Is it possible to make an almost zero alcohol ginger beer without complicated distilling or artificial carbonating? Very small amounts would be acceptable. I want to do a brew for an ex alcoholic. As I understand it, even secondary fermentation will produce maybe 0.5 % in the bottle. Are there different yeasts that will give the brewed taste but not create alcohol as a by product? Do the yeasts eat alcohol if they run out of sugar?
Non Alc ginger beer
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After much research, I have found some answers. Just thought I would share in case anyone else is wondering.
Fermented ginger beer made the original way requires a "plant". That bit is easy to find out. However, it is very difficult to make your own. Almost all of the recipes I found were not truly original style. Ginger beer made the original way is non alcoholic. Some of the modern " traditional method" ways actually produce an alcoholic one even though they call it non alcoholic.
True ginger beer plants can be purchased ( in dry form) or obtained from others. They are not just a yeast cake. There is a yahoo group dedicated to it.
However, a nice drink can be made from the modern methods. However,depending on how you have made it, there may be quite an amount of alcohol in it.
Fermented ginger beer made the original way requires a "plant". That bit is easy to find out. However, it is very difficult to make your own. Almost all of the recipes I found were not truly original style. Ginger beer made the original way is non alcoholic. Some of the modern " traditional method" ways actually produce an alcoholic one even though they call it non alcoholic.
True ginger beer plants can be purchased ( in dry form) or obtained from others. They are not just a yeast cake. There is a yahoo group dedicated to it.
However, a nice drink can be made from the modern methods. However,depending on how you have made it, there may be quite an amount of alcohol in it.
Flash_DG
Well-Known Member
A plant is very easy to make your self, ginger (fresh or ground though i prefer fresh) yeast and sugar. thats it. it's not rocket science. Takes about 7 days to 'grow' it.
Some people use sultanas for adding yeast, and some people just use bread yeast. I have only used the bread yeast myself. It is the yeast the carbonates the drink after you bottle it and yes it adds about 0.5% alch to the finished drink depending on how long you let it sit there.
Saying that is not the original style isn't necessarily right because everyone had their own way to do just like baking a cake. Also saying they were 100% alcohol free isn't right either. there wasn't too many ways one could carbonate a brew back in the early 20th century, yeast was by far the cheapest and easiest.
If you want a truly alcohol free beverage then I suggest a soda stream and a bottle of Buderim Ginger refresher you can get them in woolies. The kids love this on a hot day with loads of ice
As Rod says even mass produced ginger beer has some alcohol in it.
Some people use sultanas for adding yeast, and some people just use bread yeast. I have only used the bread yeast myself. It is the yeast the carbonates the drink after you bottle it and yes it adds about 0.5% alch to the finished drink depending on how long you let it sit there.
Saying that is not the original style isn't necessarily right because everyone had their own way to do just like baking a cake. Also saying they were 100% alcohol free isn't right either. there wasn't too many ways one could carbonate a brew back in the early 20th century, yeast was by far the cheapest and easiest.
If you want a truly alcohol free beverage then I suggest a soda stream and a bottle of Buderim Ginger refresher you can get them in woolies. The kids love this on a hot day with loads of ice
As Rod says even mass produced ginger beer has some alcohol in it.
I believe a real ginger beer 'plant' is actually a symbiotic culture between yeast and a specific bacteria which gives a distinct flavour and looks kind of like jelly. http://www.yemoos.com/gingerbeerproductpage.html these guys sell the real culture.
Airgead
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Yep. Its like a sourdough culture. A symbiotic mix of yest and bacteria.
And traditional ginger beers are NOT alcohol free. You take your plant and add sugar and water. They carbonate in the bottle through the action of the yeast and bacteria in the plant. This produces alcohol (and some lacto that gives it a nice tart taste). The longer you leave them, the fizzier and more alcoholic they get. I did some calcs once. A properly fizzy traditional ginger beer will be between 0.5 and 2%ABV. They can go higher if you leave them and the bottles don't explode.
The "traditional" ones sold in supermarkets can be up to 0.5% and still be labeled non alcoholic.
Any sort of brewed beverage for an ex alcoholic I suspect would be a Very Bad Thing.
Cheers
Dave
And traditional ginger beers are NOT alcohol free. You take your plant and add sugar and water. They carbonate in the bottle through the action of the yeast and bacteria in the plant. This produces alcohol (and some lacto that gives it a nice tart taste). The longer you leave them, the fizzier and more alcoholic they get. I did some calcs once. A properly fizzy traditional ginger beer will be between 0.5 and 2%ABV. They can go higher if you leave them and the bottles don't explode.
The "traditional" ones sold in supermarkets can be up to 0.5% and still be labeled non alcoholic.
Any sort of brewed beverage for an ex alcoholic I suspect would be a Very Bad Thing.
Cheers
Dave
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