Homemade Ginger Beer (Non-Alcoholic)

[ajwhi3]

Hi all,

I thought I would post up my mothers recipe for non-alcoholic ginger beer. This is very simple to make and by far the nicest ginger beer I've ever had. Not sure where the recipe came from, but I have the clipping in front of me and thought it would be worth sharing:

" I have had many requests for a recipe for ginger beer. It can be started by putting 8 sultanas into a container with the juice of 2 lemons, 4 teaspoons of sugar, 1 teaspoon of grated lemon rind, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger and 2 cups of cold water. Cover with a piece of muslin cloth. After two to three days it should start to ferment. Then each day for seven days add 2 small teaspoons of ginger and 4 teaspoons of sugar to the plant. It will be ready after seven days. To make the ginger beer from the plant, you use 4 cups of sugar, 4 cups of boiling water and the juice of 4 lemons. Put sugar and boiling water into a plastic bucket and add the lemon juice. Strain the contents of the plant through muslin cloth into the bucket. Add 28 cups cold water and mix well. Bottle in clean sterile bottles and seal. The rest of the plant should be halved and put into a jar to start the process over again when desired. You can give the other half to a friend or throw it away.

Warning: When ginger beer is fermenting, if kept in warm weather, there is a danger the bottles could explode. Always open the bottles very carefully and allow gas to escape before pulling top off completely."

Very easy to make and is much nicer than anything store bought. Goes great as a mixer or just by itself.

Cheers,
Adrian

[blond.chap]

Hey mate, thanks for the recipe, I might give this one a shot.
Pretty sure it is alcoholic though, fermenting sugar and all.

[ajwhi3]

Hey Blond.Chap,

I guess with the inclusion of sugar there is bound to be some small amount of alcohol, but from what I've read regarding homemade ginger beer recipes they are typically in the 0.1% sort of range with the amount of sugar in them.

I've been drinking this stuff for years and can assure you that it's as non-alcoholic as any fermented drink can get.

Cheers,
Adrian

[blond.chap]

I think I understand, it ferments using wild yeast so is very slow in its alcohol production. I'll definitely give it a shot sometime soon.

[C2H6O]

I have been making this alcoholic ginger beer for a few years now and its pretty bloody good (well my scumbag mates never complain).
This is an adapted recipe (really just measurements) from Dave's ginger beer which you will find online

20 ltr
1KG ginger root, coarsely chopped
3kg sugar
4 lemons, sliced
1 tsp. cream of tartar
1 packet wine makers yeast Vintners Harvest SN9


Boil as much of the water as will fit in your largest pot.

Squeeze in lemons and add the bits.

Add ginger root and cream of tartar.

Add as much sugar as you can if there's room.

Simmer gently for 20-30 minutes.

The pot I use fits 7 ltr so I re-boil the ginger and lemon a second time with remaining sugar to get all the gingery goodness

Pour all the liquid in the fermenting drum

Add cold water to the 20 ltr mark on drum and cool to lukewarm (cold enough to pitch yeast)

Taste - this will approximate the taste of the finished product (except for the sweetness).

Dissolve yeast in a cup of the mixture, (wait a couple of min) then stir it back in.
Cover and ferment for 2 weeks.

Siphon into sterilised bottles (I use 1.25-litre soda bottles) Age upright for one week at 19c then store in cool place at 19 or less.

Should be pretty awesome after 2 weeks.

Once again not my recipe, but recommend it.

Cheers

[maddogpearse]

Not sure where the recipe came from, but I have the clipping in front of me:

I reckon there's a good chance it came from a CWA cook book! i found it and mixed up some ginger sugar lemon and sultanas last night.
Have many tried this recipe? If there's one drink I love as a summery night cap, is a dash of sailor jerry's, topped up with bunderberg GB with a few cubes of ice and a wedge of lime.
So I've made up a few demi's of McRum that i'm planning on spicing some of, and now i need my GB as a mixer. That and i also seem to be hanging out with more and more pregnant and lactating women who require alcohol free beverages.

Any feedback?

[Teddysad]

i also seem to be hanging out with more and more pregnant and lactating women

Hanging out with or causing?

[maddogpearse]

i also seem to be hanging out with more and more pregnant and lactating women

Hanging out with or causing?

well if i'm not causing, it's not for lack of trying! :D

[TasSpirits]

Hi Guys, Ive just made a similar plant, I added 1 habenero and sn9 yeast to make it alcoholic, should be ready next week. I will post results, if it works well I will do a 25L ferment and distill it.

[maddogpearse]

make it alcoholic

and distill it.

:text-offtopic:

haha, from a non alcoholic beer, to spirit! :clap:

[TasSpirits]

make it alcoholic

and distill it.

:text-offtopic:

haha, from a non alcoholic beer, to spirit! :clap:

My Bad :violence-stickwhack: I am going to start a Non Alcoholic one soon.