Ginger Beer
From Chris Hill
1999-08-03

I've found that small variations in the water-to-sugar
ratio have large effects on the perceived "thickness" or
mouthfeel. The quantities below were determined by experimentation,
and seemed about right to me. The boil is for sanitation purposes.

1-gallon batch:

1 gallon plus 2 cups filtered water
7/8 pound white sugar
5 - 6 oz fresh ginger root
2 lemons
1 Tbsp cream of tartar

==============

4-gallon batch:

4 gallons plus 1 quart filtered water
3.5 lb white sugar
1.5 lb fresh ginger root
9 lemons
4 Tbsp cream of tartar

==============

There is no need to peel the ginger, but do inspect it for (and cut
out) dried-up and otherwise unpalatable bits.

Slice ginger in food processor, then switch to rotary blade and chop
it fine. Grate zest from lemons. Add ginger, lemon zest, sugar and
cream of tartar to the larger quantity of water and bring to a
boil. Boil 15 minutes, stirring at first to avoid scorching. After the
boil, cool the mixture to 100 - 120F or so. Juice the lemons and add
the juice to the cooled liquid.

While waiting for the main liquid to cool, put the remaining smaller
quantity of water on to boil; as soon as it boils, turn off the fire
and let sit.

Strain the main mixture into the serving tank. Sparge the pulp with
the small quantity of hot water.

Chill; force carbonate. 2.7 to 3.0 volumes of CO2 seems to be about
right; this means 20 psi or so at refrigerator temperatures (low 40s
F), or 12 - 13 psi at just above freezing.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris Shenton says:

The bartender with the Tonic Water recipe also has one for Ginger
Beer, carbonated by yeast instead of force carbonated. Making them in
reused 1-2 Liter soda bottles will let you sense carbonation pressure.

http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2008/how-to-make-your-own-ginger-beer/

Other:

Cream of Tartar is apparently used for head formation. Necessary?

2010-07-24  Making Chris Hill's 4-gallon batch, fairly straight, but I
don't want to dig out a 5 gallon cauldron. 

Into a 2 Gallon Pot:

1 1/4	gal	Water
1 1/2	pound	Ginger
9		Lemons
3 1/2	pound	Sugar (I used organic with a turbinado overtone)
2	Tbs	Cream of Tartar (it's all I had)

Bring Water to boil.
Grate Ginger with a food processor blade, remove, put cutting blade in.
Remove and keep zest from Lemons; I use a vegetable peeler..
Add Zest to processor and process with blade to produce pulp.

Add Sugar to Water, stir to dissolve.
Add Ginger/Lemon Pulp and Cream of Tartar.
Boil 15 minutes.

Cool.

===============================================================================

2010-08-10
Ginger Beer
5 Gallon Keg

1.25	gal	water in 2G pot
1.5	pound	Ginger, fresh, grated in food proc, then blended in Vitamix
9	whole	Lemons: zest and process with ginger
3.5	pounds	Sugar
2	tBs	Cream of Tarter (notes say "HALF", wtf?)

Put 1.25 gallons water into 2 gallon pot.
Grate ginger in food processor.
Zest lemons, squeeze juice and process with Ginger.
Dissolve Sugar in hot water, bring back to boil.
Boil 15 minutes, cool.
Sparge with 1 Gallon boiling water.
Add 2 Cup water to blend remaining pulp, strain juices.
1 Gallon cold water in 5 Gallon Keg
Add filtered juices.
Sparge with 3 Qt hot water.

We did have some pulpy stuff in the soda, but it was intensely
flavored, good balance.

Next time, Vitamix pulp after food processing.
Straining this was a pain.