Ginger starter for fruit beers

A ginger starter is a mixture of fresh ginger, sugar and water. This starter is added to a prepared fruit-juice blend to activate fermentation. Once you’ve conquered the recipes, you can experiment with different juices and flavours.

Ginger starter

You need

• 3 tablespoons (45ml) freshly grated

ginger (skin and all) • 3 tablespoons (45ml) white sugar • 3 cups (750ml) unchlorinated water

This is how

Mix all three ingredients together in a 1ℓ glass jar. Cover loosely with a side plate or muslin cloth. The idea is to allow air flow but prevent insects from getting in.

Keep the jar in the pantry, away from direct sunlight. Feed your ginger starter every day with 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 1 teaspoon white sugar and 2 tablespoons unchlorinated water. After a few days of feeding, your starter should bubble and froth when stirred. Now it’s ready for use. It will stay alive as long as you feed it. If you don’t need it for a week or two, cap the starter jar and keep in the fridge until needed.

To reinvigorate your starter after refrigeration, remove the jar from the fridge, allow to stand at room temperature for 3-4 hours, and feed daily until the starter is bubbly and full of life. >