Ingredients:
2 tbsp lukewarm water
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp dried yeast
200g sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
finely-grated zest of 2 lemons
3 tbsp freshly grated ginger
Method:
Dissolve 1/2 tsp of sugar and the dried yeast in the lukewarm water to activate the yeast (set aside for 5 minutes until frothy).
Add the zest of 2 lemons into a heatproof container with the 200g of sugar and the grated ginger. Pour over 250ml of boiling water and leave to steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a 1.5l plastic bottle in which the ginger beer will be made.
Top up the bottle with cool water to near top so that final temperature is approximately at body temperature.
Add the yeast mixture to the bottle as soon as it shows begins to foam. Cap the bottle tightly. Mix thoroughly and set aside in a warm place. Leave until bottle becomes rigid. Depending on the yeast this can take anything from 12 hours to 3 days, but best to check regularly, as there is a risk of explosion with this process.
Note that the process here is the conversion of sugar into alcohol and carbon dioxide (which provides the fizz). So even after the day it will be slightly alcoholic. However, do not let it stand for more than a week and a half unless you are looking for alcoholic ginger beer.
Be careful when opening a s contents will be under pressure, and could emerge quite forcefully.
Serve on the rocks with a wedge or lime.
Click on the image, above to submit to Pinterest.