How is ginger beer soda made?
Ginger beer is made from ginger, sugar and water. Traditional versions are fermented with a ginger bug, a jar of wild yeast and bacteria grown on ginger and sugar, which makes natural fizz. Many bottles and cans sold today are not brewed at all: they mix ginger flavoring or syrup with water and add carbon dioxide under pressure.
Free download
Juice, Soda and Water Storage Chart (PDF): How long juice, soda, coconut water and bottled water last, opened and unopened. 19 rows, each with its source.
Thank you
Your chart is ready
We use your email only for this download.Also free:
Home Bar Storage Chart (PDF)Milk and Dairy Storage Chart (PDF)Coffee, Tea and Hot Drinks Storage Chart (PDF)Drink Strength, Calories and Units Cheat Sheet (PDF)Want the full pack? About 10 printable sheets: a larger chart for each drink type, a “has it gone off?” checklist, date labels, a party planner and an inventory sheet.
In this article
How is ginger beer made?
There are two main routes. The traditional route ferments the drink. The industrial route flavors water and adds gas. Which one you have depends on the maker, so check the label or the maker’s website.
The traditional method: ginger bug
- Put chopped ginger and sugar in a jar with water and cover it.
- Feed it with a little more ginger and sugar each day. One guide suggests about a quarter cup of each daily.
- After a few days the mix turns cloudy, bubbles and smells yeasty. That is the bug, a starter full of wild yeast and bacteria.
- The bug is added to a sweetened, strained ginger tea, bottled and left to build natural carbonation.
Tips from home brewers: use filtered water, because chlorine can slow the yeast, and fresh organic ginger, because some conventional ginger is irradiated, which can hurt the culture.
The commercial method
Many commercial ginger beers are made with water, ginger extract or syrup, sweetener and acid, then carbonated with pressurized carbon dioxide. Alcohol levels differ by maker and country, so read the label if you need to avoid alcohol.
Ginger beer vs ginger ale
| Ginger beer | Ginger ale | |
|---|---|---|
| Taste | Stronger, spicier, often cloudy | Milder, sweeter, usually clear |
| Typical use | Moscow Mule, Dark and Stormy | Sipping and light mixers |
Safety note for home brewing
Home fermentation makes some alcohol and pressure. Use bottles made for fizzy drinks, open them slowly, keep them refrigerated once fizzy, and do not give a home-fermented drink to children or anyone avoiding alcohol. The alcohol level of a home brew is hard to predict.
Common mistakes
- Using a starter that never bubbled.
- Sealing bottles in a warm place for days without checking pressure.
- Assuming every bottle labeled ginger beer was brewed.
People also ask
Is ginger beer fermented?
The traditional kind is, using a ginger bug or similar culture. Many commercial bottles are not brewed; they are flavored water carbonated with added carbon dioxide.
Does ginger beer contain alcohol?
Most bottled ginger beer is sold as non-alcoholic, but rules and labels differ by country, so check the ABV on the label. Home-fermented versions can contain some alcohol.
What is a ginger bug?
A jar of ginger, sugar and water that grows wild yeast and bacteria over a few days. Added to sweet ginger tea, it carbonates the drink naturally.
Sources
About · How we verify this · Editorial policy · Corrections
What would help you most next?
One tap. Anonymous. It helps us decide what to build.
Thank you. The free charts above are yours to keep.
