Guest Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 (edited) from the fab book Kate sent me Here you go Jue... first make your ginger beer plant 1/2 oz dried yeast 1/2 pint water sugar ground ginger juice 2 lemons put the yeast into a jar and add the water, 2 tsp sugar and 2 tsp ground ginger and mix well. Cover the jar with cling film or a lid. Each day for 7 days add 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp ginger. After 7 days strain the mixture and add the lemon juice to the liquid. Reserve the sediment to start off your next ginger beer plant. Divide the sediment btwn 2 jars and to each jar add 1/2 pint water, 2 tsps sugar, 2 tsps ginger and start all over again. Meanwhile, to make the ginger beer, take the liquid that you strained off (that you have added the lemon juice to) and make it up to 1 gallon with cooled boiled water, add 2oz sugar and stir til the sugar is dissolved. Pour into strong bottles and leave for 7-10 days before drinking. Edited January 16, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 got my ginger beer plant going now on the radiator shelf in the kitchen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 Thanks hun Ash can be responsible for that - I'll let you know how he gets on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 16, 2009 Share Posted January 16, 2009 we can compare results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ygerna Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 from the fab book Kate sent me Here you go Jue... first make your ginger beer plant 1/2 oz dried yeast 1/2 pint water sugar ground ginger juice 2 lemons put the yeast into a jar and add the water, 2 tsp sugar and 2 tsp ground ginger and mix well. Cover the jar with cling film or a lid. Each day for 7 days add 1 tsp sugar and 1 tsp ginger. After 7 days strain the mixture and add the lemon juice to the liquid. Reserve the sediment to start off your next ginger beer plant. Divide the sediment btwn 2 jars and to each jar add 1/2 pint water, 2 tsps sugar, 2 tsps ginger and start all over again. Meanwhile, to make the ginger beer, take the liquid that you strained off (that you have added the lemon juice to) and make it up to 1 gallon with cooled boiled water, add 2oz sugar and stir til the sugar is dissolved. Pour into strong bottles and leave for 7-10 days before drinking. Some beginners questions... Is the yeast the same stuff that I use in my bread? Is the ginger just the ground dried ginger I use in cooking? Once made, how long will unopened bottles keep for please? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 This is the one I'm using, it's easier to measure out than the sachets. ETA- it says on the tin it can be used for brewing. We got in the supermarket. I'm just using ordinary ground ginger. No idea how long it will keep for, this batch should make just over 4 litres which will probably only last a couple of weeks in our house. If you're keeping it for longer, best keep it in screw top pop bottles in case it gets too fizzy, you can just release a bit of the pressure now and again by unscrewing the lid a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 17, 2009 Share Posted January 17, 2009 I was thinking, when I end up with too much 'ginger beer plant' I'll givie it away on freecycle for someone to start their own batch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 Please be really careful with your ginger beer once it's bottled. I have successfully kept a ginger beer plant going for about a year. I have had several bottles explode as it's very gassy. Keep your bottles somewhere cool and away from anything important. My first exploding batch was a nightmare to clean and we were finding bits of bottle months later in obscure places. On a more positive note it is yummy and cheap! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Sarah - is it safe if you use the plastic bottles used to hold fizzy water? I was thinking that would be a good way of recycling the ones I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moochoo Posted January 19, 2009 Share Posted January 19, 2009 Lesley, those were the ones I was using! I might just have had a rogue batch with too much yeast in but I thought it was worth a mention. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 this was the 'ginger beer plant' after the requisite 7 days... we've just strained off the liquid, added the lemon juice and the 2oz sugar (as per the recipe) and bottled it...we got just over 4 litres... had a quick taste and it's not very gingery or very sweet but then it needs another 7 days in the bottles to finish off so hopefully the taste will improve over the week. After looking at other recipes on the net, I do wonder if we've added enough sugar and ginger but we've followed the recipe. Anyone else made any and used a different recipe and got good results? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 okay, after reading several other recipes, I can only assume (yes, I know, one should never assume) that the 2oz sugar is a mis-print so we've poured all the liquid back into the pan, added another 10oz sugar and another 2 tbsps of ground ginger, stirred it in and rebottled it. It tastes much more authentic now but I'll update you in a week's time and I'll alter/edit the main recipe IF it turns out okay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 one of the lids wasn't on properly and Ian could hear fizzing, he picked the bottle up and boom, half a bottle of ginger beer all over the kitchen! The bottle is intact but my washing will have to be done again we're drinking what's left from that bottle and very nice it is too. But, it doesn't half get fizzy quick! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 right, plan B!!!! we've transferred the contents of the grolsch style bottles to pop bottles so we can unscrew the lids to release some of the pressure as and when. The bottles will be stored in the wine-making bucket to contain any explosions! I hope that won't happen though The joys of home brewing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joojoo Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 one of the lids wasn't on properly and Ian could hear fizzing, he picked the bottle up and boom, half a bottle of ginger beer all over the kitchen! The bottle is intact but my washing will have to be done again we're drinking what's left from that bottle and very nice it is too. But, it doesn't half get fizzy quick! It must have been part of my subconscious plan to not brew mine until yours was safely finished so I could see if there were any repercussions Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I'm glad you're doing all the testing for us Poet I'll start when you've perfected it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 28, 2009 Share Posted January 28, 2009 I was beginning to feel like I was talking to myself! Anyway, first bottle already polished off, very nice but needs a cple of tweaks. More sugar and more ginger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 I was beginning to feel like I was talking to myself! No - just waiting for you to perfect it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 29, 2009 Share Posted January 29, 2009 okay, will let you know once I have the definitive recipe trying a slightly different recipe next... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ygerna Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 any more on this Poet? I want to make some but would prefer a ready tested recipe as Iam such a novice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
