Ginger tonic: fresh and fermented, bubbly and bursting with flavour.

Do you love the hot and spicy kick of real ginger ale. Yes, well then you are in for a real homemade treat. This recipe is 100% spicy and is very easy to make. All you need is a little patience and attention and you can have an ongoing supply of one of your favourite drinks for pennies on the dollar. Made right at home this fermented beverage gives Kombucha a run for its money. It’s all good news folks, including how healthy it is.

Now why in the the name of Marché Bleuet do we call this a tonic dear clients. Why? Well because a tonic is an enormously overused word to mean something that gives a sense of well being or vigour. And if anything is going to be enormously overused then it should be ginger. Ginger is a multi-purpose plant known to improve headaches, indigestion, immunity, inflammation, constipation, respiration and on and on. It’s a tonic because simply put, it makes you feel good, and it makes feeling good so very spicy, so very tasty.

So let’s get to it.

Step 1.

The Ginger Bug

This ginger tonic is made fizzy because it is fermented. As you may already know, fermentation takes time. You will need about 7 days to get this brew brewing. And then an additional 2 days to get it popping.

Ginger Bug Supplies:

1. 1 X 750ml Jar
2. 2 inches of ginger/day
3. 2 tablespoons of sugar/day
4. 2 1/2 cups filtered water

Instructions:

1. Grate, slice, or dice 2 inches of ginger and place into the glass jar.
2. Add the sugar and then add 2 1/2 cups of filtered water.
3. Cover and secure with an elastic band using some cheese cloth, or do as I do and use a coffee filter. It needs to breathe.
4. Everyday (or almost everyday) add another inch or so of ginger and a tablespoon of sugar.
5. By the seventh day it should look frothy and bubbly on the top. That’s a sign that it’s ready. If it’s hot outside it will ferment faster and if it’s colder it will take longer. I keep a cool house and it only took 7 days. It should also smell a bit like yeast.
6. Now filter out all of the ginger from the liquid and set both aside.

NOTE: If you are tempted to use a sugar alternative please stop yourself. I know it’s hard but you need to use real sugar. I use an unbleached sugar. Accept it, there is sugar in this recipe. Simply put the yeast and bacteria can’t live or multiply without it.

Step 2:

The Ginger tonic

• 1L plastic bottle
• 3 Tbsp Sugar
• Strained Ginger from the Ginger Bug
• 1 Lemon juiced
• 1 cup of your ginger bug liquid
• 2 1/2 cups filtered water.

Instructions:

1. Pour your ginger bug liquid (1 cup) into the plastic bottle, then set aside.
2. Make a ginger tea by bringing the sugar, strained ginger, and water to a rolling boil in a pot. Turn the heat down and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it cool down until it is warm to the touch.
3. Strain the ginger out of your tea.
4. Add the tea to the liquid ginger bug in the bottle
5. Cap it.

Step 3:

Now you need just a little more patience.

1. Leave the ginger tonic on the counter and let it ferment for about 2 days.
2. Each day burp your brew by slowly releasing the lid. It should fizz slightly.
3. Refrigerate to stop the fermentation process the day after the last burping. The bottle will be hard to pinch, that’s how you know it’s ripe with the bubbly fizz you are looking for.

And there you have it. Delicious golden ginger beer. You will be hooked.

I recommend sharing with friends and co-workers. A little goes a long way. Everyone needs a boost of vigour once in a while.

A few more notes and considerations:

If you pour this over ice it will lose its precious bubbles. Try serving cold in chilled glasses instead.

You should have at least 2 cups left of the liquid ginger bug. Now you can start a new batch using a clean jar adding more ginger, water, and sugar to the liquid. If you keep it going you now have an endless supply. If you want to stop the ginger train, put it to rest in the refrigerator.

Serious Note: if you want to use glass instead of plastic bottles to make the final fermentation, make a few batches first so you have a handle of the fermentation process. Glass can explode under pressure so be sure you know what you are doing first and remember that this recipe calls for plastic because ladies and gentleman; even when I think I know what I’m doing, I make mistakes and whoa….. exploded glass all over the place is a big messy and dangerous mistake I’m not willing to take.

Lastly, if it’s fermenting fast it may fizz over when burped. Keep that in mind when burping and open slowly over the sink.

Drink up and please if you do make this recipe yourself take a picture and show me at the store, I would be so happy to see my fellow ginger lovers’ home creations.