Homemade Ginger Beer
A golden, spicy, slightly fizzy drink, sweetened with golden syrup and naturally fermented. Invigorating and refreshing under the Sydney sun.
A golden, spicy, slightly fizzy drink, sweetened with golden syrup and naturally fermented. Invigorating and refreshing under the Sydney sun.
At our place, we had the jar of "ginger beer plant" on the sideboard, which had to be fed every day with a spoonful of ginger and sugar, like a little pet. After a week, you'd draw off the drink, golden and with just the right tingle on the tongue. Ice-cold after a day swimming in the harbour, there was nothing better to wash your throat. But careful: if you screw the lids on too tight, they'll go off like a cannon in the pantry!
- •Fresh grated ginger — a good spoonful per day (flavour — the spicy signature)
- •Sugar — one spoonful per day (feeds fermentation)
- •Yeast (or ginger beer plant) — a pinch (ferment)
- •Lemons — 2 (acidity)
- •Sugar / golden syrup — two cups (sweetener)
- •Water — several litres (base)
Homemade Ginger Beer
A golden, spicy, slightly fizzy drink, sweetened with golden syrup and naturally fermented. Invigorating and refreshing under the Sydney sun.
Why this dish? Homemade ginger beer, slightly fizzy and fermented from a "plant" fed daily, was a common family drink in working-class Australia, especially in summer. For an active child like Dawn, who spent her days in the water and outdoors in Sydney, it was the ultimate thirst-quencher — far better than today's industrial sodas.
At our place, we had the jar of "ginger beer plant" on the sideboard, which had to be fed every day with a spoonful of ginger and sugar, like a little pet. After a week, you'd draw off the drink, golden and with just the right tingle on the tongue. Ice-cold after a day swimming in the harbour, there was nothing better to wash your throat. But careful: if you screw the lids on too tight, they'll go off like a cannon in the pantry!
Ingredients (period version)
- Fresh grated ginger — a good spoonful per day (flavour — the spicy signature)
- Sugar — one spoonful per day (feeds fermentation)
- Yeast (or ginger beer plant) — a pinch (ferment)
- Lemons — 2 (acidity)
- Sugar / golden syrup — two cups (sweetener)
- Water — several litres (base)
Ingredients
- Fresh grated ginger — 50 g + 1 tsp/day (flavour — the spicy signature)
- Dried baker's yeast — 1/2 tsp (ferment)
- Lemon juice — 2 lemons (acidity)
- Sugar (or golden syrup) — 200 g (sweetener)
- Water — 2 litres (base)
Method
- For the "plant": in a jar, mix 1 tsp grated ginger, 1 tsp sugar, the yeast, and 250 ml water. Cover with a cloth.
- Each day for 7 days, feed with 1 tsp ginger and 1 tsp sugar.
- On day 8, strain the liquid. Dissolve the sugar in a little hot water, add the lemon juice and the strained ferment.
- Top up with cold water to make 2 litres.
- Pour into clean bottles, leaving a little air space. Close loosely.
- Leave for 2-3 days at room temperature to carbonate, then refrigerate. Serve very cold. (Watch the pressure: open carefully.)
How it was made : Ginger beer fermented from a live culture (the "ginger beer plant") was a widespread home tradition in the English-speaking world, including Australia, from the 19th century. Naturally low in alcohol, it had a mild version for children. Industrial non-fermented versions gradually replaced it over the 20th century.
The contemporary twist : Serve over ice with a lime slice and a mint leaf, as a summer mocktail called "The Sprinter".
Sources : Santich, Barbara — Bold Palates: Australia's Gastronomic Heritage (2012) · Davidson, Alan — The Oxford Companion to Food (1999)
Dawn Fraser · Charactorium