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How to Make Ginger Beer
4.4 from 222 votes

How to Make Ginger Beer

This ginger beer recipe creates a naturally fermented, lightly carbonated beverage using fresh grated ginger, lemon juice, cane sugar, and active dry yeast. The mixture is boiled and cooled before yeast fermentation in sealed bottles produces fizz. The final result is a spicy, tangy drink with a homemade freshness distinct from commercial sodas.

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 2 Liters
Calories: 40 kcal
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 9 cups (48oz) spring water or well water
  • ½ tsp (1.3g) cream of tartar
  • 1/3 cup (35g) ginger peeled and grated, fresh
  • 1/3 cup (79ml) lemon juice fresh
  • 1 cup (150g) granulated cane sugar
  • 1 tsp (3g) active dry yeast
You Also Need:
  • 1 2-liter plastic bottle with screw top (a large soda water bottle that has been carefully cleaned works great)
  • A medium to large sized pot for heating water

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add the cream of tartar, lemon juice and fresh grated ginger to a large pot along with 4 cups of the water. Bring to a full boil.
  2. Turn the heat down to medium, add the sugar and stir until all of the sugar is dissolved.
  3. Add the rest of the (cold) water to the pot and allow it to cool to around 75 degrees F (23 degrees C). Stir in the yeast, stir and cover the pot with a kitchen towel. Place pot in a dark place for 3 hours.
  4. Using a fine strainer, strain the liquid into a pitcher to remove all the bits of ginger.
  5. Pour the brew into one clean 2-liter plastic bottle (or two 1-liter bottles) but do not fill up the bottle all the way because the fermentation will yield carbon dioxide, causing gases to build in the bottle - you will need to give the liquid some room to build the gas. Place the bottles in a dark, warm room for 2 to 3 days (two days if you want a sweeter ginger beer, and 3 days if you prefer a drier ginger beer).
  6. Once to three times a day, carefully loosen the caps to relieve some of the pressure (without opening the bottles all the way). Be very careful in this process and do not point the bottles at anyone’s (or your own face). After the ginger beer has finished brewing, store it in the refrigerator to chill. This will also slow the fermentation process.
  7. Pour in a glass and enjoy as is, or add a splash of rum and lime juice for a Dark n' Stormy. Ginger beer keeps for 10 days - be sure to store in air-tight bottles in your refrigerator.

Notes

  • Substitute cream of tartar with 1 teaspoon baking powder if needed.
  • Use Meyer lemon for a milder citrus flavor in place of regular lemons.
  • Cane sugar can be replaced with coconut sugar but may alter sweetness and flavor.
  • Use common bread yeast for fermentation; it produces carbonation naturally.
  • After fermentation, ginger beer can be flavored with fruit juices, syrups, or liquor as desired.
  • If using glass bottles, release pressure frequently to prevent explosions due to carbonation.

Nutrition Information

Serving 12ounces Calories 40kcal (2%) Carbohydrates 10g (3%) Sugar 7g (14%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2 Liters

Amount Per Serving

Calories 40

% Daily Value*

Serving 12ounces
Calories 40kcal 2%
Carbohydrates 10g 3%
Sugar 7g 14%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.