Ginger Beer = Gag!

[Evochild]

I just use a very small amount of yeast in it. The recipe comes from my great grandmother I think. Ginger, water, sugar and some brewers yeast. Mix it all up and let it stand for a week or two then chill and enjoy.

My non-alcoholic batch didnt turn out right. I put to much sugar in it. Im getting the original recipe from my mom sometime soon and will try again.

Here in South Africa there are many home made Ginger beers sold in the shops, all are non-alcoholic.

 

[saramc]

Here in South Africa there are many home made Ginger beers sold in the shops, all are non-alcoholic.

Even a small amount of yeast multiplies, and produces alcohol when fermenting, as long as it has a sugar source to ferment.

Yes, we have non-alcoholic 'ginger beer' in the US also, called ginger beer and is ginger soda pop, it is made without fermentation. We also have alcoholic versions made with yeast. Where you have yeast and fermentable sugar you will achieve alcohol. Ginger beer is a play on names across the world as it is used to market soda pop or an alcoholic brew. Ginger beer, to me, is made by using a ginger beer plant like this http://www.yemoos.com/gingerbeerproductpage.html; but ginger beer is defined in the eyes of the beholder. I have had nice alcoholic ginger brews made with bread or wine or cider yeast/ginger/sugar/lemon, or even water kefir grains, even made a ginger kombucha tea but true GBP eclipses them all for me. I will say that the ginger beer made from water kefir grains or true GBP had the least amount of alcohol, and the cultures reproduce and are reuseable and make great gifts for people who want them.
I hope your recipes come thru for you, it is great when we get a token of our childhood/youth back and it sounds like your Mom's recipe may be the missing link. If you are willing to share your Mom's recipe I would be honored.

 

[5muddyBrowns]

The suggested Alton Brown Recipe is a place to start, but it needed some tweaking for us. When we used the recipe as written, the gingerale came out much spicier than Reeds and not at all sweet. We adjusted the measurements to get something a bit sweeter but still very gingery. Since then we have been making it like this:

combine 1/2 cup water with:
8 oz sugar or sugar & honey mix (up to 10oz if sharing with the kids)
3/4 oz very fresh grated ginger

Bring to a boil then let cool. Add 1/8tsp yeast (we use champagne or bread, whatever is handy) and 4 Tablespoons lemon juice.

Mix very well and pour into a 2-liter bottle. Top off the bottle with fresh water, leaving at least and inch or two at the top. (7 1/2 cups total fluid)
Cap and let rest at room temp in a dark closet for 24 hours. Then refrigerate an additional 24 hours before drinking.

When you say ginger beer, you mean like ginger ale (soda), or a ginger flavored beer? I'm assuming you mean a non-alcoholic ginger ale, since this recipe sounds very much like something I made once, a couple years back.

First, yeah, baker's yeast isn't the best thing to use. I used it too, when I made mine, and it definitely gives it a strong flavor.

If I remember correctly, when I did mine, I put it in a plastic soda bottle which I left out until the bottle was rock hard from carbonation. This took around 24 hours, but you have to watch it very carefully, because it can easily explode if you forget about it.

Then I refrigerated it. I remember it tasting okay. Not disgusting. Just like a very fresh, somewhat yeasty, ginger ale.

I think I used regular sugar in mine too. Could have been brown sugar.

When did you put the lemon juice in? If you boiled it, it may have caused it to taste off. Oh, and also, you may want to dissolve the sugar better in the boiling water.

Here's another recipe from food network for ginger ale: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/ginger-ale-recipe/index.html

 

[HenryPicoBrewery]

It sounds like you have a little bit too much yeast. Also brewer's yeast makes a huge difference in final flavor.

The lemon juice should be added to the water at the same time as the syrup (after the syrup is done), but not in the syrup. However, adding zested lemon peel to the syrup helps flavor later on. You may also try adding a little lime juice when you add the lemon to round out the flavor. I agree that you should juice your own rather than from a bottle.

It's important to make sure all of the sugar fully dissolves in the syrup. Also you may want to let it cool longer (about an hour).

Don't strain the syrup until you bottle.

Finally, for sweetness, we add honey in place of some of the sugar.