Ginger wine recipe #2

[chasemandingo]

Got my ingredients. 30 oz. ginger root, 5 lbs dark brown sugar, 4.5 lbs demerera, 3 lbs turbinado, and 4 lbs. of white sugar to make up the difference. Not gonna use lemons but just add a tsp. of acid blend per gallon. Also got 20 oz. of Zante Currants and 8 ripe bananas.

 

[chasemandingo]

Now need to decide between scotch, cognac, rye for fortification

 

[chasemandingo]

So my wine ended up having 3 lbs dark brown sugar, 2 lbs light brown sugar, 3 lbs demerera and 2 lbs white sugar IN 5 gallons wine for an O.G. of 1.11. That was on 10/4. Checked the gravity this a.m. was at 1.064 so I added the remainder of the energizer and added 3 lbs dark brown sugar and 2 lbs demerera TO the five gallons which brought the gravity up to 1.09. Looks about perfect. Will rack when it is close to 1.02 and feed some more demerera until it gives up topping off with some kind of hard liquor along the way.

 

[Jericurl]

Now need to decide between scotch, cognac, rye for fortification

Ohh...now I think rye would be quite interesting.
But then again, I'm partial to a good sazerac...

 

[chasemandingo]

I know! However, I know of no generic rye so a fifth is gonna run me at least 30-40 dollars!!!! Maybe it is worth it. Canadian Club is a nice smooth whiskey with a high rye content and is not too expensive but seems too pedestrian for this batch.

 

[Jericurl]

I know! However, I know of no generic rye so a fifth is gonna run me at least 30-40 dollars!!!! Maybe it is worth it. Canadian Club is a nice smooth whiskey with a high rye content and is not too expensive but seems too pedestrian for this batch.

lol....we are such snobs!

But, if you are making a 5 or 6 gallon batch of this, then adding a 40 dollar high quality ingredient adds an average of $1.50 per bottle.
It's worth a $1.50 to have a kick *** drink, don't you think?

 

[chasemandingo]

True. Just hope I'll be able to steal a few oz. to make a nice Manhattan!

 

[chasemandingo]

So I got me the rye......gonna be so good in a year from now lol

 

[Jericurl]

Now I'm going to have to try this....

 

[chasemandingo]

Well only I could mess up a good thing. I tried to push my EC1118 too hard. I thought I could get 20% out of them and had my wine fizzle out around 1.02. It is hovering at 1.042 and ~17%. That is gonna be way too sweet for anyone to drink!!! I'm probably gonna have to bulk age this stuff till I can make another batch and shoot for ~17% at 1.00 and blend them. Also, my temps have been in the 60's here in Ohio so I may have to buy a brew belt soon lol. Gonna give it a few more days. If there is no change in the gravity it is going in a carboy.

 

[chasemandingo]

In the carboy.....stalled at 1.042.....tastes boozy but according to my calcs should only be at 16 percent....I think I may be doing something wrong like not adjusting for temp

 

[chasemandingo]

1.042 way too sweet I'm gonna feed it a bottle of scotch as I emptied the rye into my belly lol....might make a dry batch to blend as well

 

[brewski09]

Warm it up to the low 70's for more attenuation. Also, you can try a strong starter of champagne yeast to try to complete attenuation. I've seen this happen in Ohio during the fall before when I lived there.

 

[Jericurl]

Could you beat the crap out of it with a drill mixer and then dump in a super starter of yeast and see if that takes it all the way home?

 

[chasemandingo]

Too late I used my new all in one wine pump to rack to a carboy.....I'm gonna feed it a bottle of scotch and let it age a bit while I mix up another drier batch lol