Simple Ginger Beer Fermentation - How Long

[OBI_Ron]

Hello Everyone,

First timer here. I mad a gallon of simple ginger beer, and I am a little unsure about how long to let it ferment. It has been fermenting for about 4 days, and is still bubbling. Some recipes suggest 4 days or so, or "until it is finished".

Should I wait for all bubbling to stop before I bottle?

Thanks in advance!

[spiderwrangler]

I don't have experience brewing Ginger Beer specifically, but any time that a recipe says to do something after a certain number of days, I just ignore that. You see that a lot with older beer recipes... ferment 7 days, then secondary for 5, etc. It's done when it's done. Take a zen approach and let it finish what it's doing, unless someone else chimes in that ginger beer is different. I'm assuming this is distinct from beer flavored with ginger.

[OBI_Ron]

I don't have experience brewing Ginger Beer specifically, but any time that a recipe says to do something after a certain number of days, I just ignore that. You see that a lot with older beer recipes... ferment 7 days, then secondary for 5, etc. It's done when it's done. Take a zen approach and let it finish what it's doing, unless someone else chimes in that ginger beer is different. I'm assuming this is distinct from beer flavored with ginger.

OK - thanks for the advice - I'm gluten free, that's why I'm trying the ginger beer - I have had gluten free beer before, and quite frankly it sucks - I would no sooner try making a gluten free beer (with hops, buckwheat, etc) than I would try to make a filet mignon out of tofu - IMHO - you can't get there from here.

So I am trying thins like ginger beer, and perhaps some mead along the way.

Thanks again!

[maxwell]

I used to make ginger beer pretty often in 1/2 gal batches. Fermentation time depends on how much sugar you put in. The stuff that I made was never supposed to have much alcohol, so the procedure was to fill the bottles, add ~6 grains of champagne yeast to each bottle, cap, and let sit for 3-4 days. Then they got refrigerated so that the yeast would stop fermenting, leaving some sweetness. Hope this helps.

[spiderwrangler]

My wife is GF, I've brewed a few beers that way, and made many a cider (which is REALLY easy to do). Just bottled a GF Saison, not too shabby.

[Ozwald]

Oh geez, I was too busy criticizing Spider in the other thread to see that you guys were talking about it over here. You can check the other topic with the same name for my reply. I'm too lazy to copy/paste. Plus 'someone' *ahem* might yell at me about double posting.

[spiderwrangler]

I may be a dick at times, but at least I'm consistent.

[Ozwald]

I may be a dick at times, but at least I'm consistent.

Personally I thought the double post saying not to double post was quite the nice touch