Of these, the kefir was a rip-roaring failure (turns out I may need some actual kefir grains to get this particular show on the road), the cider is taking FOREVER to ferment, but the ginger beer was an inspiring SUCCESS!
So, I thought I would tell you all about it.
I've been frustrated for ages by the range of non alcoholic drinks available anywhere. It seems if you're the designated driver your only choice is to rot your guts with sugar or down a bunch of chemicals in the form of aspartame (which makes me sick). This is why I'm always happy when there is tea available at a pub.
I figure that I should give kombucha a go at some point, but I have always LOVED ginger, so when I found a natural ferment recipe for ginger beer in Wild Fermentation by Sandor Ellix Katz (which I heartily recommend to anyone wanting to try fermented foods) I had to give it a go! Incidentally, Sandor is an AIDS survivor who attributes his current good health to the inclusion of fermented foods in his diet. (Who needs more persuading than that to at least give them a try?)
The basic process is simple:
1. Make a ginger 'bug' by mixing ginger, sugar and water in a jar, covering with muslin and leaving to ferment in a warm place for about a week, 'feeding' with sugar every other day. I popped my mixture into my yogurt maker (which ticks over at c. 37 degC) as I was in a rush, and it was ready in 2 days. I should probably mention that I misread the recipe and grated 3 inches of ginger to make the bug, rather than 2 teaspoons like the recipe suggests. To the 2 tsp ginger you add 2 tsp sugar and 1 cup (250 ml) water. Otherwise you need an absurdly big jar for the process.
When this is bubbling...
2. Make gingery water by grating ginger into water and simmering for 15 minutes. No need to peel the ginger. Add about 3 inches ginger per 4 litres water, more if you like it hot! Turn off the heat, add 1.5 cups sugar (about 300 g) and stir until it dissolves.
3. When gingery water is cool, add ginger bug to it (if you do it while the mixture is still hot you will kill your little fermentation buddies), then strain the whole lot into clean carbonated drink bottles.
IMPORTANT NOTE: DO NOT under ANY circumstances use glass bottles not designed for fizzy drinks or THEY WILL EXPLODE!! Kilner jars, wine bottles and demijohns may look cool, but they aren't designed for the task, and will shatter glass all over your kitchen/ your face/ your children. Seriously, old cola bottles may look naff, but they are safe and easy to use. Just get over it ;)
4. Leave to ferment, again for about a week. The yeasts in the 'bug' will eat the sugar, turning it into alcohol and carbon dioxide (so yes, if you add more sugar you can make alcoholic ginger beer; but 300g sugar in 4 litres of drink does not an alcoholic beverage make).
Again, I popped the bottles into my yogurt maker to get it going - though an airing cupboard would be better for this. (Unfortunately our boiler is above the sink, making it useless for such tasks.)
Let out some fizz if bottles start to resemble zeppelins.
I found this makes a really nice, light drink which is much less sugary than shop bought ginger beer. I first tried it immediately after having drunk some fancy ginger beer at my mum's and didn't think I liked it, as it tasted completely different to the shop-bought stuff. However, when it's not sampled alongside a sugar-packed drink it's delicious, and has a light, almost elderflowery taste. One evening Jon had homemade beer, and I had some of this ginger beer and he ended up nicking mine! (jammy git)
So there you have it, a nice refreshing drink that is low in sugar and alcohol (of course there will be a trace level of alcohol, but it's negligible - read - unsuitable if you're allergic to alcohol, fine if you're pregnant or for kids).
Have a go - it's dead cheap and dead easy!
Bee x
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