| Making your own alcoholic ginger beer is a fun and | | | | loosely cover the container. Make sure you do not |
| easy project. It only takes two days to start a batch | | | | have an airtight seal on the container. The beer will |
| of ginger beer and you will enjoy the results for | | | | produce a lot of gas as it ferments and you don't |
| several months to come. In this recipe, everything is | | | | want to risk a messy explosion. |
| variable, so feel free to experiment and improvise. | | | | Now you just have to wait. The yeast will slowly |
| Assemble the equipment and ingredients. | | | | convert the sugar into alcohol. After a week or two |
| First you will need a ten liter (approx 2.6 gallon) plastic | | | | you can filter out the solids by pouring the mixture |
| container, sterilized with boiling water. A bucket with | | | | through a cloth. Wait another 2-3 weeks and then |
| a lid works fine. You will also need 2 kilograms | | | | start tasting it. At first it will taste very sweet. But |
| (approx 4.4 lbs) or sugar, a couple thumbs of ginger | | | | as time goes by it will reach a drinkable balance of |
| root (cleaned and shredded), a teaspoon of cream of | | | | sweetness and alcohol. Don't be alarmed if you notice |
| tartar, and misc spices (cloves, cinnamon, orange | | | | any sediment at the bottom of your container. This |
| peel), a large spoonful of molasses, and a packet of | | | | is a natural byproduct of the yeast. |
| instant bread yeast. | | | | The final step is to bottle your creation. When the |
| The next step is to boil all of the ingredients except | | | | beer is still slightly too sweet, strain the mixture one |
| for the yeast. You will basically be making a very | | | | last time into another bucket. Try to leave all of the |
| sweet syrupy tea. Boil the ingredients long enough | | | | sediment behind. Pour the filtered mix into several |
| for the sugar to dissolve and to allow all of the | | | | empty soda or water bottles and tightly screw on |
| flavors to mingle. Feel free to improvise with other | | | | the lids. This will allow the beer to naturally carbonate |
| spices during this step. You can also even add tea | | | | over a few days. Check the bottles frequently. They |
| bags or fruit juice. Depending on the size of cooking | | | | bottles will become hard with all of the carbonation. |
| pots you have available, you may have to do this in | | | | Be careful here. The yeast is still active and the beer |
| several batches. When you are finished, pour | | | | will become more and more alcoholic over time. You |
| everything into your fermentation jug or bucket. | | | | may have to discharge some of the pressure |
| Allow the mixture to cool down for several hours | | | | periodically to avoid an explosion. |
| until it reaches room temperature. Once it reaches | | | | That is all there is too it. Put the bottles in the |
| room temperature, then you can add the yeast. | | | | refrigerator for a few hours and then serve your |
| Simply sprinkle the yeast over the mixture and then | | | | delicious homemade ginger beer to your friends. |
