Ginger is a delicious but little known soft drink. You can find it for sale online and in many supermarkets, but the homemade one tastes totally different (and considerably better). Ginger can be prepared directly from ginger, as long as you have the right ingredients available.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Classic Procedure
Step 1. Get the ingredients you need
Here is a list of what you need to prepare ginger following the traditional method:
- 225 g of sugar;
- 30 g of fresh grated ginger;
- the juice of 1 lemon;
- a pinch of fresh yeast;
- mineral or filtered (cold) water.
Step 2. Pour the sugar into the bottle using a funnel
Leave the funnel inserted into the neck of the bottle until you have completed all the steps.
Step 3. Prepare the yeast
Use fresh yeast; a pinch is enough. Buy it in a shop specializing in the sale of organic and natural products.
Step 4. Pour the yeast into the bottle using the funnel
Shake the bottle to mix it with the sugar.
Step 5. Finely grate the ginger
You need 30 g (about 2 tablespoons). Use the cheese side of the grater.
Step 6. Transfer the grated ginger to a liquid dispenser
Step 7. Squeeze a lemon
The acidity of the lemon keeps the pH low and keeps unwanted microorganisms away. If you prefer, you can also use grapefruit juice.
Step 8. Pour the lemon juice into the liquid dispenser along with the ginger
Step 9. Stir to combine the ginger and juice, then pour them into the bottle
Don't worry if a few pieces of ginger remain attached to the funnel - they will fall into the bottle when you add the water.
Step 10. Rinse the dispenser with mineral or filtered water and then pour it into the bottle
Step 11. Stop and shake the bottle
Remove the funnel, screw the cap onto the bottle and then shake it to activate the yeast and trigger the carbonation process.
Step 12. Reopen the bottle and add cold water
Fill the bottle almost completely (up to 2-3 cm from the edge), then close it with the cap. Gases will form during the fermentation process which is why it is important to leave some empty space inside the bottle. After you've capped it, flip it over repeatedly to dissolve the sugar.
Check that there are no grains of sugar stuck to the bottom of the bottle. Obviously the ginger won't melt
Step 13. Store the bottle in a warm spot in the house for 24-48 hours
The yeast needs heat to kick-start the fermentation process, but be careful not to exceed 48 hours otherwise the alcohol percentage will increase and the ginger will taste slightly different from what you expected.
Step 14. Assess if the carbonation process is complete by pressing your thumb firmly against the bottle
If the plastic gives under the pressure of the finger, it means that the ginger is not ready yet. Fermentation generates carbon dioxide (and the ginger becomes fizzy), so the bottle swells and it becomes difficult to squeeze due to the internal pressure.
Step 15. When the time has come when you can't crush it (usually after 24-48 hours), transfer the bottle to the refrigerator
Chill the ginger for at least 8-12 hours before drinking it. Unscrew the cap only slightly, just enough to slowly reduce the internal pressure. Be careful not to unscrew it too much or the ginger will forcefully come out of the bottle (like when you open a bottle of sparkling wine after shaking it).
Method 2 of 3: Procedure on the stoves
Step 1. Get the ingredients you need
Here is a list of what it takes to prepare ginger following this method:
- 45 g of finely grated fresh ginger;
- 180 g of sugar;
- 1, 8 l of mineral or filtered water;
- 1 teaspoon tip of active dry yeast;
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of lemon juice.
Step 2. Get a large pot
Pour in the grated ginger, sugar and 150 ml of water and heat them over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until the sugar has dissolved. This will take a few minutes, so be patient.
Step 3. When the sugar has melted, remove the pot from the heat
Set it aside covered and let the syrup rest for an hour. Resist the temptation to shorten the time because the syrup needs to rest.
Step 4. Filter the syrup
The easiest way to filter it is to place a fine mesh strainer on a bowl and slowly pour it into it. Press the pieces of ginger to extract all the juice. When all the liquid has fallen into the bowl, cool the syrup by placing the bowl in the refrigerator or in a container filled with ice cubes. Wait for it to reach a temperature between 20 and 22 ° C.
Step 5. Take the funnel
Place it in a clean 2-liter plastic bottle and pour the syrup into it. Add the yeast, lemon juice, and the remaining water (1.65 l). Screw the cap onto the bottle, make sure it is tightly sealed, and then shake it gently to mix the ingredients. Let the ginger sit at room temperature for 48 hours.
Do not exceed 48 hours otherwise the ginger will have a very bitter taste due to yeast fermentation
Step 6. Open the bottle
Open it to check if the carbonation process has taken place correctly. If the ginger is sparkling enough, put the bottle in the refrigerator, otherwise let it rest a little longer.
Store the ginger in the refrigerator and open the bottle at least once a day to release excess carbon dioxide. Be careful not to forget this, otherwise the bottle could explode! Drink the ginger within a couple of weeks
Method 3 of 3: Non-Alcoholic Version
Step 1. Get the ingredients you need
Here is a list of what you need to make the non-alcoholic version of ginger:
- 200 g of finely grated fresh ginger;
- 450 ml of water;
- 225 g of sugar;
- 225 ml of natural mineral water;
- 115 ml of sparkling mineral water (for each glass);
- a few drops of lime juice;
- lime wedges (to decorate glasses).
Step 2. Pour 450ml of water into a saucepan and bring it to a boil
When the water boils, add the peeled and finely grated fresh ginger. Reduce the heat and let the ginger simmer in the water for 5 minutes.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the infusion sit for 20 minutes. Be careful not to exceed the time indicated otherwise the ginger will taste too strong
Step 3. Filter the infusion using a fine mesh strainer
The boiling water will have extracted all the flavor from the ginger, so you can discard any remaining pulp in the colander.
Step 4. Prepare the syrup in another pot
Dissolve 225g of sugar in 225ml of water. When the sugar has completely dissolved, the syrup is ready.
Step 5. Blend 120ml of ginger tea with 80ml of syrup and 115ml of sparkling mineral water
These are the doses needed for each glass of non-alcoholic ginger. Add a few drops of lime juice and use a wedge to decorate the glass. Serve and drink the ginger very cold.
Advice
- Make sure the bottles are clean before filling them. There are several types of powdered disinfectants suitable for this purpose.
- You can vary the quantities of sugar and the infusion to your taste. Note that using lemon juice is recommended to keep bacteria away, but it is optional. For a more intense taste of ginger, you can increase the amount of ginger.
- You can vary the recipe in an interesting way by letting a piece of peeled ginger root simmer in water for an hour - it's an alternative way to extract the flavor. You will get an infusion of golden color. Start with about 20 g of ginger for every 2 liters of water and modify the quantities to taste.
- Fermentation is a process that has been used for thousands of years to make bread, wine and beer. Carbon dioxide causes bread to rise and makes drinks sparkling. The action of yeast on sugar is used to make soft drinks and champagne sparkling.
- You can replace most of the sugar with an artificial sweetener, but not all of it. You need to use at least 2-3 tablespoons (30-45g) of sugar to activate the yeast and make the drink fizzy.
- Filter the ginger using a fine mesh strainer if you want to remove the ginger chips from the drink. If you don't filter it, remember that most of the fragments will settle at the bottom of the bottle so wash it immediately when it's empty.
- You can decorate the bottle with a custom label and place it proudly in the center of the dining table.
Warnings
- Do not use brewer's yeast: generally it is an inactive yeast resulting from the fermentation process and being dead it will not work. For the best possible result, buy yeast from a store that sells wine and beer making equipment.
- The first two recipes give a slightly alcoholic result. The finished product after 2-3 days of fermentation will contain a small amount of alcohol, but if you keep it the ginger will continue to ferment until all the sugar has turned into alcohol, then the alcohol content will increase considerably and the flavor will be very different from the classic one. Also keep in mind that the product could fall into the category of alcoholic beverages regulated by specific laws in terms of production and consumption.
- Do not leave the finished product in a warm environment longer than necessary. When the bottle no longer gives under pressure from your fingers, place it in the refrigerator. If you store ginger at room temperature for more than 2 days, especially during the summer, the pressure can build up to the point of explode the bottle. If you store it in the refrigerator, the danger of it exploding is minimized.
