Tag Archives: fermentation

Brewing Update

Game of Thrones brewing

So after a good deal of deliberation, and a lot of input from you all (thanks!), I’ve come to a decision about how to deal with the brewing recipes on the blog.

As of this week, I’ll be moving the actual recipes over to

www.GameofBrews.com

But fear not! All previous posts will stay up here, and I’ll continue to do a monthly update on this site about what’s going on over in the brewhaus. In that way, those of you who are moderately interested in my brewing exploits (but are predominantly here for the food and don’t want to be overwhelmed by the brews) can follow the links to full articles at your whim.

I have decided to move the brewing for several reasons. While I agree with many of you who feel that food and booze go together, moving the brewing posts to their own blog will give me more room to grow over there. There is such a wealth of information about brewing history, styles, techniques and so on that it seems a shame to try and squelch it into too small a space.

The new site will feature both brewing recipes and food recipes that are directly tied to the brewing process, using spent grain, brewed beer, yeast, etc. Because I’m far from an experienced brewer, I invite you all to come along with me on the adventure-wagon that is my kitchen, and learn as I learn. I hope that this new site can be a community of new and experienced brewers to learn from one another, share ideas and enthusiasm, and explore the extant and possible brews of Westeros.

And hey, with now three blogs to manage and update, I’m bound to be well fed pretty much all the time. :)

Ginger Beer!

Homebrewed Ginger Beer

To make your own ginger beer couldn’t be much easier. This recipe is based on the method detailed in the wonderful book, The Art of Fermentation, by Sandor Katz. It uses natural yeasts from the ginger (that’s why organic ginger is important), and produces a fizzy, effervescent beverage that is delicious.

AND THEN!

You can submit your own varietal to enter the giveaway for a signed copy of the cookbook here!  Deadline is November 1st!

Ginger Beer Recipe

You’ll Need:

  • Ginger Bug (see below)
  • organic ginger, about 4″
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 gallon glass jug
  • an airlock (useful), or scrap of fabric and rubber band
For the Ginger Bug:
  • 2″ organic ginger
  • 2 Tbs. sugar
  • water

Start by making up a “ginger bug”. It won’t matter how much, but I usually start with about a tablespoon of grated ginger (skin and all!). Put your grated ginger into a small jar with sugar and water (about 1 tsp and 1 Tbs, respectively). Cover with some fine cheesecloth to keep out real bugs. Continue to add a bit more grated ginger and sugar each day, until the mixture has become bubbly; it should take no more than a few days. Set aside.

For the next step, you’ll make the base for the ginger beer. Put 4 cups of water in a pot over medium high heat, and add about 4″ of thinly sliced ginger. Bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for around 15 minutes. Carefully strain and pour this hot mixture into a glass gallon jug. *Be careful to increase the temperature of the jug gradually, as intense temp changes can shatter glass.*

Pour in two cups of sugar, and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add enough additional water to bring the level up near the top of the jug. When the liquid is no longer hot, add about a Tablespoon of the ginger bug to the jug.

Stir periodically, until there are tiny bubbles visible in the liquid. Once this happens, you can prepare to bottle it. If you like a tamer ginger beer, bottle quickly, but if you prefer a slightly more alcoholic version, let the mixture ferment for a few days.

As with all carbonated home brews, take care when bottling. Place your filled bottles in the fridge to slow down the fermentation. The ginger beer is best enjoyed within a couple of weeks, but it’s so easy, you can keep making more in next to no time at all, provided you keep feeding your ginger bug!