DIY Ginger Beer

Because you asked...



Run a small handful of ginger through a food processor (don't bother peeling it; you can, but it all gets filtered later). Put ginger, two cups of water, and two cups of sugar into a pot, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to make sure all the sugar is dissolved. Take off the heat and allow to cool. It doesn't have to be room temperature, but you do need it cool enough that it won't kill the yeast. Pour the ginger syrup into an empty two-liter bottle through a sieve or cheesecloth to filter out the solids. Add a large pinch (about an eighth of a teaspoon) of yeast; bread yeast will work, but if you can get champagne yeast, that'll be better. You can also add a squirt of lemon or lime juice and/or a splash of vanilla. Top off the bottle with distilled water and close the bottle tightly. Let sit in a warm place and squeeze the bottle every 6-8 hours to check on the pressure. Initially, the pressure inside and outside the bottle will be equal, so you can easily make a dent in the flexible plastic with your finger. As the pressure from fermentation increases, the bottle will feel more rigid. When it gets to feeling really firm, briefly crack the bottle to release pressure and close it again. Depending on the kind of yeast you use and the ambient temperature, it can be ready to drink in as little as a day and a half. Store in the refrigerator.