Ginger Beer

[Scottishnewbie]

oh dear! all mine is in glass bottles....

[zazen999]

I'd recommend getting it into plastic ASAP; what sort of tops are they? Corked or metal hinge lids?

One of the members here had her hubby go to casualty yesterday as he tried to open an old bottle in a glass bottle.....which is why I thought I'd try to get mine moved ASAP.

Whatever you do, move them carefully, release them with something over the top and underneath to catch it and get it put into a safe plastic bottle as soon as you can.

[Scottishnewbie]

blooming heck! need to get organised then - only problem is i dint have any plastic bottles at the mo!

[zazen999]

Aah, that could be a problem!

Yours are a fair way behind mine; you may have a few days to find some

[binley100]

Just been reading about the adventures of Zaz and her ginger beer. OH is reading as well as he was the instigator. A few points to mention:-
firstly he used to use 2litre plastic screwtop bottles
Refrigerate before drinking and
he seems to remember he used brewing yeast from a homebrew shop.
I should've said about the plastic bottles but had forgotten how fizzy it was.

[zazen999]

Fizzy

It's lethal!!!

I've been told by Mr Z we ain't doing it again.....red rag to a bull that!

[binley100]

pmsl I've set OH off now, he fancy's making a brew. Lovely from the fridge on a hot summers day. Better start saving 2 litre bottles instead of cutting them up for other things.

[zazen999]

Yup, sounds like a plan. I've heard summer will be back soon so we'll be needing it!

[binley100]

Right that's sorted then............

Now off to see if anyones had any problems with exploding friendship cakes

[Scottishnewbie]

well we had the first bottle of this last night and were extremely disappointed! no explosions and no fizz! so what did i do worng? i used the allisons bread yeast - the one in the yellow tub.

it did taste nice though

[zazen999]

No idea.

We are still opening the 2l squash bottle nearly every hour as it is misshaping the bottle if we don't....it's just not going flat!!!

It made me jump out of my skin a couple of days ago as it blew the bottle outwards and I had to use a teatowel to unscrew the cap off.

I should be asking what I did wrong!!!

I used the same yeast; allinson bread yeast.....

[Scottishnewbie]

now that's really odd! i wonder what i did differently to you.......as far as i know i folloed the 'recipe' exactly......maybe the yeast was old (though use it daily for bread and that rises)...

[blackkitty]

My Mum used to make stunning ginger beer, I've got her recipe but it calls for Jamaica ginger, which I remember coming in small bottles like vanilla essence. Does anyone know if you can still get this?

[binley100]

try this
Ginger Extract - Lakeland, the home of creative kitchenware

[jackyspratty]

Heresanther recipe my sister gave me, I think its originally from a mrs beeton preserving book?

Ginger beer
2 lemons
1 1/4 Ib sugar
1oz root ginnger (bashed with rlling pin)
1/4 oz cream of tartar
5 quarts boiling water (1 quart = 2 pints)
1 good tbs sachet yeast. (frsh in mrs b's day!)

Remove rinds thinly from lemons
Strip off pith and depip.
Slice thinly.
Put in a large bowl with all the other ingredients, xcept yeast
Stand until lukewarm

Put a lttle water in a cup sprinkle in the yeast, stirntil thick, about 1/2 an hour
Spread he yeast mixture on a slice of dried toast about 3/4" thick
The toast should be playing card size for 2 1/2 gallons (8 pints in a gallon)
Put the toast yeast side down on the surface of the brew.
Leave for 24hours in a warm place.
Skim off the yeast strain
Bottle, ready in 2 days.


Not tried this one yet, but my sis swears by it she lives on the Isle of wright so Ive not been able to try it.
Looks like a bit more faffing about at the start but its ready pretty quick.