How to Make Ginger Beer from a Ginger Beer Plant plus other Recipes

Make ginger beer from the plant for making this ginger flavored beer, the old fashioned way. We also have 2 recipes where you will be able to either drink it straightaway or within 2 days.

We all have childhood memories of summer days and bottles of that luscious yellow liquid popping away, that was served chilled with lots of ice. There is nothing better to be able to pass on those childhood memories to your own children by making the homemade ginger beer plant and then using that plant to make your own.

I made some this summer, as you can see below, and the kids loved it. However, a word of warning, the longer you leave it to stand it will continue to brew and so can be quite strong and some may find it unpleasant to drink.

I was able to drink it, but the kids perferred drinking it when it was still fairly young. It really is a matter of preference, and if you are really lucky it will disappear from your pantries before you get to having to deal with that issue.

You can add raisins to your bottles, as you can see here above.

Ginger Beer Plant Recipe

1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 cups cold water

Mix altogether and stir well. Let it stand, undisturbed for 3 days. After 3 days, pour off half the liquid trying not to disturb the sediment that has formed. Throw away the liquid you have poured off. What you want is that liquid that has formed with the sediment.

Start feeding your ginger beer plant with 1 teaspoon sugar, and 1 level teaspoon ground ginger every day, for 7 days.

To Make Ginger Beer from a Ginger Beer Plant

Combine 2 lbs (1 kg) sugar with 4 cups (1 litre) boiling water in a large container. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add 2 gallons (8 litres) cold water and 1 cup lemon juice.

Strain the plant through a piece of clean, cotton cloth, keeping the sediment. Add to your large container and mix well.

Pour into sterilized bottles, leaving a head space of 2 inches, or 5 cm. Cap and store in a cool, dark place for 7 days. Place in the fridge just before serving.

How to Keep Ginger Plant Alive

In order to keep your ginger plant alive, you will need to put half the reserved sediment back in a jar, add 2 cups cold water. Feed with 1 teaspoon sugar and 1 level teaspoon ground ginger every day for 7 days and your plant is now ready to use for some more summer drinking!

Instant Ginger Beer Recipe

For those of you who don't want to wait for your plant to grow, you can make this delightful, instant ginger beer recipe. No wait, no fuss.

Boil six quarts water, one and a half ounces bruised ginger, three quarters pound coarse sugar.

Strain, then add one ounce carbonate of soda, and keep in a closed container.

To each glassful add half teaspoonful tartaric acid, and drink while effervescing.

Mrs. Beeton's Ginger Beer Recipe

Finally, a recipe from the famous Mrs. Beeton. Again, it is fairly instant, as you only have to wait 2 days before you can drink it.

2 lemons,
625g ( 1 1/4lbs) sugar
30g ( l oz) whole ginger
7g (l/4 oz) cream of tartar
7.5 litres (5 quarts) boiling water
a good tablespoon
fresh veast.

Remove the rinds of the lemons (as thinly as possible), strip off every particle of white pith, slice the lemons thinly, removing any pips.

Place the slices in an earthenware bowl with the sugar, ginger, cream of tartar and pour in the boiling water. Allow to stand until lukewarm, then stir in the yeast.

Leave the bowl in a moderately warm place for 24 hours. Skim off the yeast, then strain the ginger beer carefully from the sediment, and bottle.

Remember you will need to tie the corks down securely. It will be ready to drink in two days.