sugar which would completely ferment out leaving a very dry drink. Hence the need to either add sweetener or stop the fermentation early before all the sugar goes. If left at cold temps the yeast will become dormant and settle out.

[micmacmoc]

An alternative would be to make some ale and stick a shedload of ginger in it, I bought 100g pack at asda for £1 in the freezer department a while back, bargain!

[stan]

right. thanks. i think next time i will use the cold-crash technique for sweetness, and let the yeast settle out, so i can syphone it off or leave dregs in the bottle. i wonder how long the yeast takes to settle out? maybe i will know when i see scum develope on the bottom anyway?

[dean_wales]

I use lactose (a sugar derived from milk) and think it works a treat.

Used in small quantities (see my recipe thread) it leaves a sweet and dry finish that doesnt pucker the mouth but isnt sickly sweet. The ginger beer doesnt go perfectly clear though using this sugar - mine finished up translucent. Which I probably prefer to clear for this drink.

The thought of using a whole tub of sweetner is just wrong on so many levels!

Thanks,

Dean.