Beloved by bartenders for its pungent flavor and ability to stand up to spirits like whiskey, rum, and tequila, ginger beer is a major player in classic cocktails like the Moscow mule or Dark and Stormy—but the spicy elixir is refreshing enough sipped on its own.
The naturally fizzy drink is made via a simple fermentation process that’s easy enough to execute at home: Some recipes rely on a “ginger bug,” a culture akin to a sourdough starter or kombucha mother, but our version gets its sparkle from a pantry staple, active dry yeast, to fast-track the carbonation. It should be noted that most commercial brands of ginger beer are nonalcoholic, while fermented ginger beer contains trace amounts of alcohol. Using active dry yeast will yield a very low ABV; for a stronger alcoholic ginger beer, swap in brewer’s or champagne yeast.
Fresh ginger root plays a crucial role here, bringing the heady, spice-forward ginger flavor and cloudy composition ginger beer is famous for. We like to use natural cane sugar for our home brew, but you can use light brown sugar, piloncillo, or plain granulated white sugar if you’d like. Lemon juice adds essential tang, but it’s an easy swap if you prefer lime juice, orange juice, or grapefruit. After you’ve tasted your first batch, play around with the amount of ginger, sweetener, and acid to find the balance of sweet and spicy you like best.
While making this fermented drink in a mason jar or glass bottle might be more aesthetically pleasing, we use an emptied plastic soda bottle. Recycling a screw-top bottle isn’t just convenient; it creates an airlock that allows you to check how the pressure has developed and relieve it when necessary. When the plastic feels taut, the ginger beer is ready. (With glass, there’s a greater risk of an explosion.)
Before pouring your ginger beer—whether to sip on its own or add to a ginger beer cocktail—gently turn the bottle a few times to distribute any sediment that’s settled on the bottom. You can skip this step if you prefer a clearer product; just don’t pass it through a strainer, which will kill the fizz.
For a gingery drink that’s ready in a fraction of the time, try our recipe for homemade ginger ale, made with ginger syrup and seltzer.
Recipe information
Total Time
1½–2 days
Yield
Makes about 2 quarts
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Grate ¼ lb. fresh ginger on a Microplane until you have enough to measure 3½ Tbsp. Transfer grated ginger to a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl to collect the ginger juice, pressing on solids; discard solids.
Step 2
Place funnel in neck of 2-liter plastic soda bottle and pour in 3 Tbsp. ginger juice (reserve any remaining for another use). Add 1 cup (200 g) sugar, 1½ Tbsp. fresh lemon juice, ¼ tsp. active dry yeast, and a pinch of kosher salt.
Step 3
Fill bottle with about 2 quarts distilled water, leaving at least 1½" of space at top. Remove funnel and screw cap on tightly. Gently shake bottle to dissolve sugar. Let stand at room temperature 24–36 hours. Once or twice a day, gently unscrew cap to release excess gas and quickly retighten. When plastic feels hard and no longer indents when squeezed and ginger beer is carbonated to your liking, chill until very cold.
Do Ahead: Ginger beer can be made 1 week ahead; keep chilled.
Editor’s note: This recipe for homemade ginger beer was first printed in the June 2010 issue of ‘Gourmet.’ Head this way to learn all about the differences between ginger ale and ginger beer →
Recipe notes
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