I recently found myself with a glut of ginger in my fridge, after placing an online order for pickup and forgetting that a pound of ginger is a LOT. Fortunately, one of my absolute favorite beverages to make is ginger beer! Drunk on it’s own or mixed up in to a delicious rum laced Dark and Stormy, it definitely goes fast in our house.
I know a lot of people are intimidated by anything that resembles home brewing, but this recipe is an excellent introduction to the process. And while there isn’t alcohol of any significant amount in this brew since it only sits long enough for the yeast to eat enough sugar to produce C02 for carbonation, it does represent the early stages of home brewing, in the same way that homemade root beer does.
So please enjoy this delightful brew, over ice with a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime, or mixed with an adult beverage for a refreshing cocktail!
Ginger Beer
- 1 gallon spring water in a plastic jug (note: it’s important to use plastic because as the yeast consumes the sugar and starts to carbonate the ginger beer, the bottle will expand. Glass can cause an explosion!)
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 tsp champagne yeast
- juice of 2 large lemons or 3 small lemons or limes
- 1/2 to 1 cup of peeled and coarsely chopped ginger (amount to taste, I like mine extra spicy!)
Pour out 6 cups of the water into a large pitcher or measuring cup and set aside.
Peel the ginger, cut it into large chunks, and put it in a food processor with the lemon or lime juice. Process until it’s a paste.
Using a funnel, add the 2 cups of sugar to the plastic jug. Add the ginger puree, using some of the reserved water to help it go through. I usually use a wooden chopstick as well to push it through, singe the ginger lemon mixture is pretty thick.
Once the ginger is in, top off with the remaining water to about 1” from the top.
Add the yeast, cap the jug, and shake until the sugar is dissolved.
Leave on the counter overnight or until the jug is firm to the touch. Once it is, carefully open the cap to release some of the pressure, re-cap, and put it into the fridge. Allow 24 to 48 hours to carbonate.
Optional: when serving, pour through a tea strainer to catch the bits of ginger. Or shake gently and serve as is (my personal preference).
Note: if you do want to store it in smaller bottles, you can purchase plastic bottles used in homebrewing with screw on caps, though it should still be stored in the refrigerator as the yeast is still active and will more aggressively produce CO2 in a warmer environment, which can make it a bit explosive when you open the bottle. The cold of refrigeration slows down it’s activity. Do not bottle in glass!