How To Make Ginger Beer

Ginger beer, unlike what its name suggests, is not produced as an alcoholic beverage as a rule. Rather, it is mostly made as a carbonated soft drink and principally flavored with ginger, lemon, and sugar. Also known as ginger ale, it originated in England, in the mid-18^th century. However, it was only in the 1900s that its popularity started growing by leaps and bounds. Today, people have started producing the beer at home as well. Do you also want to know how to make ginger beer? If yes, then the recipe given in the following lines would surely prove to be quite useful.

Ginger Beer Recipe

Supplies Needed

Jar, with loose-fitting lid
Yeast
Sugar
Ground Ginger (or fresh ginger, grated)
Water
Lemons
Bottles

Instructions

First of all, take a bowl and put 2 level tablespoons of sugar in it. Add 2 oz yeast to it and stir well.
Mix in the ginger (ground or fresh), along with 1 cup of water. Stir the ingredients well.
Pour the mixture into a loose-lidded jar and cover. Another option is to use a piece of cheesecloth and a rubber band to cover the jar.
In case you are not able to get a jar, make use of a wine bottle and add a fermentation lock.
In the days that follow, feed the jar/ wine bottle with 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp ground ginger or 2 tsp fresh grated ginger, daily.
After 10 days have passed, dissolve 2 cups sugar in 3 cups water, in a saucepan. Place the pan on flame and bring to boil.
Remove the pan from heat and let the sugar syrup cool slightly. Now, mix in the juice and peel of 2 lemons. Set aside and allow it to cool.
Strain the contents of the jar/ wine bottle into the sugar syrup and add 6 cups of water. Mix well.
Strain the beer well and then pour it into strong beer or cider bottles. If you want, you can also make use of wire-top bottles, for the purpose.
Now, take the sediment from the jar, and use it to restart the process. Till the time you keep feeding the jar daily, you will continue making ginger beer.
After the second or third bottling, you can divide this sediment among several jars, to make more ginger beer.
Let the beer sit for three days and then you are ready to consume it.

Tips

If you want to change the taste of your ginger beer somewhat, try adding pineapple instead of lemon. Yet another option is to use honey in place of sugar.
This recipe contains a very low amount of alcohol. However, the longer you allow it to sit, at the end stage, the more alcoholic it will become.
If you want to make the beer sit for longer than three days, at the end stage, then release the pressure from a wire-top bottle, or chill the bottles, or do both. Otherwise, you run the risk of making the bottles explode.

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