To brew ginger beer, you’ll need a stockpot, grated ginger, malt extract, and water. Here’s a step-by-step guide to give you an idea of how long the process takes.
1. Gather your ingredients and equipment: Get your stockpot ready and make sure you have enough grated ginger and malt extract on hand. The amount will depend on your recipe and personal taste preferences.
2. Add the ginger and malt extract: Start by adding the grated ginger to the stockpot. The amount will vary depending on how strong you want the ginger flavor to be. Next, add the malt extract, which will provide the sweet base for your ginger beer.
3. Add water: Slowly pour water into the stockpot, being careful not to exceed the pot’s capacity. You want to leave some room to prevent the mixture from boiling over during the cooking process. The amount of water will depend on the batch size you’re making.
4. Simmer the mixture: Place the stockpot on the stovetop and bring it to a simmer. This means heating it until it’s just below boiling point. Allow the mixture to simmer for at least 5 minutes, but many people prefer to cook it for 10-20 minutes to ensure the flavors meld together nicely.
5. Remove from heat and cool: Once the simmering time is up, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool down. This cooling process can take anywhere from 1 to 2 hours, depending on the room temperature and the size of your stockpot.
6. Strain and transfer: After the mixture has cooled, strain it to remove any ginger pulp or solids. This will give your ginger beer a smoother texture. Transfer the liquid to fermentation vessels, such as glass bottles or a fermentation jar.
7. Fermentation: Now comes the waiting game. The fermentation process typically takes anywhere from 3 to 7 days, depending on various factors like temperature and the type of yeast used. During this time, the yeast will consume the sugars in the malt extract, producing carbon dioxide and alcohol, which gives your ginger beer its bubbly and alcoholic qualities.
8. Carbonation and chilling: Once the fermentation is complete, you can carbonate the ginger beer by sealing the bottles tightly and leaving them at room temperature for another 1 to 3 days. After that, transfer the bottles to the refrigerator to chill. This will stop the fermentation process and allow the flavors to mellow and develop further.
So, to summarize, the process of brewing ginger beer can take anywhere from several hours to over a week. It involves simmering the ginger and malt extract mixture for at least 5 minutes, fermenting for several days, and then carbonating and chilling for additional time. The exact duration will depend on your recipe, preferences, and the fermentation conditions.