Traditionally Fermented Gingerbeer – it’s a Health Tonic!

We believe we have mastered the craft of Ginger Beer! Far more than a delicious drink, Ginger Beer certainly deserves the ‘health tonic’ title – lots of beneficial bugs for your gut, ginger works wonders for our digestive system and has anti-inflammatory qualities. Ginger is well known for use against motion sickness or nausea… So if you know anyone suffering with morning sickness get a batch brewing now!

Our ginger beer is cold pressed (and not heated at any stage of the process). Yes, we add lots of sugar (you have to, to create fermentation) but don’t let that put you off! The majority of the sugar is used in the fermentation process and we use ‘rapadura’ sugar which is unprocessed sugar cane full of nutrients. The end result is a fizzy drink with a good ginger kick, a taste of lemon and not sweet at all!

Organic lemons will be out of season soon, so don’t dilly dally… get your first batch brewing and you will be hooked!

It is said a brew using non-organic ginger will not have the same good microbes to kick off the fermentation process.

Now here’s our ‘secret’ recipe:

GINGER BUG – Ingredients

• 100g ginger (approx)
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar (approx)
• 500ml filtered water

THE BREW – Ingredients

• 300g organic ginger
• 1 cup lemon juice – 4-7 lemons depending how juicy they are!
• 3 cups coconut sugar
• 7 litres filtered water

SO FIRST, before we can make our brew we need to create our GINGER BUG.

A ginger bug is the ‘starter’ of a naturally fermented beverage. The mixture of sugar, ginger, and water captures wild yeasts and beneficial bacteria, which is added for a probiotic boost and to create the fizz!

 

GINGER BUG – Method (NOTE: This takes a few days!!)

Into a jar put approx 1 Tbsp each of grated ginger (leave skin on) and rapadura sugar. Add 500ml of filtered water. Stir well to dissolve sugar. Place a piece of muslin or any cloth over the top (to prevent intruders). Each day add another Tbsp each of grated ginger and sugar. Stir well, at least once in the morning and once at night… and in the middle of the day if you are about. The ‘bug’ is ready when bubbles start forming on the top. This may take just a couple of days, or as long as a week. It is completely dependant on the temperature. I recommend putting it someone warm (not in direct sunlight). Once it starts to bubble you can start the Brew!

THE BREW – Method

You will need a large fermenting jar (or any large container/pot, or two smaller containers would be fine too). We use an 8 litre glass jar with a tap.

Fill container with 7 litres of filtered water (if your filtered water is cold let it sit until it reaches room temperature).

Juice your ginger – preferably in a ‘cold press’ masticating machine, however you can use a centrifugal machine also. If you do not have a juicer and want to make this, leave a comment on the blog post and I’ll explain another method.

Juice your lemons.

To your water add: ginger juice, lemon juice, 3 cups of rapadura sugar and 3/4 of the (strained) liquid from your ginger bug. Stir well until sugar is dissolved. Place a large piece of cloth or a loose fitting lid over your brew.

Just like the ‘bug’, your BREW is ready when bubbles start forming on the top. This may take just a couple of days, or as long as a week. Stir your brew at least twice a day. As soon as bubbles start forming it’s ready to bottle. You can bottle your ginger beer in any bottles you have (recycled wine bottles work well in our house :)).

Make sure you keep the bottles in the fridge otherwise the brew will continue to ferment (and eventually explode).

The more brews you make the more you will get a feel for it! Goodluck!

Keep your left over ‘ginger bug’ in the fridge… When you are ready to make the next brew just start the process again – the bug will re-create it self quicker this time!