What's the best way to integrate ginger and gentian

[Bug Jug]

I'm very new to mead brewing, but for my second batch I'd like to try a ginger and gentian mead. I love the gentian flavor in moxie, and I also love ginger, but I'm not sure of when or how to incorporate them both.

My current idea is to boil chopped or sliced ginger with gentian root (max 22 min), then allowing it to cool before combining this with the honey and yeast nutrients, and then cooling further till I can add the yeast to finish the must.

One thing I'm uncertain of is how this might affect the ph, I don't want to stall fermentation from the start by having the wrong acidity. I've read a bit in these forums and am considering adding the ginger as a tea during secondary fermentation, but I don't want to affect my alcohol percentage too much.

Any suggestions, comments, or advice would be appreciated!

 

[Megamom]

When I make my ginger mead I add it in primary and secondary. I also make it stronger then I think I will like because the ginger does fade. For a one gallon batch I used 9 ounces of peeled and chopped ginger in a brew bag and then in secondary I add an additional 7 ounces until I got the flavor I wanted. One of our favorites. I am not familiar with gentian root however but I think secondary for that so you can control the taste you want. Or you could make a tea out of the 2 first to see if you even like the combo.

 

[Squatchy]

I'm very new to mead brewing, but for my second batch I'd like to try a ginger and gentian mead. I love the gentian flavor in moxie, and I also love ginger, but I'm not sure of when or how to incorporate them both.

My current idea is to boil chopped or sliced ginger with gentian root (max 22 min), then allowing it to cool before combining this with the honey and yeast nutrients, and then cooling further till I can add the yeast to finish the must.

One thing I'm uncertain of is how this might affect the ph, I don't want to stall fermentation from the start by having the wrong acidity. I've read a bit in these forums and am considering adding the ginger as a tea during secondary fermentation, but I don't want to affect my alcohol percentage too much.

Any suggestions, comments, or advice would be appreciated!

I suggest just adding it chopped up in the secondary. It's not going to affect your ABV one bit. It won't make your ferment either if you are doing that correctly. I add delicate things like that after you have a clear mead and it's aged a while as the below has said. It fades about 40% if it ages for a while. This is common with lots of things. I would also suggest adding one of the finishing flavors and getting it right before adding the other. It's hard to determine the difference as a beginner simultaneously. You really don't need to concern yourself with Ph at all during fermentation. Once you have tweaked your mead to close to what you want in your finished profile. You can then consider using an acid adjustment if you understand what that's all about.

 

[fongsmead]

The last mead I made was a ginger mead. I put grated ginger in primary. it came out great. Not super spicy but you could tell it is there.

 

[JamesMRepass]

I'm very new to mead brewing, but for my second batch I'd like to try a ginger and gentian mead. I love the gentian flavor in moxie, and I also love ginger, but I'm not sure of when or how to incorporate them both.

My current idea is to boil chopped or sliced ginger with gentian root (max 22 min), then allowing it to cool before combining this with the honey and yeast nutrients, and then cooling further till I can add the yeast to finish the must.

One thing I'm uncertain of is how this might affect the ph, I don't want to stall fermentation from the start by having the wrong acidity. I've read a bit in these forums and am considering adding the ginger as a tea during secondary fermentation, but I don't want to affect my alcohol percentage too much.

Any suggestions, comments, or advice would be appreciated!

Wow, proper fermentation management really makes a huge difference!