Homebrewers that make ginger beer believe it’s quite an enticing beverage (myself included). It is an excellent non-alcoholic substitute of beer, and many people love to drink it alongside their lunch. It can help boost and maintain the sugar levels in the mid-afternoon, or it can help the food digest after dinner.
Ginger beer is quite similar to ginger ale since it is also carbonated, ginger-flavored, sweetened, and served cold – however, while ginger ale tastes barely like ginger and mostly sweet, ginger beer can have a varying taste of ginger with just a hint of sweet. Ginger beer is great by itself, and necessary for mixing with a host of cocktails, such as a Dark and Stormy which is prepared by mixing dark rum and ginger beer.
For those who are fond of making homebrew, making homebrew ginger beer is simple. It can be made using forced carbonation or simple champagne yeast, or the traditional way by carbonating (and fermenting) with ginger beer plant.
Forced Carbonated Ginger Beer
Ingredients:
- Divided cold water – 2 quarts
- Dried champagne yeast – 1/4 teaspoon
- Freshly squeezed lime juice – 2/3 cup
- Packed brown sugar – 3/4 cup (adjust to taste)
- Peeled and minced fresh ginger – 1-1/2 cups
Directions:
- 4 cups water, ginger, and sugar should be mixed in a saucepan.
These ingredients should be brought to boil while stirring so that the sugar gets dissolved. The saucepan should be removed from heat, covered, and allowed to stand for 1 hour so that the syrup may steep. - The syrup from the saucepan should be strained through the funnel and strainer into a 2-liter soda bottle.
Lime juice should be added into the bottle and it should be filled to within 2 inches of the top with cold water. The bottle should be capped and cooled in an ice bath or refrigerator until about 65F. - The champagne yeast should be added into the bottle. The bottle should be capped and allowed to stand for 2 days at room temperature. Bottle pressure should be checked intermittently by releasing the cap briefly and slightly or by squeezing the bottle.
- Once desired carbonated level has been achieved by the ginger beer, it should be refrigerated. When chilled, it can be served and enjoyed.
