ginger beer

[bubble up]

does any one know how to make a ginger beer culture?

[Tim Hall]

Very simple...detailed recipe is in Sandor's book or in Fallon's Nourishing Traditions. Sandor's instructions are a little more specific.

But here's the basic recipe: roughly equal parts fresh ginger (grated, chopped or sliced) and sugar (or honey or other source of fermentable sugar) in water. Let stand covered for a few days until it begins to bubble.

The recipe doesn't really have to be precise. Just about any amount of sugar and ginger in water will cause a spontaneous fermentation as long as you don't dump so much sugar in it it takes forever to get going.

[ElDuderotomy]

]Let stand covered for a few days until it begins to bubble.

Do you mean just to cover it with a cheese cloth?

[Christopher Weeks]

Yeah, cheese cloth is the normal lid for a ginger bug.

[icanbenchurcat]

What is the purpose of this recipe?

Is it just a starter for a ginger ale/ ginger beer recipe?

[Tejon]

That's all I've ever used it for, but I believe I've read in other threads that you can use it as a starter for all kinds of sodas.

[carridawn]

Brand New here and the ginger recipe got me!! I do not know who "Sandor" is?? but it sounds like I would love this person's book. Any help would be appreciated, already ordering Fallons.

Thanks

Just googled it after this post.......
OK I FEEL SOOOO STUPID!!! Just go ahead and roll your eyes, I still am!!

[Tim Hall]

Sandor has published a few books. When this was first posted he hadn't published his most recent book The Art of Fermentation. The above-referenced recipe is in Wild Fermentation. Both are excellent books (as is The Revolution will Not Be Microwaved), Wild... is more how-to, recipe-oriented.

[porcupine73]

So how'd your ginger bug go? I was trying to get mine going but for some reason it didn't start bubbling on its own even though I used organic ginger root without peeling. So then I poured in some kombucha to try to get it going. It started to get a little skin on top (probably from the kombucha) but it still didn't start bubbling.

So as a last resort I sprinkled on Lavlin 1118 champagne yeast. That got it going alright. Then I primed some swingtop bottles with a liquid of sucanat and molasses and racked the liquid into it after bubbling slowed down after about a week.

Oh it tasted great, a great introduction to homebrewing. I've tried a few other batches of things but that ginger drink was the best so far.

[Tejon]

For me the key to getting a ginger bug nice and bubbly has been to stir, stir, stir. Pretty much every time I go into the kitchen I stir it vigorously. I've also found that the the wider the mouth of the bowl the more likely I am to get quick activity. Even then it can take 4-5 days, depending on the temp. Did you stir often? What type of a dish did you have it in?