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 →
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Reviews (12)
Back to TopThis is my go to recipe for ginger beer. I’ve made it at least 6 times and have 2 bottles going now, 1 for me and 1 for a friend. I even won a drink competition amongst friends for my Moscow Mule. Everyone loved it.
Trouphaz
7/14/2020
There was a lot of carbonation but I did not care for the yeasty off taste.
deboralj
Raleigh, NC
6/20/2020
Just an update... So far have made many gallons of ginger beer based off of the epicurious recipe. I've tried modifying with molasses, honey / mead style and using lime to replace lemons. They all have their taste. Although the lemon or lime is my favorite and the honey is interesting as well. Molasses least favorite. With honey much is adulterated from China. So it is a crapshoot. Same with olive oil, heavily adulterated, but don't use in ginger beer. Recently I tried adding a drop of elderberry concentrate to the finished ginger beer before drinking. Very nice! I brew in recycled soda bottles. Plastic Sprite 12 oz. I vent once or twice while fermenting. Amazing amount of gas produced. I bought the Sprite just for the bottles then trashed the soda. Hot weather (75 inside house) I brew for 2 days. Cool weather (low 60s inside house) I brew for 3 days. If you are not careful with the amount of ginger juice it is powerful! Very happy with recipe, esp for hot summer coming up. Let it sit in fridge and it clears out pretty good and ages nicely.
invisibleflash
NE USA
4/4/2020
Great recipe, could not be simpler. Although I let it work for 3 days or so in the cool weather. Less time is too sweet for me. Now you need to come up with a simple recipe for making an all grain beer in soda bottles. The beer in the store is all flavored, pasteurized garbage. Really sad what they sell for beer nowadays. It has all gone to hell. The Germans make the best beer I've ever had. Märzen and Weizenbier in Munich. I have not had any since late 90's, so may it has gone to hell too. I see Becks German beer is now made in the USA, same with Japanese Sapporo.
invisibleflash
NE USA
1/31/2020
I made this recipe and it turned out great. My tip, that I learned on the internet, is to put plastic wrap over the grater. You would think this would make holes, but it doesn't. Then grate over the plastic. The ginger will not get stuck in the grater. I used a coffee filter to squeeze out the juice!! Works great! Tastes great! I made a Mule drink from it.
glcalcut
Detroit, MI
6/29/2016
Use Turbinado sugar add a sprig of thyme and Rosemary when you steep your ingredient. And of course use PLASTIC BOTTLES the nature of fermentation can be regulated and allow for expansion of the bottle. It is not the recipes fault. GLASS is not safe you need the Vintage Style Bottle that will allow the to give way. You can all just use plastic left over bottles which work best.
shaunaussiechef
Vail Co and Vero Beach Fl
12/14/2015
I've made about 5 batches so far and I love it. After making several batches with a 64-ounce glass growler from the local coffee shop, I concluded that I was losing too much of the fizz by periodically loosening the cap. So I went to my local home brew supply store. They advised me to let it "mature" in the same bottle that I was going to drink from. So I bought some 20 oz plastic bottles and caps. Now I pour the mixture right into the plastic bottles and then seal them tight. After sitting at room temperature for about 36 to 40 hours, I put them in the refrigerator until it's time to enjoy with friends. Delicious!
jeffchristensen1
Minneapolis, MN
9/9/2015
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