Best Ginger Beer Recipes

HOMEMADE GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Take a 1.5-liter plastic bottle of spring water and empty it into a clean pitcher. Use some of it to make simple syrup by stirring 1/2 pound sugar into 1 cup hot water until fully dissolved.
• In a large measuring cup, mix all ingredients and stir well. Funnel back into the plastic bottle and cap tightly. Store in a warm, dark place for 24 to 48 hours. (I put mine inside a box, to contain it if it should blow.) The top of the bottle will expand and become tight. Check it and very slowly release the pressure if it's looking groaningly tight. Some people ferment it with no top, or with the top on loosely, to allow gas to escape. I suppose if you wanted to get fancy you could spend $1.50 on a fermentation lock and stop worrying about it. If the temperature is quite warm, above 80F, a single day may be sufficient. The longer you let it ferment, the drier the final mix will be.
• After 48 hours, refrigerate it to stop the fermentation. Once chilled, you can strain out the pulp and dead yeast, which will have made a sediment on the bottom. Makes 1 liter and will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Wash ginger root but do not peel. Chop roughly and process in food processor until reduced to a textured paste. Put ginger in a large non reactive container and pour boiling water over it. Stir in the lime juice, zest and cream of tartar. Cover and stir occasionally as mixture cools. When lukewarm, mix the yeast with the warm water, pressing out lumps, and add to container. Cover and let stand for 6 hours. Stir the sugar into the ginger beer until completely dissolved and immediately pour into sterilized bottles, making sure the stoppers are well sealed and airtight. The ginger beer will keep for 3 to 4 days in a cool place. To keep longer, add rum.
• To serve, strain and pour into glasses (over shaved ice if desired), with a sprig of mint and thin slice of lime.

TUDOR RECIPE FOR GINGER BEER

Steps:

• In a sterile 2 quart jar, blend together the yeast, 2 teaspoons of castor sugar, and 2 teaspoons of ground ginger. Stir in the cold water until well blended. Cover with a clean cheesecloth, and let sit in a convenient corner at room temperature where it will be out of the way for the next seven days.
• Every morning for the next seven days, feed the yeast mixture by stirring in 1 teaspoon of castor sugar, and 1 teaspoon of ground ginger.
• On the eighth day, give the mixture a good stir, then strain it through a clean tea towel into a large new plastic bucket, bin, or glass carbuoy. Wring all of the liquid out of the cloth, and set aside. You will be dealing with this later.
• Dissolve the white sugar in 5 cups of boiling water by stirring vigorously. Pour the cold water into the bucket with the ginger juice, then stir in the sugar syrup and lemon juice.
• Siphon the mixture into sterile screw top bottles, filling to within 2 inches of the top. Old cleaned out soda bottles will do. Screw on the tops tightly. Store the bottles of ginger beer in a cool dark place where they can remain undisturbed for 7 days. Be very careful upon opening as the beer is very fizzy.
• Go back to the cloth now. The residue looks disgusting! However, lay the towel out flat with the disgusting side up. Use a knife to scrape the stuff to the center, then divide in half, and place each half into a separate sterile jar. Top each jar with 2 cups of cold water, and you are ready to go again. Twice! Begin with step 2 for subsequent batches. Unless you are very thirsty, I suggest you give one of them away.

HOMEMADE GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Put the ginger in a saucepan set over a low heat with the lemon peel, sugars and 500ml water and stir until the sugars have dissolved. Increase the heat to medium, then simmer for 15-20 mins, or until reduced and syrupy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
• Strain the syrup into a jug through a sieve lined with muslin. At this stage, you can transfer the syrup to a small sterilised bottle or jar and keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
• Pour the ginger syrup into a large serving jug. Tip in the lemon juice, fill with ice and top up with the soda water. Serve garnished with a few mint sprigs.

HOMEMADE GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Grate enough ginger using Microplane to measure 3 1/2 tablespoons, then put in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to collect juice, pressing on solids and then discarding.
• Place funnel in neck of bottle and pour in 3 tablespoons ginger juice (reserve any remaining for another use). Add sugar, lemon juice, yeast, and a pinch of salt.
• Fill bottle with water, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of space at top. Remove funnel and screw cap on tightly. Gently shake bottle to dissolve sugar.
• Let stand at room temperature until plastic feels hard and no longer indents when squeezed, 24 to 36 hours.
• Chill ginger beer until very cold.