Clara was born and raised in Berlin. During her school trip to England when she was fourteen, she encountered her friend of the same age drinking a big bottle of ginger beer for lunch. Not being familiar with the drink, she presumed that it was real beer, and was very, very intimidated as a result.
It was only years later, when the drink started to become more popular in Germany, that she discovered most ginger beers are non-alcoholic (containing less than 0.5% alcohol, a natural by-product of fermentation).
With the help of Alexis from Edible Alchemy, Clara learnt how to recreate ginger beer from her childhood memory.
You can find the full video here. Recipe below.
Before we get started, it is important to understand the differences between non-alcoholic ginger beer, alcoholic ginger beer and ginger ale.
- Non-alcoholic Ginger Beer: Naturally brewed by cultivating wild yeast from ginger skin. This cultivated yeast is often called a ginger bug, or a ginger starter. The starter is mixed with ginger syrup and water, and left to ferment. Carbonation is achieved through fermentation. To keep alcohol content to a minimum, duration of the fermentation should be kept short (between 1–2 days). Commercially sold non-alcoholic ginger beers are also treated with heat to evaporate the alcohol, thereby keeping it under the 0.5% mark.
- Alcoholic Ginger Beer: Usually brewed using beer or champaign yeast to achieve a higher alcohol percentage. Or, if using wild yeast from the ginger as described above, it is left to ferment for a longer time (1–4 weeks).
- Ginger Ale: A mixture of ginger syrup and carbonated water. No alcohol content, as it is not fermented.
WARNING:
Ginger beer creates a lot of pressure during the fermentation process. It is strongly advised to use plastic bottles, so you can feel and monitor the pressure. If using glass bottles, use flip-top bottles that will self-release. Handle with care.
Now you are ready to create your own ginger beer. The recipe below is only a guideline — Clara is also experimenting with her flavours after a failed first batch. Trust your tastebuds and adjust the ratio and flavours to taste.
Clara’s Homemade Ginger Beer
Makes 2.5 litres
Ginger bug (ginger beer starter):
ginger (organic, as skin is used)
sugar
water (must be non-chlorinated)
glass jar
piece of cloth for cover
Ginger syrup:
8cm ginger
1.5 cup sugar
1 litre of water
For bottling:
plastic bottles OR flip-top glass bottles that self-release
water (must be non-chlorinated)
few pieces of raisins (acts as a pressure indicator)
plus different spices for infusing (chilli, cloves, cinnamon, etc)
- The ginger bug (ginger beer starter) takes up to seven days to be ready for use. Inside your glass jar, add a small thumb of ginger (sliced, diced or grated — personal preference) and an equal amount of sugar. Add some non-chlorinated water until the contents are covered. Stir well. Ginger has wild yeast on the skin, and this process is done to cultivate it.
- Cover with a piece of cloth (breathable), allowing the yeasts in the air to also interact with your ginger bug. Place it by a warm place (on top of a fridge, near a heater) and away from sunlight.
- Every day for up to seven days, add the same amount of ginger and sugar, and more of the non-chlorinated water as required. Stir regularly — yeast often sits near the surface and stirring ensures activity. When you start to see and hear bubbles near the surface, it is ready for use.
- Prepare the ginger syrup by boiling ginger (sliced, diced or grated) with sugar and water. Filter out the ginger pieces and let it cool completely.
- Bottle the ginger syrup with water, adjusting the ratio depending on your desired sweetness. Add the liquid from your ginger starter to the mixture (anywhere from two tablespoons to 1/3 of a bottle — the more you add, the faster the fermentation process will be). As mentioned above, use plastic bottles when possible, as ginger beer builds up a lot of gas — glass bottles have a greater chance of shattering.
- Add your desired spices. Shake well and taste. When evaluating the flavour, keep in mind that as the drink ferments, it will become less sweet and more alcoholic and acidic.
- To assist with identifying the build-up of pressure during fermentation, add a piece of raisin. Raisin has natural yeasts on the skin and as it interacts with the sugars in the drink, it will be surrounded by bubbles, making it float to the surface.
- Place it by a warm place if you want to speed up the fermentation process. Leave it by a cool place for a slower, more controlled fermentation.
- Check regularly for the pressure by feeling the bottle. If you plan to ferment it for a long time, release the pressure regularly to avoid an explosion. Handle with care when opening the bottle cap — take it slow, as it is often like opening a roughly shaken soft drink.
- It is ready to drink as soon as the bottle is very tight and hard to press. To keep the alcohol content to a minimum, ferment between 1–2 days. Once you are happy with it, put it in the fridge to slow down the fermentation.
- Serve chilled. Add lemon, lime, ginger or sugar to taste. Keep in mind that carbonation produced through fermentation is light. For more soda-like fizz, serve mixed with carbonated water.
If you want to keep making more batches of ginger beer, make sure to not drink it all and leave some in the bottle. As the ginger beer is already “active”, you can simply add more water and ginger syrup, leave it by a warm place to ferment, and you have another batch!
Special thanks to Alexis from Edible Alchemy for her knowledge. If you want to find out more about all things fermentation, visit her website here.
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