The Center for Ecological Design - Homemade Ginger Beer

Homemade ginger beer

Homemade ginger beer is a delicious treat that also packs multiple medicinal properties. Ginger beer is a fermented drink like Kombucha, while ginger ale is soda, like Coca-Cola. Ginger beer gets its fizz from natural fermentation, whereas ginger ale is force carbonated and as a result is very bubbly.

Ginger has been used for thousands of years as a medicine in Southeast Asia, and found its way into Western culture during the Roman Empire. Most widely known for treating nausea, ginger has also been used to treat colds, arthritis, migraines, and hypertension. The medicinal, chemical, and pharmacological properties of ginger have been extensively reviewed in peer reviewed academic journal articles.

Ginger beer was first created in England in the mid-1700s, and was originally an alcoholic beverage The English began exporting alcoholic ginger beer to the US, but a non-alcoholic version was soon created in response to the 1920s Prohibition laws.

Equipment and ingredients:

24 oz glass jar
3-6 oz ginger
3/4 - 1 cup sugar
4 oz lemon or lime juice
20 oz water
1/8 tsp yeast (beer or bread yeast are fine)

Step 1. Aquire ginger.

Obtain your ginger, give it a nice wash. Weigh 3-6 oz. 3 ounces is recommended for casual drinking use, 6 ounces produces a very strong brew that's great for medicinal purposes.

Step 2. Grate.

Grate the ginger. I like to use a food processor because it will take 5 seconds instead of 5 minutes.

Step 3. Measure sugar.

Measure the sugar. More sugar = sweeter. The orginal recipe for this ginger beer calls for 1 cup. I prefer 6 oz ginger with 3/4 cup of sugar for a strong, less sugary brew. Less than 3/4 cup, I've found that the yeast doesn't get active enough.

Step 4. Prep sugar.

Mix the sugar with hot water. Give it a good shake, make sure the sugar is fully incorporated.

Step 5. Measure lime.

Measure 4 ounces of lemon or lime juice. The brew will taste better if you do fresh squeezed, but it will also taste just fine if you don't. Add it to the mix, give it a quick shake.

Step 6. Add ginger.

Add the ginger to the mix and top off the jar with water. Give it a good shake.

Step 7. Add yeast.

Sprinkle the yeast on top, seal the lid! Place the jar in a cabinet.

Step 8. Degass.

A few times a day, you'll need to let the gasses escape. Unscrew the lid. The ginger beer will be ready in about 24-48 hours. The longer you go, the stronger the brew.

Step 9. Filter and enjoy!

Filter the ginger out when your brew is done.

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