Homemade Welsh Ginger Beer Recipes

Steps:

• Take a 1.5-liter plastic bottle of spring water and empty it into a clean pitcher. Use some of it to make simple syrup by stirring 1/2 pound sugar into 1 cup hot water until fully dissolved.
• In a large measuring cup, mix all ingredients and stir well. Funnel back into the plastic bottle and cap tightly. Store in a warm, dark place for 24 to 48 hours. (I put mine inside a box, to contain it if it should blow.) The top of the bottle will expand and become tight. Check it and very slowly release the pressure if it's looking groaningly tight. Some people ferment it with no top, or with the top on loosely, to allow gas to escape. I suppose if you wanted to get fancy you could spend $1.50 on a fermentation lock and stop worrying about it. If the temperature is quite warm, above 80F, a single day may be sufficient. The longer you let it ferment, the drier the final mix will be.
• After 48 hours, refrigerate it to stop the fermentation. Once chilled, you can strain out the pulp and dead yeast, which will have made a sediment on the bottom. Makes 1 liter and will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

Steps:

• Combine 1 1/2 cups plus 2 1/2 tablespoons water, 2 teaspoons sugar, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, and 1 3/4 plus 1/8 teaspoons yeast in a container. Mix together to make the bug. Cover loosely and let stand in a warm place for 24 hours.
• "Feed" the bug daily for 7 days by adding 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 teaspoon ground ginger.
• Strain the bug through muslin cloth, pouring the liquid into a separate large container.
• Mix the strained liquid with 3 quarts cold water. Add lemon juice to the brew.
• Dissolve 3 1/4 cups plus 2 1/4 tablespoons sugar in boiling water; add to the brew. Mix in grated ginger. Bottle the ginger beer. Let stand until fizzy, at least 1 week. Refrigerate before drinking.

Steps:

• Put the ginger in a saucepan set over a low heat with the lemon peel, sugars and 500ml water and stir until the sugars have dissolved. Increase the heat to medium, then simmer for 15-20 mins, or until reduced and syrupy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
• Strain the syrup into a jug through a sieve lined with muslin. At this stage, you can transfer the syrup to a small sterilised bottle or jar and keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
• Pour the ginger syrup into a large serving jug. Tip in the lemon juice, fill with ice and top up with the soda water. Serve garnished with a few mint sprigs.

Steps:

• Firstly, make the yeast 'plant' or starter: mix the yeast with the warm water, add 2 teaspoons ground ginger and 2 teaspoons sugar. Stir well. Make that mix in an opaque jar or jug, or keep it in the dark for 24 hours.
• Feed this starter with 1 teaspoon ground ginger and one teaspoon of sugar every day for the next six days. In total, you will use 8 teaspoons of ginger and 8 teaspoons of sugar for the starter.
• After the full week it took to make this, strain this starter through a cheesecloth, or use a fine sieve.
• Dissolve the 1 1/2 lbs of sugar with 2 pints of water.
• Juice the 2 lemons, and add the juice to the sugar water.
• Add the sugar water with lemon juice to the strained starter.
• Add the resulting mix to the 5 pints of water.
• Mix well.
• Bottle in sterilized bottles or screw-topped jars.
• Keep for seven days to mature, then it's ready.

Steps:

• Grate 2 tablespoons each of lemon and orange zest.
• Squeeze 1/3 cup lemon juice from 3 of the lemons. Set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse the ginger, honey, and sugar until just combined. Add the orange and lemon juices and process.
• Transfer to a large lidded container. Add the orange and lemon zests and 2 cups of boiling water and stir until the sugar dissolves.
• Cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 24 hours and up to 5 days.
• To serve, strain the ginger-beer base into a pitcher. Thinly slice the remaining lemon and orange to form circles. Add the slices and mineral water to the pitcher and stir. Serve over ice.

Steps:

• Place ginger in a food processor, and process until finely chopped.
• Transfer to a large pot, and add boiling water.
• Allow to stand for 1 hour.
• Drain with a fine sieve lined with a double thickness of damp cheesecloth.
• Discard solids.
• Add lime juice and sugar, and stir to dissolve.

Steps:

• Wash and then grind or grate the ginger, peel and all and place in a large bowl or pitcher.
• Juice the limes and add the lime juice, the lime peels, the sugar and the cream of tartar to the ginger.
• Pour the boiling water over the ginger mixture and allow to sit for at least two hours, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has cooled to room temperature.
• Making sure the water is at room temperature (if it is too hot, it will kill the yeast), strain the mixture into a large pitcher or jar with a cover.
• Sprinkle the yeast over the top of the strained liquid and let it sit uncovered for about five minutes so the yeast softens.
• Now stir the mixture, cover it and leave it to sit at room temperature for 24 hours.
• Strain again, chill and serve cold.
• Note: This is not an overly sweet drink and not one in which you can substitute splenda for the sugar as the yeast feeds on the sugar.

Steps:

• Take about a half-cup of warm water, and mix with sugar. Then sprinkle yeast on top. Let sit.
• Boil about 2 litres of water.
• Peel the ginger root and cut into smaller pieces.
• When water has been brought to a boil, add the ginger root, cloves, and anise. I like to put the cloves in a small tea ball so i can remove them easily later.
• Boil for 30 minutes. Then remove ginger root and cloves.
• Dissolve 3/4 - 1 cup of sugar in the brew.
• Let the brew cool until it is tepid (ie won't kill the yeast). Then add they yeast mixture to it.
• Now pour the mixture into a 2 litre plastic bottle. Top up with water. Make sure you leave between 5-8cm of air in the top. Play with this amount -- you'll find you get more pressure if you leave the air inches.
• Now leave in a warmish place for about 1 day. Watch it carefully the first time - wait until the pressure has built up, then refrigerate.
• Leave in the fridge for at least 2 days. If you leave it in longer, you'll get more pressure -- I usually leave it at least 2 weeks, but it can stay in there for 2 months. Still, it will continue to gain pressure in the refrigerator.
• When you open the bottle, be very CAREFUL! The pressure should be very high by this time. It's best to do it over the sink or outside, and do NOT aim at anyone! If you cover the cap while you open it, it will muffle the "pop". Instead, don't cover the top of the cap, but only touch the sides of the cap while you open it. In this way, it will fire like a gun.
• If you've got good pressure, it will bubble out like champagne, so have glasses on hand ot pour right away!

Steps:

• Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan.
• Finely chop ginger in a food processor. Transfer to a large glass or ceramic bowl; add boiling water and stir to blend. Cover loosely with foil. Let the ginger mixture stand at cool room temperature 24 hours.
• Strain ginger liquid into large pitcher; discard the solids in a strainer.
• Add brown sugar to liquid and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice and pineapple juice.
• Fill glasses with crushed ice and pour ginger beer over ice. If you like, add a little club soda. Serve with lime wedge to squeeze over. Enjoy!

Steps:

• Grate enough ginger using Microplane to measure 3 1/2 tablespoons, then put in a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to collect juice, pressing on solids and then discarding.
• Place funnel in neck of bottle and pour in 3 tablespoons ginger juice (reserve any remaining for another use). Add sugar, lemon juice, yeast, and a pinch of salt.
• Fill bottle with water, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of space at top. Remove funnel and screw cap on tightly. Gently shake bottle to dissolve sugar.
• Let stand at room temperature until plastic feels hard and no longer indents when squeezed, 24 to 36 hours.
• Chill ginger beer until very cold.