On Tue, 10 May 2005 19:01:45 +0000 (UTC), "PieOPah"
<simon.argent@gmail.com> wrote:
[color=blue]
>How easy is it to make Ginger Beer? Also, how would I carbonate it?
>
>If somebody could point me to a good recipe it would be much appreciated.
>
>BTW, not looking to make this alcoholic - just something for the kids :D
>
>Thanks,[/color]

Hi Simon

When I was very young (a long time ago in a Galaxy....etc.) we used to
make very nice ginger beer from a ginger beer plant. I no longer have
the recipe but the following, found on the WWW, looks identical:-

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Equipment and Ingredients

Equipment
A jar and lid, which is big enough to contain the plant.
One pint-sized measuring jug
Several clean and dry two-litre plastic bottles.
Teaspoons
A large pan
A muslin cloth for straining the plant

Ingredients
Dried (powdered) ginger
Dried brewers yeast
Sugar
Juice of four lemons
Water

Making the Plant
The plant is a mixture of dried ginger, yeast, sugar and water. This
creates a yeast culture.

In the jar, place one teaspoon of dried yeast, two teaspoons of dried
ginger, four teaspoons of sugar and a (UK size) pint of cold water.

Stir and keep at room temperature.

Feed the plant every day with two teaspoons of dried ginger and four
teaspoons of sugar. Stir after feeding.

The plant will be ready after one week.

Making the Ginger Beer
Place 1kg (2lb) of sugar and two pints of boiling water in the large
pan. The sugar will dissolve.

Add the juice of the four lemons to the pan.

Strain the contents of the jar - the plant - through the cloth into
the pan. See below for what is to be done with the solid portion of
the plant.

Add 14 pints of room temperature water.

Stir and bottle. Fill the bottles about seven-eighths full as you need
to allow for expansion. Squeeze the air out of the bottles to stop
them exploding under pressure from their contents.

Store the bottles in a safe place at room temperature, and leave for
three to four weeks to 'brew'.

You can divide The "plant" sediment left on the muslin into two parts.
Put each part into a clean jar with a cupful of cold water. The plants
are then ready to be fed again. Give one to a friend.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
A few points:-

This is a UK recipe so pints mean UK sized pints; i.e. larger than US
pints.

I was probably pre-teenage when I used to make this (under parental
supervision) and as far as I am aware it is non-alcoholic (or very
low). Certainly everybody regarded it as being fit for children to
drink - and they can do most of the work (certainly the daily feeding)
themselves.

I seem to remember the bottles having a tendency to explode - but that
could have been my own fault. We also used to use glass bottles with
a screw top in those days.

As you can see from the recipe, you end up with lots of ginger beer
plus 2 more plants, so you could end up being inundated with the
stuff.

Regards

KGB