Topic: Ginger beer plant

[tim_n]

I'm starting a new batch of ginger beer tomorrow and will probably have some proper ginger beer plant available afterwards as I'm making 5 gallons of the stuff!

Is anyone interested in a swap?  I'd like to try Kefir (so some grains would be a good start...) however I have an allotment so would be willing to swap for plants of the edible nature (ie something that produces fruit or veg)

Similarly if you've nothing to swap, I'm happy to send some out on a karma basis ie if you get some you don't just let it die, but look after it and send it out to two other people.

[thifasmom]

just googled it and i see its not an actual plant but a fungal culture for making ginger beer. very interesting, how do you keep it alive? and how do you grow your batch? just interested really no need for some as i don't plan on producing ginger beer anytime soon :)

[tim_n]

It's not exactly fungal - it's yeast and bacteria working in symbosis.  You keep it alive by making ginger beer basically.  When you're not, you can store it in the fridge which retards the process.

You can't make it, you can only split it (something which is currently of a debate at present, we don't actually know who made the first batch or how, only that it was brought into this country by some knight during the crusades)  By making ginger beer it can make it double in size which you split and give to other people.

Mostly traditional ginger beer production seemed to cease during the 2nd world war - probably due to rationing.  I'm trying to spread the culture I bought from a specialist so the process becomes more popular again.

I really can't push enough how different this stuff is to commercial ginger beer.  It's really nice drinking!

[thifasmom]

so how do you make this form of ginger beer?

[Eristic]

There is nothing magical or mystic about the ginger beer plant.

Take one spoon of sugar, one spoon of ginger powder. Add one mug of water and some wine yeast. Stir and put contents in a suitable jar.

Every day for a week add another spoonful of sugar and ginger. At end of week contents are sieved through muslim and the liquid is added to your favourite recipe mix to make up the finished batch. The paste left in the sieve is then either thrown away or reduced and put back in the jar and fed for another week to make a subsequent batch.

[tim_n]

Sorry Eristic, you're not right!

Ginger beer plant is not just brewers yeast, sugar and ginger powder!  It's this kind of misinformation that it's hard to fight against.

True ginger beer plant is a unique organism which has a true symbiotic relationship.  It doesn't occur in nature and it's not possible to make your own.  The true origins of ginger beer plant aren't known - it's been traced back a couple of hundred years ago in the UK where it was brought from abroad.

There has only been one serious documented study in 1833 - you can read about it on http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg17523625.800-marriage-of-equals.html or on gingerbeerplant.net which has the full article.

There is a difference in flavour between the two which is difficult to describe.  I'd highly recommend trying it.

[Eristic]

That's a complete load of nonsense. You've been suckered by marketing.

[tim_n]

I'll tell New Scientist (a small magazine only followed by dimwits and netherdowells) that they've got it wrong and shouldn't be trying to publish articles on such nonsence!

Or perhaps the scientific community at large is at fault at such folley!  Silly that a man should spend his life dedicated to identifying one of the very rare symbotic relationships in nature.

Ginger beer plant is a symbotic relationship between yeast and certain bacteria.  There are many different varieties of yeast which cope better with different chemicals, sugars etc.  That is why if you go into a brewing shop you can buy yeasts that impart different flavours to the beer.  You don't just walk in and buy half a tub of yeast (though you can in most supermarkets).

Yes you can use bakers yeast, but how comes generations of british people (and others around the world) would bother to split the 'plant' and pass it to a neighbour or friend, or leave them in wills if you could just simply pop down to the brewer and get a chunk of his brewers yeast.

Perhaps a traditional ginger beer plant might make it taste somewhat different - a reason for maintaining something down the generations rather than popping down the road to the local supermarket?  This is a practice that is almost extinct in the UK and with well intentioned people like yourself (no matter how ill informed!) going about your place and telling people it's rubbish, it may just die out.

So in the meantime, my original offer still stands.  If you actually would like some, let me know.  You can brew some, tell me it tastes no different and I've been mugged or alternatively post on the Watershed where we can continue this pointless discussion of yours!  I've only been brewing 16 years, so what do I know?

Also, what marketing are you talking about?  I'm not aware of this in bus stops/posters/TV etc.

So, to put a point.  Don't feed the trolls! [/rant]

[Eristic]

When you've made as much ginger beer as I have feel free to argue. Until then, give it a rest.

No one keeps their plant going through the winter never mind multiple lifetimes. In fact, using modern winemaking technology the plant itself is superfluous to the process.

What is ginger beer? (Shut up you at the back.) Ginger beer is just a fizzy pop. Nothing less and nothing more. It's water with added flavour, bubbles and a small fraction of alcohol.

The quality of the finished product rests entirely on the second stage of preparation. The plant stage just builds up a vigorous yeast colony with some alcohol.

[Hettyb]

Hi Tim,,I would be intrested in a piece of your plant/fungus, whatever it's called.  Had some years ago but I would need a reminder on it's care. Would it be possible to post it ,I'm in N Ireland. Jean
                                                                                 

[bridgehouse]

Hi Tim
I would like some to
    Thank you June.

[petengade]

Eristic,
Could I have your recipe for ginger beer please as it must be well proven, I was going to use beer yeast, is that correct? thanking you in anticipation

[kenkew]

Ginger beer -V's Ginger beer.
 During the 40's ginger beer was quite a popular drink. It certainly was a different taste to what comes in a bottle today.
 I'd guess that there really is an 'original plant' and if I got the chance I'd give it a go and see if the taste of the 40's comes flooding back.

[Digeroo]

There was a fashion for ginger beer 'plants' in the late 50s.  The trouble is that the resulting brew is alcoholic.  My mother was a teacher and several children came to school with it and then became drunk and disorderly in class.

It was nice to drink though.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Preserving the yeast is easy, so I wouldn't be surprised if there is some of the 'original' surviving. You just keep it in the fridge, use the surplus (there was always masses from wine making) fir cooking, and tip a bottle into the next lot you're starting. As long as you're making it fairly frequently, and you maintain hygiene, the stuff's immortal.

[kenkew]

Sooo Tim. How can we tell if we have the real McCoy? Is it a case of making the stuff and tasting or is there a simpler and sure way?

[purplehaize]

I am willing to swap either kefir grains or kombucha mushroom for a genuine ginger beer plant.

[Eristic]

Just make one. So simple.

[shambasarfi]

When making ginger beer, a word of warning!  Mum used to make ginger beer by the bucket to save on buying sodas for us three kids.  She got some screw top champagne bottles and even then the ginger beer blew the tops off or would explode the bottles.  The ginger pop was marvelous though!

Mum got her "ginger baby" from a friend but I think it's just a mixture of ginger and yeast, which you then have to feed with a said amount of sugar, every day, for x number of days and then make up your bottles, keeping some of the ginger baby back for the next batch.

We went on holiday in Malindi, Kenya (where I was born) and rented a house there.  Mum took her ginger beer making ingredients and continued making it for the two weeks we were there.  Half way through our holiday we discovered that a monitor lizard was living in the water tank Mum was getting the water for the ginger beer from!  Now you know what they mean by secret ingredient.

Shamba

[1066]

Love the story Shamba! That's definitely a secret ingredient  ;D