Jamaica Ginger?

[mbanu]

So has anyone been fooling around with Jamaica Ginger? They didn't happen to sell any where I am, so I made some of my own by infusing a large amount of dried ginger in a small amount of 100 proof alcohol.

It's an interesting ingredient. It's spicy like Tabasco, but lends itself to more concoctions because it doesn't taste like salt and vinegar.

[slkinsey]

My understanding is that Jamaica Ginger wasn't exactly an alcohol infusion of ginger. Rather, it was a patent medicine presumably(?) containing other stuff as well. I know that it was adulterated with tri-o-tolyl phosphate during the prohibition years, causing a characteristic organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy popularly known as "jake leg" in those who drank enough of it.

I wonder how long an alcohol infusion of ginger will retain its bite. Gingerol, which is largely responsible for the spicy bite of ginter, changes over time into the compound zingerone. Zingerone is not present in fresh ginger and it's an aromatic flavor compound that isn't spicy-hot like gingerol.

Anyway... I'm interested to hear your results. Why did you choose dry ginger over fresh? I imagine that the dry variety doesn't have as much gingerol as the fresh. Are you trying it in any of the cocktails mentioned at cocktailDB?

[eje]

Jamaica Ginger is called for in a few Savoy cocktails. I was planning on substituting some amount of liquid ginger extract, available at health food stores, when I got to them. The ginger extract I've seen in health food stores is made from dry ginger.

It is hard to tell from some recipes whether they are calling for the ginger extract or ginger wine (liqueur). I would guess, if the amount is more than a dash, it is really calling for a ginger wine (liqueur) like Stone's or maybe Canton.

[mbanu]

Why did you choose dry ginger over fresh?  I imagine that the dry variety doesn't have as much gingerol as the fresh.  Are you trying it in any of the cocktails mentioned at cocktailDB?

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I used dry ginger because most of the old USP references I could find used that form. I've had a couple drinks from the cocktailDB that use the stuff, (the Hot Deck and the Here's How are interesting) but really I made the stuff because I was having trouble picturing what it did for the drinks it was in. For instance, until I'd made it, it hadn't occured to me that Jamaica Ginger was spicy. It's obvious in hindsight, I suppose, but my typical ginger-flavor references are things like ginger ale and gingerbread, so it took me by surprise.

As to what I'll do with it now, I'm up for ideas. I'm thinking of trying it in a few frozen drinks, and seeing if I can't hunt down a couple more old Jamaica Ginger recipes. I think Bullock used it a bit in the Ideal Bartender, so I suppose that's my next stop after cocktailDB.