Ginger Beer

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 16
• 3 -4 inches fresh gingerroot (not ground ginger)
• 2 limes, juice of (or similar amount of lemon, pineapple, or grapefruit juice)
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 whole cloves (optional) or 1 cinnamon stick (optional)
• 1 gallon water

Recipe

• 1 carefully remove and discard the ginger root's outer layer.
• 2 pound the ginger root to a pulp and place in a large ovenproof glass mixing bowl or stainless steel container.
• 3 in a teakettle heat six cups of water to a boil.
• 4 pour water over the ginger, cover with a lid or a clean cloth.
• 5 put the mixture in a warm place. a sunny spot on a tabletop in front of a window is a good place on a hot day; an oven that has been slightly heated then turned off is a good place on a cold day. wait one hour.
• 6 place a clean cheesecloth or a paper towel in a strainer and pour the the mixture through it into a large jar or pitcher (or two jars or pitchers as necessary).
• 7 squeeze the cloth to extract all the liquid from the ginger root. mix in the citrus juice, sugar, and spices.
• 8 fill the jar with lukewarm water to make a gallon.
• 9 return the mixture to a warm spot and wait another hour.
• 10 strain the ginger beer once more and refrigerate until chilled. serve over ice.