WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
A couple of weeks ago WalesAles sent me two bottles of brew to try. Once I had got through his Royal Mail proof packaging (about half an hours work; I reckon those bottles would have gone through a motorway pile up without breaking) it felt almost a shame to drink them; they'd spent so much time trying to survive... Despite this, I placed the turbo cider in the fridge to chill ready for a taste test.
In his PM, WA told me that he had sent a bottle of "Raspberry Ginger TC (not enough Ginger) for the Ladies. Bottled 2/3/14, 7.6%". Well, I was not going to let Mrs Tazzymutt do all the tasting (especially at 7.6%; I need her sober to cook my dinner later, when I'm too wasted to do it).
The bottle opened with a very satisfying "pfffutt" and a small cloud of CO2; always a good sign. Pouring into a couple of small stem beer glasses proved that the colour, a gentle rose or salmon hue, was not the bottle but was real. The aroma had a gentle raspberry note that left no doubt about the fruit used in the brew while leaving me hopeful that it would not be over powering. There was a nice head, not creamy but nice and tight with small bubbles.
Now I should confess at this point that I am not a big cider drinker; one bottle a year is about all I can usually manage and that only if I have been unfortunate enough to find myself in a bar with only fizzy beer or lager available. Fruit ciders (other than apple ) that I have tried have all been so sweet that I can almost feel my teeth trying to retract into my gums in order to avoid dissolving in the sugar. So it was with some apprehension that I lifted the glass and tried a small, very small, taste. My only hope was that the ginger (which I love) might offset some of the fruitiness. I was not hopeful.
The first small sip sat on my tongue for a few seconds. I could feel it fizzing but could not really detect the heavy sugars I was expecting. Sure, it was sweet, but not unpleasantly. In fact it was very comparable sweetness wise with the Brewferm Framboos that always hits the spot, ice cold on a hot day when sat by a BBQ. I could not detect the ginger at all at this point. I swallowed and suddenly the ginger appeared, leaving a warm glow in the mouth that beautifully matched the relatively subtle raspberry flavours in the mouth. Wow! I was impressed. Sweet, but not toe curlingly so and with sufficient ginger to add a gentle tickle to the back of the throat without overpowering the gentle raspberry flavours. The head lasted nicely right to the bottom of the glass and by the time I got there, Mrs T was asking me why I had not made any yet…
I reckon that counts as a win!
Thank you WA for the chance to try that. Now all I need to do is work out the details of the brew, how much ginger, how it was added, ditto the raspberries etc, etc, etc and I too could make a perfect summer afternoon cider.
Happy brewing,
Ian.
PS I also received a bottle of WA's Weiss / Saison brew. I will need to find time to try that properly as it is a full pint and Mrs T will not drink that (and would not be allowed to try )
In his PM, WA told me that he had sent a bottle of "Raspberry Ginger TC (not enough Ginger) for the Ladies. Bottled 2/3/14, 7.6%". Well, I was not going to let Mrs Tazzymutt do all the tasting (especially at 7.6%; I need her sober to cook my dinner later, when I'm too wasted to do it).
The bottle opened with a very satisfying "pfffutt" and a small cloud of CO2; always a good sign. Pouring into a couple of small stem beer glasses proved that the colour, a gentle rose or salmon hue, was not the bottle but was real. The aroma had a gentle raspberry note that left no doubt about the fruit used in the brew while leaving me hopeful that it would not be over powering. There was a nice head, not creamy but nice and tight with small bubbles.
Now I should confess at this point that I am not a big cider drinker; one bottle a year is about all I can usually manage and that only if I have been unfortunate enough to find myself in a bar with only fizzy beer or lager available. Fruit ciders (other than apple ) that I have tried have all been so sweet that I can almost feel my teeth trying to retract into my gums in order to avoid dissolving in the sugar. So it was with some apprehension that I lifted the glass and tried a small, very small, taste. My only hope was that the ginger (which I love) might offset some of the fruitiness. I was not hopeful.
The first small sip sat on my tongue for a few seconds. I could feel it fizzing but could not really detect the heavy sugars I was expecting. Sure, it was sweet, but not unpleasantly. In fact it was very comparable sweetness wise with the Brewferm Framboos that always hits the spot, ice cold on a hot day when sat by a BBQ. I could not detect the ginger at all at this point. I swallowed and suddenly the ginger appeared, leaving a warm glow in the mouth that beautifully matched the relatively subtle raspberry flavours in the mouth. Wow! I was impressed. Sweet, but not toe curlingly so and with sufficient ginger to add a gentle tickle to the back of the throat without overpowering the gentle raspberry flavours. The head lasted nicely right to the bottom of the glass and by the time I got there, Mrs T was asking me why I had not made any yet…
I reckon that counts as a win!
Thank you WA for the chance to try that. Now all I need to do is work out the details of the brew, how much ginger, how it was added, ditto the raspberries etc, etc, etc and I too could make a perfect summer afternoon cider.
Happy brewing,
Ian.
PS I also received a bottle of WA's Weiss / Saison brew. I will need to find time to try that properly as it is a full pint and Mrs T will not drink that (and would not be allowed to try )
- MarkA
- Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
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Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
That sounds lovely, tazzymutt! I might try adding ginger to my next raspberry brew.
I wonder if WalesAles would be kind enough to tell us how much he used?
I wonder if WalesAles would be kind enough to tell us how much he used?
Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
I did ask him and he provided the following reply:MarkA wrote:That sounds lovely, tazzymutt! I might try adding ginger to my next raspberry brew.
I wonder if WalesAles would be kind enough to tell us how much he used?
Hope that helps (I have yet to find time to read the thread he pointed to; it's not as big as the Ditches Stout thread but it is still going to take some time to read).I used 50gr grated ginger, not enough because you can`t taste it. Other threads point to 150 - 200gr grated ginger.
I use 3 bottles Polish Syrup for my TC.
Get into it Tazzy, it is so easy to make and you never get a failed brew!
If you read the first page of the `Cheap Tasty Raspberryade` post, 7.9%, (second2none says 5 - 5.5%, but with all that sugar, no way!) that stuff is awesome! I reduced the sugar to 1Kg for 15 Lts Brew and the SG is 1048, so should finish at 6.5%!
I need to find time to do some reading because this is definitely on the "make some" list.
Happy brewing,
Ian.
- MarkA
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Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
Cheers Ian, I'll have a read through when I've got a bit of time
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Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
MarkA,
As Tazzy said, I put in 50Gr grated Real Ginger in 18Lts, I can`t taste the Ginger but Tazzy can and he loves it.
So i`m a but stuck now as to increase Ginger Quantity or leave as is. Put the Ginger in at the start of the Brew.
3 bottles Polish Raspberry Syrup
3 mugs Tea (4 bags each)
50Gr Grated Real Ginger
2 large Bramleys Grated
3 tsp Yeast and 3 tsp Yeast nutrient in @ 22deg
Made to 18Lts with Tesco basic Apple juice
OG 1060 FG 1004 ABV 7.6%
WA
As Tazzy said, I put in 50Gr grated Real Ginger in 18Lts, I can`t taste the Ginger but Tazzy can and he loves it.
So i`m a but stuck now as to increase Ginger Quantity or leave as is. Put the Ginger in at the start of the Brew.
3 bottles Polish Raspberry Syrup
3 mugs Tea (4 bags each)
50Gr Grated Real Ginger
2 large Bramleys Grated
3 tsp Yeast and 3 tsp Yeast nutrient in @ 22deg
Made to 18Lts with Tesco basic Apple juice
OG 1060 FG 1004 ABV 7.6%
WA
- MarkA
- Lost in an Alcoholic Haze
- Posts: 649
- Joined: Fri Mar 14, 2014 11:26 am
- Location: Aberdeenshire
Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
Thanks WA, I'm definitely going to give this a go when I've got a spare FV!
Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
It appears that I have to get busy tomorrow drinking someone else's beer so will not have any brewing time. However if Sunday runs according to plan, Mrs T should wake up with a headache so will not be giving me things to do and a quick 18 litre Raspberry and Ginger TC becomes a real possibility.
Although I really enjoyed WA's TC, I think I will increase the ginger to 75g or 100g. I love ginger, so don't mind having a little more of it in the flavour profile.
Happy brewing,
Ian.
Although I really enjoyed WA's TC, I think I will increase the ginger to 75g or 100g. I love ginger, so don't mind having a little more of it in the flavour profile.
Happy brewing,
Ian.
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- Falling off the Barstool
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- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2013 11:07 pm
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Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
Tazzy,
Good for you mate for getting on the TC bandwagon.
Can`t wait for the results of the Ginger amount increase!
Any questions, don`t hesitate to ask and I will hold your hand right through the Brew!
WA
Good for you mate for getting on the TC bandwagon.
Can`t wait for the results of the Ginger amount increase!
Any questions, don`t hesitate to ask and I will hold your hand right through the Brew!
WA
Re: WalesAles Raspberry and Ginger TC
I'm contemplating getting a few demijohns and doing a series of brews with differing amounts of ginger and raspberry. It may be a little while before I can start.WalesAles wrote:Tazzy,
Good for you mate for getting on the TC bandwagon.
Can`t wait for the results of the Ginger amount increase!
Quite an appealing idea but should you have said that in open forumI will hold your hand right through the Brew!
Happy brewing,
Ian.