Skip to main content

Spicy Ginger Beer

Ginger beer is often made as a live fermented brew, a time-consuming and messy process—our method shortcuts time, but not flavor. For a controlled version of premade ginger beer, use a soda siphon to provide carbonation.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    makes about 4 quarts

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh gingerroot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 english cucumber, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
2 fresh red chiles, chopped
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup turbinado sugar
3/4 cup acacia honey
2 cups water
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Chilled club soda, or water if using a soda siphon

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Place the ginger and cucumber in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Pour them along with any juice into a large saucepan over medium heat and add the chilies, mint leaves, sugar, honey, water, juice, peppercorns, and soda. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes until the liquid becomes syrupy enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and let cool overnight. Strain the ginger beer through a fine-mesh sieve into a food-safe container and refrigerate; it will keep for 4 days, refrigerated.

    Step 2

    The ratio of syrup to club soda is 1:3 when made to order. If using a soda siphon, pour 1 cup syrup and 3 cups water into a 1-liter soda siphon.

Cover of Speakeasy by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric featuring a coupe glass with a brown cocktail and lemon wheel garnish.
Reprinted with permission from Speakeasy: The Employees Only Guide to Classic Cocktails Reimagined by Jason Kosmas and Dushan Zaric, © 2010 Ten Speed Press. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.
Read More
Like potato pea chowder and green goddess grain bowls.
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Thinly sliced and cooked hot and fast, pork tenderloin is the juicy, cook-quicking weeknight champion of this vegetable-heavy stir-fry.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Like spicy carrot rigatoni and weeknight-fancy ravioli with peas.
This lasagna soup delivers rich, baked-pasta flavor without an oven. Made with Italian sausage and spinach, it’s a fast, weeknight-friendly take on the classic.
Like lemony risotto and tandoori-style cauliflower.
Chopped kimchi and soy sauce transform mellow tuna salad into your new favorite riff on the classic diner sandwich.