Live from Atlanta, it's...another recipe!! Anyways, I think fermentation is super cool. Like kombucha- it's so cool how the bubbles are natural! But the process for making kombucha, it’s not intensive, it just requires a lot of things, objects. What's a girl to do when she wants to make natural carbonation? Unplug the fridge? Fun story our fridge stopped being cold and we had some salsa in it that turned fizzy and alcoholic but not moldy, apparently it's like a thing. But I digress! Make ginger beer, a very beginner way to make a fermented drink!
I don’t know a lot about fermenting, this is just the process I used and it worked. Note that fermentation naturally causes alcohol sometimes, but in this case, if any alcohol is made, it won't be a significant amount. You would need to use champagne yeast to make more substantial amounts of alcohol, and the process is more akin to sourdough starters.
You won't need a ton of special equipment! Just, like, a grater, a funnel, and a bottle (or bottles) that can withstand pressure. I used kombucha bottles, but you could also use those big plastic soda bottles. It probably would be better to use a big bottle, but individual bottles will work!
Time for what you actually have to do! There are three parts to getting this naturally carbonated soda! Making the ginger syrup, then mixing it with the rest of the ingredients, then waiting.
The Ginger Syrup
You will need 1 cup of white sugar, 1/2 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of shredded ginger. This amount of ginger can be altered to your tastes, I found this amount to be pretty mild, so 3-4 tablespoons might be stronger. You could sub turmeric in for ginger if you can find raw turmeric root. I have yet to try this because I haven't found turmeric root. Also, don't use honey or molasses or maple syrup in place of the sugar. I don't understand chemistry enough to explain properly, but it's something about the chemicals and type of sugar.
Mix all the ingredients together in a small saucepan, heat on low and let the sugar dissolve. Let it simmer a little, then turn off heat and let it sit for a little bit, like 30 mins- one hour.
Putting it all Together
If you are using one big bottle, mix the syrup, 7 cups of water, a pinch of yeast (1/8 teaspoon), and a squeeze of lemon juice to the bottle, and shake to mix.
If using a few individual bottles, add the 7 cups of water, ⅛ teaspoon yeast, syrup, and squeeze of lemon juice to a big bowl, mix, and then portion it out between your bottles. Put a small amount of yeast in each bottle just to be safe, and shake the bottles.
If you are feeling adventurous, make the 7 cups of water into tea beforehand. You could probably use other liquids or juices, but the sugar content might mess with the fermenting. Again, I don't get chemistry, so it might not. Tea won't add any sugar so it is a safe bet, and it makes the gingerbeer have different flavors. I used 6 teabags for this batch of 7 cups of water, and the tea kind of over powered the ginger. Some people like to add some slices of jalapeño, for extra kick. It all depends on what you have in your kitchen- maybe use orange juice instead of lemon!
Waiting
Now, put your bottles in a dark place that is about room temperature. I stuck mine in the bottom of the pantry. They should take 2-4 days to get fizzy. The longer it ferments the longer the yeast will have to eat the sugar, meaning it will be less sweet. Everyday check on them and open the cap a little to release some pressure, then close it back up. Once they are done, put them in the fridge, where the cool temperature should halt the fermenting. Do keep an eye on the bottles the whole fermenting time, because if they sit too long without being checked, it could explode (this hasn't happened to me but I’ve heard horror stories)
Pour over ice for best enjoyment!
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