Best Marcus Ginger Beer Recipes

HOMEMADE GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Take a 1.5-liter plastic bottle of spring water and empty it into a clean pitcher. Use some of it to make simple syrup by stirring 1/2 pound sugar into 1 cup hot water until fully dissolved.
• In a large measuring cup, mix all ingredients and stir well. Funnel back into the plastic bottle and cap tightly. Store in a warm, dark place for 24 to 48 hours. (I put mine inside a box, to contain it if it should blow.) The top of the bottle will expand and become tight. Check it and very slowly release the pressure if it's looking groaningly tight. Some people ferment it with no top, or with the top on loosely, to allow gas to escape. I suppose if you wanted to get fancy you could spend $1.50 on a fermentation lock and stop worrying about it. If the temperature is quite warm, above 80F, a single day may be sufficient. The longer you let it ferment, the drier the final mix will be.
• After 48 hours, refrigerate it to stop the fermentation. Once chilled, you can strain out the pulp and dead yeast, which will have made a sediment on the bottom. Makes 1 liter and will keep up to a week in the refrigerator.

GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Wash ginger root but do not peel. Chop roughly and process in food processor until reduced to a textured paste. Put ginger in a large non reactive container and pour boiling water over it. Stir in the lime juice, zest and cream of tartar. Cover and stir occasionally as mixture cools. When lukewarm, mix the yeast with the warm water, pressing out lumps, and add to container. Cover and let stand for 6 hours. Stir the sugar into the ginger beer until completely dissolved and immediately pour into sterilized bottles, making sure the stoppers are well sealed and airtight. The ginger beer will keep for 3 to 4 days in a cool place. To keep longer, add rum.
• To serve, strain and pour into glasses (over shaved ice if desired), with a sprig of mint and thin slice of lime.

HOMEMADE GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Put the ginger in a saucepan set over a low heat with the lemon peel, sugars and 500ml water and stir until the sugars have dissolved. Increase the heat to medium, then simmer for 15-20 mins, or until reduced and syrupy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.
• Strain the syrup into a jug through a sieve lined with muslin. At this stage, you can transfer the syrup to a small sterilised bottle or jar and keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
• Pour the ginger syrup into a large serving jug. Tip in the lemon juice, fill with ice and top up with the soda water. Serve garnished with a few mint sprigs.

CARIBBEAN GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Wash and scrape the skin off the ginger. Grate or blend the peeled ginger (grating brings out the flavor more, but to save time it can be blended).
• Put ginger, lime juice, cloves, cinnamon stick and 3/4 cup of the sugar into a wide mouthed gallon glass or ceramic jar.
• Add 10 cups boiling water to jar and stir until sugar dissolves.
• Set ginger mixture aside to steep and cool to room temperature.
• Cover jar tightly and refrigerate for 1 week.
• Line a large strainer with a double layer of cheesecloth.
• Strain ginger mixture through strainer into another wide mouthed gallon glass or ceramic jar, firmly pressing on solids with the back of a spoon to extract as much flavor as possible.
• Throw away the solids.
• Add the remaining sugar to ginger beer and stir until it dissolves.
• Serve in glasses over crushed ice, garnished with mint sprigs.

GINGER BEER (AFRICAN)

Steps:

• In a large pot, bring 10 pints of water to a boil.
• Add the ginger and sugar then let cool to lukewarm.
• Add the raisins and sprinkle in the yeast.
• Cover and leave in the refrigerator for 2 days.
• Strain the liquid and pour into the sterilized bottles.
• Screw on the bottle tops and refrigerate for another 2 days before drinking.

MARCUS' GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour into a bowl and let cool.
• Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Strain before serving!