Ginger beer

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littlewitch

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Ginger beer
« on: September 26, 2009, 17:42 »
Many, many,many moons ago - granma used to make 'ginger beer' - only remember vaguely but seem to think she had some sort of yeast thing she 'fed' every so often then added other stuff & bottled - kept some of the original stuff & continued to feed ready for next batch.  Now have scratched head, had a thunk but..... can't remember recipe - do any of you good peeps know what i'm on about - would love to have a go as I seem to remember it was much nicer than bought ginger beer.   :unsure:   :closedeyes:

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Kate and her Ducks

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #1 on: September 26, 2009, 19:02 »
Sounds lovely. Be interested in hearing the answers.
Be like a duck. Calm on the surface but always paddling like the dickens underneath.

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Harry Flashman VC

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #2 on: September 27, 2009, 11:52 »
Here is a recipe for Ginger Beer (Soft Drink). I found this recipe on the internet a few years ago and makes a nice summer drink

YE OLDE GINGER BEER

Ingredients

Two Lemons
450gms Sugar
8 pints (4.4liters) of water enough to fill a demi-john
flat teaspoon dry yeast
100gm Fresh Root Ginger
Two heaped tea spoons of tartric acid (Cream of Tartar)

Method

1. Find a large pan and bring 3-4 pints to the boil

2. While water is boiling find a large bowl.....

.scrape zest from one lemon
.grate ginger on coarse cheese grater
. add the sugar to the ginger and lemon zest to a bowl
. cut lemons in half and squeeze juice into a cup
. add tartric acid to the lemon juice
. start yeast off in a glass with some warm water and a little sugar

3. When the water has boiled......

.add the sugar, ginger lemon zest to the water and turn off the heat
and stir
. allow mixture to cool to roughly blood temp stirring occasionally
. add the juice and tartric acid
. add yeast to mixture

4. Pour mixture into demi-john using funnel, top up demi-john with cold
water

5. Seal demijohn with and airlock

6. stand demi-john in a warm place for 48 hrs

7. After 48 hrs pour the mixture through a seive into a jug and fill bottles leaving an air gap for the pressure to build up. Screw the taps tightly onto the bottles

8. Leave bottles at room temp for 24 hrs

9. Put bottles in fridge for 2-3 days this stops carbonation just about

To drink........

1. Open bottles slowly to release gas

2 Pour ginger beer into a glass and enjoy 

The ginger beer should be fizzy and fairly sweet. If you ferment the mixture in the demi-john for longer than 48hrs then the alcohol content will increase at the expense of sweetness. - try different times to suit your taste.

Tips

1. I use plastic pop bottles and swing stopper glass beer bottles

2. Don't forget to put them in the fridge these will turn into bottle bombs

3. When opening open bottle open slowly or you will have a fountain of ginger beer

4. Add more ginger to make the brew stronger I usually add about 120gms. I've also added alot more and ended up tipping it down the sink.

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littlewitch

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #3 on: September 28, 2009, 15:48 »
Many thanks for that HF, might try that one if no other recipes forthcoming - thing is there's no mention of feeding & dividing which IS what I clearly remember granny doing - so still hoping!!   :happy:

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Kate and her Ducks

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #4 on: September 28, 2009, 19:59 »
Just guessing but would have thought she took some of the mix after about 48 hours and used this as the yeast starter for the next batch so she kept one strain of yeast going and never had to buy fresh yeast.

Used to be dome for bread too.

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sunshineband

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #5 on: September 28, 2009, 20:10 »
Here's how to make a version of ginger beer that gives a'ginger beer plant'; which I think might be what you meant, littlewitch

http://www.recipegal.com/beverages/Ginger-Beer-Plant.htm
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Harry Flashman VC

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #6 on: September 29, 2009, 12:49 »
Do a search for ginger beer plant there was plenty of sites explaining how to do it.  Never did a plant just made the ginger beer.

All the best

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veggirl

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #7 on: September 29, 2009, 13:47 »
My mum made ginger beer when I was little - I remember the noise when two bottles exploded in the cupboard - the rest was buried in the garden! ;)

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littlewitch

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #8 on: October 01, 2009, 22:29 »
Way to go sunshineband!!    ;)   That link looks what I've been looking for -  Many, many, many thanks   :D  Will try to remember to report back l8r on when i've had a go at making it...diolch yn fawr (thank you)  :blush:  :nowink:

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sunshineband

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #9 on: October 02, 2009, 16:55 »
Save a pint for me Littlewitch :D :D

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willowman

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Re: Ginger beer
« Reply #10 on: October 03, 2009, 07:51 »
Rec'd a mail order catalogue recently (www.presentsdirect.com) which featured what you are looking for - ginger beer plant. Makes approx 35 pints apparently for £9.95 outlay = just under 30p per pint.

Also featured a friendship cake mix - similar idea - you make up a cake/yeast mixture and save a bit for future cakes or pass some of the dough to a friend who repeats the process.
Many years ago a neighbour gave us some of the mixture and it made a super cake.
I started out with nothing.....and I've still got most of it.



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