Ginger Beer

Brew some refreshingly clean tasting Ginger Beer right at home! No special equipment required.

When I first saw this recipe on Crumpets and Cakes, I got excited. Ginger Beer! I'd made Ginger Ale once before, but went way too overboard on the ginger (according to James - I thought it only a bit strong). I've been meaning to make some more, but never got the motivation - until now. This time, I made Ginger Beer, which you brew. Ginger Ale (and most commercially produced Ginger Beer of the non-alcoholic variety), on the other hand, is a carbonated soft drink. Originally, Ginger Beer was a fermented alcoholic solution with ginger, sugar, lemon, water, and ginger beer plant. The Ginger Beer I'm showing you is fermented with yeast (and I used lime instead of lemon juice since it's what I had on hand). You'll want a little of one or the other to establish a slightly acidic pH (you'll barely taste it).

This Ginger Beer amazed both James and I. James expected something ultra strong like last time, and I kinda expected a very yeasty taste. I'm excited to report neither was the case. When I shared with some folks at work, most thought it pretty tasty and refreshing too! James thought the amount of ginger perfect, and I wished for a bit more ginger flavor. Upon opening the bottle, I kinda expected Fizzy Lifting Drinks. So many bubbles - open carefully! When we drank this Ginger Beer, we found the level of fizz good. Not like Pop Rocks in your mouth, although that sounds fun too! We enjoyed this Ginger Beer by itself, but you could easily mix it up as part of a Moscow Mule or a Dark and Stormy.

What about you? How do you like your Ginger Beer/Ale - mild, gingery and spicy, or somewhere in between?

Ginger Beer

by Morsels of Life | CJ Huang

Brew some refreshingly clean tasting Ginger Beer right at home! No special equipment required.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: none
Total time: 1 day
Yield: 1 liter

Materials:

Mass	Weight	Volume	Number	Material	Notes
		2 tablespoons		ginger, grated or minced
		1 tablespoon		lime juice
		1/8 teaspoon		yeast	You should be able to get away with less, but it'll take longer to carbonate.
		1/2 cup		sugar
		just under 1 liter		water

Methods:

1. Gather all materials.
2. Combine all materials except water into a bottle. (I used an old plastic soda bottle.)
3. Add water, leaving about a two inch headspace, and seal bottle tightly.
4. Shake until sugar dissolved.
5. Leave at room temperature for a day or two.
6. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Open the bottle slowly and carefully, there will be a surprising amount of bubbles - like a shaken bottle of soda!

Shared with: Full Plate Thursday, Artsy Fartsy Party, BFF Open House, Traffic Jam, Meal Plan Monday, Fiesta Friday, Saturday Sparks, What's for Dinner?, Hearth and Soul, Over the Moon, Inspire Me Monday, Farm Fresh Tuesday, Wine'd Down Wednesday, Your Whims Wednesday, Party in Your PJs, Homestead Blog Hop