This Non-Alcoholic Ginger Beer recipe is a delightful concoction, perfect for quenching your thirst on hot summer days or warming up chilly winter nights. Its sweet, fiery kick and refreshing taste make it a favorite for any occasion.With this non-alcoholic ginger beer recipe, we’ve got you covered with super delicious beverage suitable for the whole family to enjoy. Plus, it has scientifically proven health benefits to boost your immunity in no time!
EQUIPMENT:
- Stockpot, Saucepan
- Potato Peeler
- Grater or Blender
- Zester, Peeler
BREWING SUPPLIES
- Non-Rinse Sanitizer
- 5L Demijohn Fermentation set
- Empty Bottles, Caps, and Capper or Reusable Flip Top Bottles
- Scales and Thermometer
INGREDIENTS FOR A 5L BATCH
- 280g Ginger or more if you like this extra flavour
- 1 tea spoon of raw sugar to activate yeast
- 1 satchel of Mad Millie Ginger Beer Yeasts
- 1 Pack Carbonation Drops
– Optional: Small piece of cinnamon stick or/and zest of 1 lemon
PROCESS
- Before starting, clean and sanitize your 5L Demijohn Fermentation set.
- Wash ginger under cold water, then peel and blend finely. Zest lemons if using.
- Combine grated ginger in the stockpot, adding water without exceeding the batch size.
- Bring to a simmer, cooking for at least 5 minutes to extract flavor and kill bacteria. Optionally, add cinnamon and lemon zest.
- Cool the mixture, ensuring no contamination.
- Activating the Yeast. While the water is cooling, activate the Mad Millie Ginger Beer Yeast. Pour a small amount of boiling water into a clean jar, allowing it to cool to around 20°C. Stir in a teaspoon of sugar, then add the yeast. Cover loosely with foil or kitchen paper towel and set aside.
- Once the mix cools below 30°C, transfer to 5L Demijohn, add yeast insert silicon bung, and seal with water in the airlock. Let it sit for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Bottle the ginger beer using mini siphon. Sanitize bottles and equipment, add carbonation drops, and cap if using bench capper and cap or just close flip top bottles. Allow to stand at room temperature for 2 weeks.
- Serve chilled and enjoy! You can prepare a simple sugar syrup or natural local honey for added sweetness when serving, as ginger beer tends to be dry.
FLAVOR VARIATIONS
Experiment with spices like cardamom, coriander seed, or even chili for extra heat, though we suggest starting with the basic recipe for your first attempt.
Enjoy your homemade non-alcoholic ginger beer, perfect for those warm days!
Non-Alcoholic Ginger Beer and its Low-Level Alcohol Content
In recent years, non-alcoholic beverages have gained immense popularity, particularly amongst health-conscious individuals and those seeking alternatives to alcoholic drinks. One such beverage is non-alcoholic ginger beer, cherished for its spicy kick and refreshing taste. However, there’s a misconception that these beverages are entirely alcohol-free. Contrary to popular belief, non-alcoholic ginger beer can contain trace amounts of alcohol, typically less than 0.5% ABV (alcohol by volume), due to the fermentation process. But fear not, for understanding the science behind this can put any concerns to rest, especially regarding its safety for children.
Understanding the Fermentation Process
Fermentation is a natural process in which microorganisms, such as yeast or bacteria, break down sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide. This process is utilized in the production of various foods and beverages, including bread, yogurt, kefir, kombucha, and yes, ginger beer.
The Role of Yeast in Ginger Beer Production
In the case of ginger beer, the fermentation process typically involves the introduction of yeast to a mixture of ginger, sugar, water, and sometimes other flavorings. As the yeast consumes the sugars present in the mixture, it produces alcohol and carbonation, giving the beverage its characteristic fizzy texture.
Low-Level Alcohol Content: Less Than 0.5% ABV
While the fermentation of ginger beer does produce alcohol, the levels are minimal, usually less than 0.5% ABV. To put this into perspective, this is significantly lower than the alcohol content found in most alcoholic beverages. In many places, beverages containing less than 0.5% alcohol are legally considered non-alcoholic.
Safety Considerations for Children
The low alcohol content in non-alcoholic ginger beer raises questions about its safety for children. Rest assured, the trace amounts of alcohol in these beverages are typically deemed safe for consumption by individuals of all ages, including children. To put it in context, fermented foods like yogurt and certain fruits also contain small amounts of alcohol due to the fermentation process, yet they are widely consumed by children without any concerns.
Conclusion
Non-alcoholic ginger beer, while indeed low in alcohol content due to fermentation, is generally safe for consumption by children and adults alike. The trace amounts of alcohol present are comparable to those found in many everyday foods and beverages produced through fermentation. As always, moderation is key, but there’s no need to worry about enjoying a crisp, refreshing glass of non-alcoholic ginger beer on a hot summer’s day.
EQUIPMENT & BREW SUPPLIES FOR NON-ALCOHOLIC GINGER BEER
Ginger Root and Healthy Benefits
Ginger is like the cool cousin of spices, part of a plant family that includes cardamom and turmeric. Its zesty smell comes from special compounds called gingerols, which make it stand out in scientific research for its health benefits. The part of ginger that we eat is called the rhizome, which is kind of like its underground stem.
The name “ginger” has a long history, stretching back over 3000 years to a Sanskrit word meaning “horn root.” Back then, it was called different names in different languages, like “ziggiberis” in Greek and “zinziberi” in Latin. Fun fact: ginger doesn’t actually grow in the wild, and we’re not entirely sure where it originally came from!
People in India and China have been using ginger for over 5000 years as a kind of superfood to help with all sorts of health issues. Nowadays, it’s grown mostly in warm, humid places, with India being the biggest producer. Ginger has been a big deal in trade for a long time, even back in ancient Rome, where it was prized for its medicinal properties.
Now, let’s talk about how we use ginger today. You can find it in all kinds of forms, from fresh to dried to pickled. The taste is a bit spicy, a bit sweet, with a strong smell that really wakes up your senses. Depending on when it’s harvested, ginger can be used in different ways. Pickled ginger is great with sushi, while dried or ground ginger is perfect for baking cookies or making curry.
When scientists looked closely at ginger, they found it’s packed with over a hundred different things that are good for you. Some of these, like gingerols and shogaols, are more concentrated in certain forms of ginger. But here’s the tricky part: the amount of these good things can vary a lot depending on where the ginger comes from and how it’s processed. So, while ginger is definitely healthy, it’s hard to know exactly how much of the good stuff you’re getting in each bite.
ginger has some really cool properties that help fight off diseases and keep our bodies healthy. It’s often talked about because it’s full of stuff called antioxidants, which are like little superheroes that fight against something called oxidative stress, which is linked to a bunch of health problems.
Researchers have found that ginger can help protect our bodies from damage caused by things like alcohol or even certain chemicals that can mess with our cells. It’s packed with antioxidants, even more than some superfoods like pomegranate and berries. These antioxidants help to stop our cells from getting damaged.
Ginger also seems to be able to help our bodies deal with inflammation, which is when parts of our body get swollen and sore. This can happen with things like arthritis, where joints get painful and stiff. Studies have shown that ginger can help reduce this swelling and pain.