Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Cooking Forum => Topic started by: JW_Halverson on November 14, 2015, 05:02:57 pm

Title: Ginger Ale
Post by: JW_Halverson on November 14, 2015, 05:02:57 pm
1.5 oz ginger root (not the powdered stuff)
6 oz sugar
2 T lemon juice
Water to make 2 liters.
Yeast, approximately 1/2 tsp.  (Pasteur Champagne wine yeast works best, but you can use regular bread yeast, too. It just has a yeastier flavor.)

Slice and dice the ginger root as fine as you can, or run thru a grater.  Add to the water and lemon juice.  Heat on the stovetop until it just about comes to a boil.  Cover and allow to steep until it reaches room temperature.  Strain thru a piece of muslin or several layers of cheesecloth. Sprinkle yeast across the surface and allow it to dissolve.  Whisk to aerate, the yeastie-boys will need a little oxygen to kickstart. 

Pour into a 2 liter plastic bottle and screw cap down tight.  Let sit at room temp for about 24 hours.  Test the bottle by squeezing.  At first, it will be fairly easy to dent the sides.  By the time it is carbonated, it will be much firmer.  Refrigerate and serve.  Do not store for more than two weeks, even in the fridge the fermentation will continue and pressure will eventually overwhelm the bottle (don't ask me how I know this).

You can adjust the amount of sugar as you like to vary the sweetness.  You can also add more ginger if you like the bite.  I almost double the ginger in this starting point recipe, but it is personal taste.  My next batch will be made with apple cider and ginger, just for kicks and giggles.
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: chamookman on November 15, 2015, 03:38:50 am
Interesting JDub thanks. Bob
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: Del the cat on November 15, 2015, 05:01:56 am
My Mum used to make this in the summer, I think she relied on natural yeast, but it's prob' more reliable to put some in.
I'll have to try adding some ginger to my cider.
Del
On a health and safety note:-
JW, I think you are negligent to advise us to try running through a grater. It's all I can do to get my knuckles to go through, I didn't even get up to my wrist :o
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: stickbender on November 15, 2015, 10:50:39 pm
     Thanks J.W., I will definitely have to try that, as I love Ginger ale, but not the @##$##@!! High Fructose Corn Syrup, or Aspartame.
In the Virgin Islands, they sell ginger beer, and it is real ginger.  Not fermented unfortunately.  But I will definitely have to try this.  I don't drink any soda at all.  But I will have to buy some and pour it out, and use the bottle to make this.  Thanks.

                                    Wayne
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: stickbender on November 15, 2015, 10:52:09 pm

     Oh, yeah, is that "T" = tablespoon?

                                     Wayne
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: neuse on November 16, 2015, 06:48:50 am
That is interesting, I never knew.
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: Stoker on November 16, 2015, 06:02:19 pm
I gotta try this...
Thanks leroy
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: JoJoDapyro on November 16, 2015, 06:34:30 pm
HMMM, I'll be brewing some up shortly.

Could you use honey instead of sugar?
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: JW_Halverson on November 16, 2015, 09:12:53 pm

     Oh, yeah, is that "T" = tablespoon?

                                     Wayne

Yes, big T is tablespoon, little t is teaspoon.

HMMM, I'll be brewing some up shortly.

Could you use honey instead of sugar?

I imagine you could.  But remember, measure for measure, honey is sweeter than sugar.  You might want to try replacing half with sugar with a small portion of honey to test the waters.
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: JoJoDapyro on November 17, 2015, 10:05:13 am

     Oh, yeah, is that "T" = tablespoon?

                                     Wayne

Yes, big T is tablespoon, little t is teaspoon.

HMMM, I'll be brewing some up shortly.

Could you use honey instead of sugar?

I imagine you could.  But remember, measure for measure, honey is sweeter than sugar.  You might want to try replacing half with sugar with a small portion of honey to test the waters.

Will do, the only thing I like to use sugar in is hard candy.
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: agd68 on December 25, 2015, 10:42:08 am
A little confused . Is this a soft drink recipe ? If you left it to brew out you would have ginger beer.
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: JW_Halverson on December 25, 2015, 03:13:30 pm
A little confused . Is this a soft drink recipe ? If you left it to brew out you would have ginger beer.

Yessir, this is a soft drink recipe.
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: Lucasade on December 27, 2015, 07:18:25 am
I gave some of this to some friends as a Christmas present a few years ago. Unfortunately they put it under the tree rather than in the fridge...
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: JW_Halverson on December 27, 2015, 04:07:05 pm
I gave some of this to some friends as a Christmas present a few years ago. Unfortunately they put it under the tree rather than in the fridge...

Grenade!
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: JoJoDapyro on December 28, 2015, 10:06:37 am
I thought I followed the directions well enough. I substituted honey for sugar. It was really good, and after a week I had Mead.  >:D Didn't work out for the pregnant wife, but it did for me!
Title: Re: Ginger Ale
Post by: BowEd on January 02, 2016, 07:34:17 am
Cool JW....I'll have to tell Robin to try this.She likes that kind of stuff.