This is the recipe for a nice quick ginger beer, tastes good, plus not to much sugar.
I think I should make this warning very clear, to avoid any misunderstandings, this drink is not like your store brought ginger beer, unless you are very careful, it is neigh on impossible to keep this alcohol free, mine often ends up at 2 - 3 percent. As such this should not be considered a kids drink, and should always be treated with the same care afforded to normal alcoholic drinks.
Ingredients:
25 - 50g of Root ginger 500g Sugar (Granulated will do and it's cheaper than caster) 1 lemon 30g of cream of tarter 4.5 litres (1 gallon) of water Yeast (brewers yeast is best) Yeast nutrients (not essential, but I've found it gives the drink a bit more fizz)
Equipment 1 demijohn (a bucket or large jug will do if you don't have one, but you need to be able to cover it) 1 Funal (you can go without, but it makes your life a lot easier) Large pot (for boiling water) 8 1 pint bottles, (or enough to hold equivalent quantity) (make sure these are cable of standing the pressure, beer bottles are good, I use the grolsch style bottles, as they are easier to seal, you can use plastic, however, they will generally swell up quite substantially, and arent really the best option, do not you wine bottles, they can not take the pressure, and may explode!) Siphon
Method 1. Clean your demijohn, or brewing container, as well as everything your going to use. I no this seems like common sense, but seriously this is vital, use chemical cleaners, such as sterilization powder or bleach, to clean with, then rinse with hot water, and finally, seal your bottles, and put a piece of cotton wool in your demijohn.
2. Take your ginger, and grate it, and put it into your brewing container, alongside the sugar, and cream of tarter. Take your lemon, and take the zest, (the yellow part of the skin, I normally use a vegetable peeler), and add to the mix, followed by the juice of the lemon. Next boil your water, and pour over the mixture, stirring, to ensure all the sugar has dissolved.
3. Wait until the mixture is lukewarm, before adding the yeast, over-wise you will kill it. Add the yeast and the yeast nutrient. Finally put a piece of cotton wool in the mouth of your demijohn, or cover if your using a bucket or jug. Put your container in a warm place I normally use the airing cupboard.
4. After two days it should be ready to bottle, it will at the moment only be slightly fizzy, but this is fine. You should siphon it off into the bottles, fill up to about 2.5 - 5 cm from the top.
5. Leave for about 5 - 7 days, this allows for secondary fermentation, and this is what gives the drink that lovely fizzy taste.
6. Once your drink is ready, it will keep for about 1 - 2 weeks, while it won't go off, eventually all the sugar is used up by the yeast, leaving the drink very dry. Serve cold, and I've found it goes great with orange juice.
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