Ginger Beer

[Jeanied]

Ok. Well, after we were reminded to use demigods and not bottles, I made another batch of this and I've just put it into the demigod. Within 30 seconds it was bubbling.

I'm wondering whether over the years, we have got the recipe muddled a bit; and we should boil the extract/sugar/water/lemon juice to kill the yeast to make ginger beer; and leave it to ferment to make ginger wine.

I've just looked in Granny's WI book on Wines Syrups and cordials - clearly the ginger wine is intended for longer term fermentation and the ginger beer is lower in alcohol and a faster brew. The recipe in her book is ready in 4 days

[zazen999]

That's what I am saying; if you don't kill the yeast, by boiling, then the yeast doesn't die and then the bottles explode.

[binley100]

Plastic ones don't

[zazen999]

But mine did - well, it was. It needed to be opened regularly to let the gas out.

I was astonished to see it fermenting so soon after putting in the demigod; which usually would be straight in the bottles. Hence asking the question whether somewhere along the line someone wrote it down wrong. As if it was supposed to be boiled at that point, the yeast would die and the mix would be alcohol free. Whereas now, it just continues to ferment.

[binley100]

p'haps if it was strained again once the sediment started to collect in the bottom of the bottles it would slow down any more fermentation ......

[chris]

I bottled mine yesterday.. after bottling it, decided to taste the tiny bit left.. (I threw some away, as didn't have enough bottles, (well, plastic ones - I aint risking the glass ones I have!) grr!)

OMG, wrank. I almost wretched.

After clearning everything up, I saw the sugar. fs! forgot to put it in.

Back in the pan, sugar stirred in, and re-bottled. Hope I worked out the sugar right!! We'll see. no expansion in the bottles yet though (I'd gone to great length wraping them in sarnie bags, in the sink incase they popped overnight!).

Taste much nicer with sugar in mind

[rustylady]

But mine did - well, it was. It needed to be opened regularly to let the gas out.

I was astonished to see it fermenting so soon after putting in the demigod; which usually would be straight in the bottles. Hence asking the question whether somewhere along the line someone wrote it down wrong. As if it was supposed to be boiled at that point, the yeast would die and the mix would be alcohol free. Whereas now, it just continues to ferment.

But if you killed the yeast you wouldn't get any bubbles, and it wouldn't be ginger beer.

[binley100]

I bottled mine yesterday.. after bottling it, decided to taste the tiny bit left.. (I threw some away, as didn't have enough bottles, (well, plastic ones - I aint risking the glass ones I have!) grr!)

OMG, wrank. I almost wretched.

After clearning everything up, I saw the sugar. fs! forgot to put it in.

Back in the pan, sugar stirred in, and re-bottled. Hope I worked out the sugar right!! We'll see. no expansion in the bottles yet though (I'd gone to great length wraping them in sarnie bags, in the sink incase they popped overnight!).

Taste much nicer with sugar in mind

twonk ..........

[Raybon]

I remember the explosions in the cupboard under the stairs.....wonderful stuff!
Just had another look at the recipe - agreeably doable! So I'm going to do it!
A bit worried about sterilising bottles though.......

[Bal]

Lovely day to be drinking it though. Friend made elderflower champagne and had to have redecorators in, to redo the whole bathroom after it exploded.


just thought decorators are normally still decorators even when they redo it. Blonde!!

I made it too a few years ago, soon learnt to only open it outsid!

[fishpond]

Ginger Beer

The plant: - combine in a large screw top jar.
12g yeast
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp sugar
2 cups water.

Everyday add to plant 1 tsp ginger and 1 tsp sugar for seven days.
Strain this through double thickness muslin. Leave to drip do NOT squeeze.
Add to this 3 cups sugar, 4 cups boiling water and the juice of 2 large lemons.
Put into a large basin and add 14 cups of cold water. The liquid is then ready for bottling. Fill bottles to 2” from top and screw on caps tight.
Leave for seven days before drinking.
Scrape the remaining sludge off the muslin into your screw top jar and add to it 1 cup of cold water. Shake well and divide mixture into 2. To each half add 1 cup of cold water and 2tsp each of ginger and sugar. You now have two plants to feed as before.

NB. 1 cup sugar = 225g 1 cup water = 250ml

I have just stated the plant.
Also started the Rhubarb Vodka with a few ginger slices added---oh dear!

[burnie]

Pity there's not a sugar free version of Ginger Beer, love the stuff

[Issy]

Was about to make this - went to Morrisons for the yeast - they had run out???? So guess will have to pinch the oh bread making yeast - aim to keep it in our shed when made - I gave a friend of ours a bottle of elderflower cordial a few years ago - really hot day and he left it in the heat - it exploded - pierced 8 cans of beer - damaged 2 pictures and his wife had to wash the floor twice to get rid of the mess! I don't think they have forgiven me yet - but I did tell him to keep it cold!!!

[Jay22]

Love ginger beer but don't think I'd have the patience to make my own.

Just going through this thread...lots of old names that don't post any more.

[mothhawk]

Just going through this thread...lots of old names that don't post any more.

It makes me so sad that so many of those folk are no longer on the vine. I clicked on Pumpkin Becki's profile - she had 31 "friends", and only Bren in Pots and seasprout still post. Of Binley's 23 friends, only Florence Fennel still posts.....