Mrs Beetons Drinks Recipes Revisited
Ginger Beer
20.45lt (36 pints) Boiling Water
1.13kg (2½lb) Sugar
40g (1½oz) Bruised Ginger
25g (1oz) Cream of Tartar
2 Lemons, rind and juice
2 large tbsp Brewer’s Yeast [or modern equivalent]
Peel the lemons, squeeze the juice, strain it and put the peel and juice into a large earthen pan, with the bruised ginger, cream of tartar and sugar.
Pour over 13.6lt (3 gallons) of boiling water.
Let it stand until just warm.
Add the yeast, which should be thick and perfectly fresh.
Stir the contents of the pan well and keep in a warm place over night, covering the pan over with a cloth.
The next day skim off the yeast and pour the liquor carefully into another vessel, leaving the sediment.
Bottle immediately and secure the corks.
In 3 days the ginger beer will be fit for use.
For some tastes, the above proportion of sugar may be found rather too large, when it may be diminished, but the beer will not keep so long good.
Average cost for this quantity, 2s., or 1/2d. per bottle.
Sufficient to fill 4 dozen ginger beer bottles.
Seasonable: This should be made during the summer months.
GINGER BEER
1833. INGREDIENTS - 2-1/2 lbs. of loaf sugar, 1-1/2 oz. of bruised ginger, 1 oz. of cream of tartar, the rind and juice of 2 lemons, 3 gallons of boiling water, 2 large tablespoonfuls of thick and fresh brewer’s yeast.
Mode - Peel the lemons, squeeze the juice, strain it, and put the peel and juice into a large earthen pan, with the bruised ginger, cream of tartar, and loaf sugar. Pour over these ingredients 3 gallons of boiling water; let it stand until just warm, when add the yeast, which should be thick and perfectly fresh. Stir the contents of the pan well, and let them remain near the fire all night, covering the pan over with a cloth. The next day skim off the yeast, and pour the liquor carefully into another vessel, leaving the sediment; then bottle immediately, and tie the corks down, and in 3 days the ginger beer will be fit for use. For some tastes, the above proportion of sugar may be found rather too large, when it may be diminished; but the beer will not keep so long good.
Average cost, for this quantity, 2s.; or 1/2d. per bottle.
Sufficient to fill 4 dozen ginger-beer bottles.
Seasonable - This should be made during the summer months.
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