><snippet>
I am pretty sure
> that I have never had a starter with cloudy water before. I can't
> decide if I should start a batch with it or not. Any advice please?
> > Thanks Dave

Hi Dave,
This is one of the recipes I have for making it at home. If you want
a olde fashioned recipe, then I can give that to you.
Audrey

http://biology.clc.uc.edu/fankhauser/Cheese/Ginger_Ale_Ag0.htm
> MAKING GINGER ALE AT HOME
©David B. Fankhauser, Ph.D.
Professor of Biology and Chemistry
U.C. Clermont College
Batavia OH 45103
Ingredients collected File "Ginger_Ale_Ag0.htm" was last modified on
22 Feb 2006.
First posted 29 June 00
This page has been accessed times since 8 August 2000. Adding the
grated ginger

Fermentation has been used by mankind for thousands of years for
raising bread, fermenting wine and brewing beer. The products of the
fermentation of sugar by baker's yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a
fungus) are ethyl alcohol and carbon dioxide. (Here is a page on the
chemical reactions involved in glycolysis and fermentation.) Carbon
dioxide causes bread to rise and gives effervescent drinks their
bubbles. This action of yeast on sugar is used to 'carbonate'
beverages, as in the addition of bubbles to champagne).

We will set up a fermentation in a closed system and capture the
generated carbon dioxide to carbonate our home made ginger ale. You
may of course adjust the quantities of sugar and/or extract to
taste. Note that the lemon called for in step eight is optional.
And if you want a spicier drink, you can increase the amount of
grated ginger. As with any yeast fermentation, there is a small
amount of alcohol generated in the beverage (about 0.4%). Here is
a discussion about that.

EQUIPMENT SUPPLIES
clean 2 liter plastic soft drink bottle with cap
funnel
Grater (preferably with fine "cutting" teeth
1 cup measuring cup
1/4 tsp and 1 Tbl measuring spoons cane (table) sugar [sucrose] (1
cup)
Freshly grated ginger root (1 1/2-2 tablespoons)
Juice of one lemon
fresh granular baker's yeast (1/4 teaspoon)
cold fresh pure water

HOW TO MAKE DELICIOUS HOME MADE GINGER ALE 1) Lay it out all the
listed ingredients and equipment.
2) Use fresh ginger root (purchasable at most large supermarkets,
or Asian food shops).
3) Add 1 cup sugar to the 2 liter bottle with a dry funnel.
(Leave the funnel in place until you are ready to cap the bottle.)
4) Measure out 1/4th teaspoon fresh granular active baker's
yeast. (Fleishman's etc. We buy ours in bulk from the health food
store.)
5) Add yeast through funnel into the bottle, shake to disperse
the yeast grains into the sugar granules.
6) Grate the ginger root on a fine "cutting" grater to produce 1
1/2 Tablespoon of grated root. (Look at the large picture of the
grater. This style of fine "cutting" teeth works MUCH better than
the style with the sharp pointy piece of metal which crumble food.
The design is also less likely to shred your knuckles. I have had
to look far and wide to find a fine "cutting" grater. Mine
says "Stainless Steel Denmark" on its handle...)
7) Place grated ginger in the cup measure
8) Juice a whole lemon. (Lemon is optional, giving a little
tartness to the ginger ale. Try it both ways to see which you
prefer. I like them both.)
9) Add the juice of a whole lemon to the grated ginger.
10) Stir the lemon juice and grated ginger to form a slurry.
11) Add the slurry of lemon juice and grated ginger to the
bottle. (It may stick in the funnel. Don't worry, the next step
will wash it into the bottle.)
12) Rinse containers with fresh clean water.
12) Add the rinsings to the bottle, cap and shake to distribute.
13) Fill the bottle to the neck with fresh cool clean water,
leaving about an inch of head space, securely screw cap down to
seal. Invert repeatedly to thoroughly dissolve sugar. (The ginger
root will not dissolve, of course.)
14) Place in a warm location for 24 to 48 hours. (Do not leave
at room temperature longer than necessary to feel "hard." The
excess pressure may cause an eruption when you open it, or even
explode the bottle!)
15) Test to see if carbonation is complete by squeezing the
bottle forcefully with your thumb. If it dents in as in the
picture, it is not ready.

16) Once the bottle feels hard to a forceful squeeze, usually only
24-48 hours, place in the refrigerator. Before opening, refrigerate
at least overnight to thoroughly chill. Crack the lid of the
thoroughly chilled ginger ale just a little to release the pressure
slowly. You do not want a ginger ale fountain!

NOTE: Do not leave the finished ginger ale in a warm place any
longer than the time it takes for the bottle to feel hard. Leaving
it at room temperature longer than two days, especially in the
summer when the temperature is high, can generate enough pressure to
explode the bottle! (Speaking from experience here...) Once it is
thoroughly chilled, there is little danger of explosion.

17) Filter the ginger ale through a strainer if you find floating
pieces of ginger objectionable. These are found in the first glass
or two poured, and, since most of the ginger sinks to the bottom,
the last glass or so may require filtering too. Rinse the bottle
out immediately after serving the last of the batch.

NOTE: There will be a sediment of grated ginger and yeast at the
bottom of the bottle, so that the last bit of ginger ale will be
carry ginger fibers. Decant carefully if you wish to avoid this
sediment.

Note that the gas will develop faster in ginger ale than in home
made root beer, presumably because there are more nutrients in it
than in root beer extract.


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