Ginger Beer Using Store Bought Ginger Beer

[t0ny84]

Hi Everyone,

I come to hopefully gain some insight from those more experienced with the are of brew!

I have been experimenting recently with making cider from store bought juice and had a thought I am hoping someone might be able to confirm might be possible before I go and spend the time and money experimenting.

Would it be possible to add yeast to store bought non alcoholic ginger beer and make it into an alcoholic ginger beer?

My Recipe Idea:

1. Bundaberg Ginger Beer 750ml x 2
2. Woolworths Ginger Beer Bottle 1.25l x 2
3. Additional sugar (raw sugar most likely)
4. Brigalow Home Brew Brewing Yeast 5g
5. Additional crushed up real ginger

Bundaberg Ginger Beer is a non alcoholic ginger beer made with real ginger. Woolworths ginger beer is a normal non alcoholic cordial ginger beer which I thought I would use rather than additional sugar as this already has sugar in it.

Thanks in advance for any guidance or information that you can provide.

t0ny84

 

[brewdude88]

I'd give this one a no. Bundaberg contains potassium sorbate. This additive is in there for the purpose of preventing fermentation if yeast was to make its way into the packaged product. I couldn't find an ingredient list for the Woolworth's ginger beer, but it may contain sorbate as well.

 

[HIM_Tattoos]

You're on the right track, but skip the premade stuff.

Grab a plastic bottle, a left over soda one is perfect (2 liter), sanitize that bad boy. Get 2-3 inches of ginger and grate it. Now grab a pot and fill it with 1.5 liters of water and bring it to a boil. Turn the heat off and stir in a cup of sugar, the grated ginger, and the juice of a lemon. Allow this mixture to cool between 50 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Use a sanitized funnel to pour this mixture into the aforementioned bottle. You can now add yeast of almost any kind, I've used both brewing and baking yeast with great success. Every day let the pressure out of the bottle for 7 days. After day 7 it should be ready for consumption. Keep it in the fridge.