A Recipe for Homemade Ginger Beer: The Old Fashioned Way - Chelsea Green Publishing (2024)

FAQs

What is the original ginger beer? ›

Ginger beer – the delicious, brewed, fermented beverage that we all know and love – first appeared around the mid-1700s in England. It was initially made as a fermented alcoholic beverage using ginger, sugar and water.

Ingredients: • 2 lbs peeled, diced ginger root • 5 lbs organic cane sugar • 5 limes (zest and juice) • Water to make 5 gallons • Yeast nutrient (dose per manufacturer instructions) • 1 packet S-04 yeast Boil 2.5 gallons of water, then remove from heat. Stir in sugar and yeast nutrient until well dissolved.

Once the ginger beer has finished its few-day brewing process, store it in the refrigerator for 10 days, or up to 1 month when left untouched. You can either store it in the same plastic bottle you used to brew it, or transfer it into glass flip cap bottles.

Preferred yeast - we recommend Safale US-05 Yeast. 1kg Raw or Dark Brown Sugar. 1kg Dextrose. 500g Fresh Ginger.

Ginger root, a plant indigenous to southern China, contains hundreds of compounds that provide several important benefits to those who ingest it. Drinking ginger beer can help reduce inflammation, promote digestion, relieve nausea, and even help in the prevention of cancer.

After using this bug for the ginger beer, it is possible to seal it and put it in the refrigerator, where it will lie dormant — and alive — for a few days. But beware, if left long enough, it will go flat because the yeasts will die.

Yes, you read that right! Ginger beer is much healthier than most carbonated drinks, and it's also one of the most refreshing drinks you can easily prepare in your own home. The key ingredient in ginger beer is ginger root, which is known for its myriad of culinary and medicinal uses since ancient times.

Brewing your own alcoholic ginger beer is no big deal! If you like the fiery taste of ginger, you'll love this homemade fermented drink. Its alcohol content is similar to that of a beer, which is usually between 3 and 5%.

Adding cream of tartar to simple syrup inhibits the natural tendency for granular sugar to recrystallize, there's also a side benefit that the cream of Tartar gives a smooth mouth-feel finish to the drink.

Allow the mix to ferment for at least 5 days – this is a minimum and extra time in the fermenter won't hurt it. You can leave it to ferment for up to 2 weeks without issue. The airlock should have stopped bubbling before bottling. Once the fermentation is done, it's time to bottle up the ginger beer.

How often should you burp ginger beer? ›

Burping the bottles daily once it is bottled will help to prevent it from exploding later – something we all worry about when we are beginning to experiment with making our own ginger beer!

Can I use baking yeast to brew ginger beer? I'm neither a fan nor a brewer of ginger beer but this recipe says “sure!” As a rule you can use baker's yeast in brewing any kind of beer of regular strength, up to about 8% ABV.

In very simple terms, there are two predominant yeasts used in brewing; Saccharomyces cerveisiae or ale yeast, and Saccharomyces pastorianus or lager yeast. Ale yeast works best at room temperature (18-22°C or 64-71°F) and produces the slightly 'fruity' characteristics that you would expect in many ales.

Mix it all up in a plastic bottle, cap tightly, put it in a warm dark place for two days, then refrigerate it to stop the fermentation. Strain out the ginger pulp and dead yeast, you're good to go. You might want to check once or twice if the bottle seems about to burst, and give it some easing of the pressure.

Ginger beer – the delicious, brewed, fermented beverage that we all know and love – first appeared around the mid-1700s in England. It was initially made as a fermented alcoholic beverage using ginger, sugar and water.

Stone's Alcoholic Ginger Beer was the first real alcoholic ginger beer, hitting the market way back in 2001. Many have followed but most have fallen by the wayside whilst this product powers ahead, carrying on the tradition of fine ginger drinks in the Stone's range.

While we can't speak for all Ginger Beers, a true Ginger Beer is brewed (just like a beer) using real ginger. Bundaberg Ginger Beer is traditionally brewed over 3 days using real ginger, whereas ginger ale is often a version of carbonated water that's flavored with ginger syrup.

Today, most commercial ginger beers contain no alcohol or less than . 5 percent. Ginger beer's spicy-sweet flavor profile makes it an excellent mixer and it's a key ingredient in classic co*cktails. Because it contains no alcohol, ginger beer is also a go-to ingredient for spirit-free drinks.