Easy to Make Probiotic Ginger Beer From Scratch

Learn how to make ginger beer (some call it ginger ale) with this easy recipe. Ginger beer is an all natural, non-alcoholic soda. It’s spicy and sweet, great for settling the stomach or just enjoying as a refreshing beverage. I particularly love pouring it over a glass of vanilla ice cream as a ginger beer float. Yummy! As a naturally fermented soda, this ginger beer is full of probiotics. Have a small glass every day to keep your gut healthy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ginger bug liquid (this is a starter culture you can easily make yourself. Get the recipe here.)
• 2 lemons -do not substitute bottled lemon juice. The preservatives may hinder the fermentation process.
• a small piece of organic ginger, enough to make 2-4 teaspoons of grated/minced ginger
• one cup of regular cane sugar
• 11 cups filtered water (I use a Berkey filter to filter my tap water. Buy one here.)

Equipment:

• Large pot: https://amzn.to/460jsTN
• Strainer: https://amzn.to/3XXQEto
• Jar funnel: https://amzn.to/3XXGeKm
• Mason Jar: https://amzn.to/3zJh87z
• Fermentation lid: https://amzn.to/4cQcPWv
• Flip top bottles: https://amzn.to/3zEfQuU
• Bottle funnel: https://amzn.to/4ePnv9P
• Berkey water filter: https://amzn.to/4eVNUTe

Instructions:

Mince/grate ginger. Chop lemons in half.

Add water to large pot. Squeeze in lemon juice, and throw lemon rinds in as well. Add grated or minced ginger and sugar to the pot. Heat to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes.

Strain into a large bowl or pitcher and cool until temperature is 80 or less. If the temperature is too high, the heat will kill the bacteria in your ginger bug starter.

Once the liquid is cooled, strain 1 cup of ginger bug liquid into a cup and then pour into your ginger/sugar/liquid mixture. Stir.

Using a funnel, pour the liquid into the flip top bottles. Close the bottles and store in a cool, dark place for 2-4 days to build up carbonation.

How fast carbonation builds up will depend on the temperature of your home. Check daily to see how carbonated the soda has become, and taste the soda if desired. When the soda is very fizzy, it’s ready to drink. At this point you need to store bottles in the refrigerator to avoid over-fermenting. Enjoy!

Probiotic Ginger Beer

This is a naturally fermented ginger beer made with a ginger bug starter culture

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Servings 12 cups

Equipment

• large pot
• strainer
• jar funnel
• bottle funnel
• fermentation lid
• flip top bottles
• mason jar
• Berkey water filter

Ingredients

  

• 1 cup ginger bug liquid
• 2 organic lemons (do not sub lemon juice)
• 2-4 teaspoons grated organic ginger
• 1 cup regular cane sugar
• 11 cups filtered water

Instructions

 

• Add water to large pot.
• Slice lemons in half and squeeze lemon juice into pot of water, and throw lemon rinds in as well.
• Add grated ginger and sugar to the pot.
• Heat to a boil, and boil for 15 minutes.
• Strain into a large bowl or pitcher and cool until temperature is 80 or less. If the temperature is too high, the heat will kill the bacteria in your ginger bug starter.
• Once the liquid is cooled, strain 1 cup of ginger bug liquid into a cup and then pour into your ginger/sugar/liquid mixture. Stir.
• Using a funnel, pour the liquid into the flip top bottles. Close the bottles and store in a cool, dark place for 2-4 days to build up carbonation. How fast carbonation builds up will depend on the temperature of your home. Check daily to see how carbonated the soda has become, and taste the soda if desired. When the soda is very fizzy, it’s ready to drink. At this point you need to store bottles in the refrigerator to avoid over-fermenting. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

I use a Berkey filter to filter out my tap water. They are pricey but work so well. Filtered water is necessary for making sourdough bread, sodas, and pickled vegetables. They are great for emergency preparedness and will help with your low-waste efforts (think of all the plastic water bottles you won’t use!!) Buy one here.