Debatable Brewers' Recipes: Lemon-Ginger beer

(really a form of home-made soda-pop.)

(brewed October 15th, 1996)

Ingredients (for one gallon):

Believe it or not, we don't _always_ make alcoholic drinks. This was made partially as a change of pace, because we had brewed so many meads recently and wanted almost instant gratification for a change. And partially because some of us really like ginger.

Start hydrating yeast in 1/2 cup of water. Shred ginger in food processor. Boil water. Add everything (except yeast of course) to the boiling water, and simmer for for a bit (say 1/4 to 1/2 hour).

Cool, and add yeast.

Let start in the fermenter for one day, then strain and bottle.

Let the bottle sit in a cool place for a few days, then test one. Be very careful not to let them sit too long -- six days after bottling, one of these blew up in my (Tofi) basement. (This is the first bottle-bomb I've had in about ten years.) I was very careful with the rest of the bottles; moving them into the 'fridge (to arrest the fermentation and dissolve more CO2 back into the pop) and opening them very carefully.

Tofi Kerthjalfadsson, guildmaster, BMDL Brewers' Guild.
pwp+ (AT) cs dot cmu dot edu