ginger beer

MF, I just LOVE the instructions for the instant one :D Have the ginger on my shopping list already. Let's report back on our progress next week, shall we? :D

 

Darina Allen has a good quick recipe..

4 floz lime or lemon juice freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
6oz sugar
3/4 pint water..

mix the lime juice with the ginger in a bowl..put the sugar and water in a saucepan and bring to the boil let it boil for 30 seconds..then pour it over the lime and ginger mixture..allow it to cool chill and serve with star anise ice cubes and dilute with more water to taste..

that sounds simple enough!!

 

Sounds interesting, Wildflower. Don't know Darina Allen but may have a go at it after I try this other instant recipe.

Star anise ice cubes ... interesting ... I have some some may try that for other things. Do you crush the star anise?

 

no it just says pop a star anise piece in each ice cube tray..then add water and freeze..you can also make pommegranate ice cubes that way..darina allan is a famouse chef in ireland she runs a cookery school..where they harvest what they are going to cook..

 

Hey - great minds & all that!!!!

Had been thinking about the Ginger Beer we used to make at Christmas as kiddies, then was in town on Saturday when I saw a traditional Ginger Beer kit, so bought it and here is the receipe:

Equipment:
Dreid Yeast
Ground ginger
2 saucers
1 fine seive
an extra bowl
8 pint container (saucepan or fermenting bin)
8 pint bottles & tops
sugar
2 lemons

Wash & sterilise all euipment

1) place 1 pint of previously boiled water into a bowl. Add 1 sacet of yeast & 2 teasp ground ginger & 2 teasp sugar. Stir and cover with saucer.
2) leave at room temperature (18c to 21c NOT HIGHER)
3) sprinkle over 1 teasp of sugar and 1 teasp ground ginger every day for 7 days
4) After 7 days, strain into 2nd bowl & place residue back in first bowl. Cover each bowl with clean saucer.
5) into the 8 pint container place 2 pints of previously boiled water & disolve 1 1/2 lbs sugar. Add 2 juices of lemons & the seived liquid from 2nd bowl.
6) when liquid has cooled add 5 pints water, mix thoroughly & bottle. Leave to mature for 7 days. Drink when ready.

7) TO RESTART, add 1 pint previously boiled water to first bowl & repeat from stage 2. No need to add more yeast. After 2 weeks,halve the plant, add 1 pint previously boiled water to each, (give away 1/2) etc.....


... does anyone know if it would become alcoholic ??????

 

Phew, HB, that recipe wore me out reading it ... think it goes down the list a wee bit for me :D ... can't be into all this toiling and boiling in hot weather! I'll just sit mine out in the sun for 24 hours, like we did ice tea in Alabama.

 

thanks for all your ideas. i have to admit i did buy a couple of bottles in the supermarket last week, thats probably what started me of thinking about the stuff mum made and i kind of got nostalgic about the home made stuff - but it does sound a bit fiddly and the extra hot ginger beer we can buy is actually pretty good.
Maybe i'll have a try at making some when i have a bit more time- it might be an interesting project for my young nephew to do when he comes over.
By the way, I am a female although i can see you would not not have known that- the artful dodger bit came from a cd i was playing when i registered to use the internet for the first time and it just stayed with me!Jackie

 

Nice one artful_dodger I must be sychic, Must of known you had been to the shop for a bottle.
After all of this you will have to make some and let us know what it tastes like, now that you have been given these recipes.

 

Once the temperature comes down so it won't kill off the yeast, we are going to have a bash with the kiddies!!

 

Well,I bought my ginger today and have my empty 2 litre Sprite bottle ready so I'll make mine up tomorrow. I'm doing Marley Farley's "instant" method. With all of us making this, shame we can't have a tasting competetion :D :D

 

PS I haven't got the luxury of popping to my local supermarket to buy it so have to resort to the old-fashioned method! :D

 

Just been to the supermarkets today Asda had quite a few bottles in

 

Verdict: Good. I wouldn't say excellent as it's a bit too sweet for me and I did add a little less sugar than the required cup. I sat mine outside and it took three days and still don't think it was really ready to refrigerate overnight. As our temps have been around 30oC with nights down to 26-28oC. What temp is an airing cupboard. My yeast, individual packs of 1,5g and opened a new one to take my 1/4 teaspoon out, has a sell by date of 11/07 so no problems there as to why it took so long. :(

However, this has not deterred me and I shall make it again .. in the meantime, cheers! :D

Oh, figure it cost me about 50c (35p) but then fresh ginger is very cheap here ... enough for four times was 35p.