What's cookin', good lookin'? Part II

[goldytheGoldfish]

I started a ginger bug a few days ago. I haven't decided what to do with it yet. I have some guava nectar I might use; my experience with kombucha is that substituting fresh juice instead of sugar during bottling results in too much carbonation and off flavors later. Then again, ginger beer doesn't appear to ferment as long or have as much acidity to begin with.

 

[seela]

Omelet with black chanterelles, spinach, shallots, garlic and rosemary.

Tomorrow I’ll bake a lingonberry pie. Or at least that’s the plan.

 

[seela]

I started a ginger bug a few days ago. I haven't decided what to do with it yet. I have some guava nectar I might use; my experience with kombucha is that substituting fresh juice instead of sugar during bottling results in too much carbonation and off flavors later. Then again, ginger beer doesn't appear to ferment as long or have as much acidity to begin with.

I thought about giving making ginger beer a go in the summer but I never got around to it. Now my curiosity is piqued again. Maybe this time I’ll actually get around to making it!

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

I idiot-proofed mine with a YouTube video from an authentic Jamaican, but used a little less sugar than they did. I think I've got it just about perfect now. It can be helpful to have a small heating mat with the jar and Grolsch bottles so it stays consistently between 75 and 85 degrees, although the bug still does take a few days. I keep the capped bottles in a big plastic tub with a little crack in the lid while they're waiting – I had to repaint the entire kitchen ceiling one time.

 

[seela]

View attachment 2563858

I idiot-proofed mine with a YouTube video from an authentic Jamaican, but used a little less sugar than they did. I think I've got it just about perfect now. It can be helpful to have a small heating mat with the jar and Grolsch bottles so it stays consistently between 75 and 85 degrees, although the bug still does take a few days. I keep the capped bottles in a big plastic tub with a little crack in the lid while they're waiting – I had to repaint the entire kitchen ceiling one time.

Yeah, I’ve seen the beetroot kombucha explosion video and that has kept me careful when fermenting things… Although I’m don’t love my kitchen with the dark countertops, so maybe a little mishap could be an excuse for a renovation…

The tub is a good idea!

 

[Boat1]

Yeah, I’ve seen the beetroot kombucha explosion video and that has kept me careful when fermenting things… Although I’m don’t love my kitchen with the dark countertops, so maybe a little mishap could be an excuse for a renovation…

The tub is a good idea!

My uncle used to make wine and he gave me a bottle of Elderberry Wine that was so dark, from the right angle it looked like it was black, in the goblet...
That stuff was soooo smooth and ph balanced, the best way I can describe it, was that it was like drinking warm velvet!

 

[goldytheGoldfish]

It got off to a slow start, so I added a very small amount of yeast and additional ginger bug to each bottle after a week. There was so much carbonation it popped one of them THE NEXT DAY. Be forewarned if you go that route. I suppose you could stir the yeast into the entire batch before bottling if you wanted some insurance. I ended up with 9 bottles total and didn't even use 1/4 packet, which still ended up being too much.

6 oz grated ginger
1/2 c light brown sugar (optional, substitute for white at any ratio)
2 ginger tea packets (the ones I had included sugar)
1 tbs hot honey
1 gal spring water
at least 1/4 c ginger bug liquid
Teensy-weensy pinch of bread/brewer's yeast (totally optional)

The hot honey and brown sugar was a good idea I think. Perfectly spicy and kind of rum-like. The carbonation I would describe as "foamy" and "fizzy", not like bubbles from CO2 carbonation. Little or no alcohol in the end. Pretty good!