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.