Lacto-Fermented Ginger Beer
Combine the first three ingredients in a quart jar and stir well. This this the ginger beer soda starter.
Cover with cheesecloth or a paper napkin and rubber band. Let it sit out on the counter.
Feed the ginger beer starter 2 tsp. sugar and 2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger every day for a week, stirring each time.
After a week, it is time to make the ginger beer.
To make the syrup, bring the 1/2 gallon and 2/3 cup fresh grated ginger to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes on low, covered.
Add sugar and lemon juice and mix to dissolve.
Strain the syrup into a gallon jar. Fill the rest up with water, leaving room for 1 cup of starter.
Let cool completely.
Strain out 1 cup of starter and add to the cooled syrup.
Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or a paper napkin and a rubber band.
Stir vigorously 2 times a day for 3 days.
After 3 days, the ginger beer is ready to drink or you can leave it on the counter for 2 more days to ferment further.
To serve, you can drink the ginger beer straight or fill a glass up half way with the ginger beer and then add seltzer water or mineral water.
You can easily double the ginger beer recipe or store the extra starter in the refrigerator and take it out later to make another batch.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine the first three ingredients in a quart jar and stir well. This this the ginger beer soda starter.
Cover with cheesecloth or a paper napkin and rubber band. Let it sit out on the counter.
Feed the ginger beer starter 2 tsp. sugar and 2 tsp. chopped fresh ginger every day for a week, stirring each time.
After a week, it is time to make the ginger beer.
To make the syrup, bring the 1/2 gallon and 2/3 cup fresh grated ginger to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes on low, covered.
Add sugar and lemon juice and mix to dissolve.
Strain the syrup into a gallon jar. Fill the rest up with water, leaving room for 1 cup of starter.
Let cool completely.
Strain out 1 cup of starter and add to the cooled syrup.
Cover the jar with a cheesecloth or a paper napkin and a rubber band.
Stir vigorously 2 times a day for 3 days.
After 3 days, the ginger beer is ready to drink or you can leave it on the counter for 2 more days to ferment further.
To serve, you can drink the ginger beer straight or fill a glass up half way with the ginger beer and then add seltzer water or mineral water.
You can easily double the ginger beer recipe or store the extra starter in the refrigerator and take it out later to make another batch.
2 Comments
Jen Johanningmeier
Hello, thank you so much for the simple recipe! It’s my first time making ginger beer and it turned out tasty:) My question for you is, do I keep feeding the starter, sugar and ginger everyday? Will the ginger go “bad” if I keep adding to it but never take it out? Thanks so much!
Candace
Hi! You are so welcome! 🙂 I’m glad it turned out well for you! Yes, you can keep feeding the ginger every day and making new batches of ginger beer or you can put it in the refrigerator and that helps to stop the fermentation. I have never had my ginger go bad. You should be able to just keep it out and use it as you like. But if it has a funny smell or starts growing mold, I would throw it out. Hope that helps!