Gingerbread porter

I’m thinking of splitting a ten gallon batch of my seasonal porterhttp://www.brewersfriend.com/homebrew/recipe/view/214447/rum-barrel-porter-revised- by kegging one keg with the rum and chips then trying to turn the second keg into a gingerbread porter by adding fresh ginger to the keg. I’ll leave the keg out to let any fermentation from the ginger complete before carbonation. Or maybe I will have to use some dried spice. I need help with this one

Ginger is anti-microbial, I would think you could get away with just slicing some thin and adding it in a mesh bag to the keg, and then pulling it when it tastes the way you want. Are you planning on any other spices? Cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, etc? If you are, I think a tincture would be the way to go since these spices can get away from you in a hurry.

I’m just looking for a hint. I’m thinking of using my wife’s gingerbread recipe for the percentage s of spices not sure how much though

Sounds like a good plan, to use yer wife’s recipe. Leave out the flour and sugar? Probably just add say, 1/4 of it first and let it sit for a few days, and sample to see where it is at? You’ll git a Chri… holiday brew to make for many years once you nail it! Sneezles61

She uses brown sugar so I might add that at fermentation. The spices nutmeg and Ginger to the keg. I don’t know if fresh ginger is fermentable. I hope I can get fresh nutmeg

I became interested in ginger beer a couple of years ago. Often mentioned was how strong fresh ginger was. Many cautions to use very little. Decided not to risk brewing a ginger beer.

Have you thought about using dark brown sugar to get a little more molasses flavor in the porter?

The porter already has 12oz dark molasses in the recipe

First half

This is what I have so far.

Since I will add the spice in the fermenter I may add half I’ll taste after a week and maybe add more

What I see looks good, and gravity is in the neighborhood too. I just wonder somewhat of the ginger. So, Ginger bread is very tasty, ginger beer I’ve tried is somewhat pungent in the background. So when fermented and the sweetness is gone, will it change? I am suspecting the use of some sweetener that won’t ferment to counter the ginger… Just a curiuos thought… I’m wanting to make this too! Sneezles61

Only one way to find out thats why I’m going to do a little at a time

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Very subtle gingerbread flavor as is. Very nice. Not carbonated yet . Drinking it warm and flat like port. I’m sure the aroma will be activated more after carbonating. I’ll get it in a keg in the morning.

Say, thats a nice brew log format! I am going to have to look into that a little later this year. I am interested how well the perceived aroma/taste shows up in this brew. It would make a fantastic long aged brew for next Christmas season, maybe? Sneezles61

I made it to drink “fresh” I’ll keg it for now and probably put aside 12 or so. If I were going to age it and maybe I’ll do another batch. I would do more spice and use some raisons also.

Good to know… Sneezles61

Fully carbonated now and I’ll say it’s a keeper. Pours with a nice thick head and a little aroma of gingerbread. Needed a good three weeks in the keg and the first few pours needed to be purged . For a little something I sprinkled a pinch of nutmeg on top of the head. Simply marvelous

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Nice! What was your final recipe? That sounds awesome.

The recipe is posted above. In the original I added the spice post fermentation to be able to adjust it. But in the recipe above I changed it to adding into the end of the boil. I’m thinking it may help in smoothing it out faster. Alot of sediment in the first few pints

So you’ve got the cats meow!! :relieved: Sneezles61