Ginger beer has been around for several hundred years. Originally a European drink, it has since been circulated to most parts of the world. As the name suggests, it is mainly flavored with ginger, though it rarely contains alcohol. It is similar to ginger ale but with a spicier ginger flavor.
History
Ginger beer was first brewed in Britain in the 1700s. It was originally made with alcohol but is now a non-alcoholic soft drink. It became popular in North America and other European nations in the early 1900s. The British army introduced the drink to the Ionian Islands. Ginger beer is still popular in east Africa and can be purchased as a product of the Coca-Cola Company.
Ingredients
The main ingredient in ginger beer is water, followed by ginger. The ginger actually comes in two forms: the ginger beer plant and ground ginger. Other ingredients include sugar, cream of tartar and a slight amount of lemon juice. The lemon juice is optional but helps bring out the flavor of the brew.
Ginger Beer Plant
The ginger beer plant is actually a fungus that contains the yeast Saccharomyces florentinus and the bacterium Lactobacillus hilgardii. This composition is gelatinous and can easily be transferred from one fermenting substance to another. While the ginger beer plant can be somewhat hard to find, a simple yeast culture can provide almost the same function.
Benefits
Ginger has been used medicinally by Asian and Arabic cultures since ancient times. Today it is still used to treat a variety of ailments. The most common medicinal use for ginger is to combat nausea associated with motion sickness, but it can also be used to help relieve nausea due to pregnancy or chemotherapy as well. Ginger can also be used to reduce inflammation, such as arthritis or ulcerative colitis and can calm digestive problems.
Considerations
Ginger beer is typically carbonated. Carbonation combined with the expansion caused by the fermentation process can be hazardous if you're bottling ginger beer at home. Ginger beer should be properly sealed before storing. Also, because there may be a slight alcoholic content in some ginger beers, intoxication may occur if drunk in excess.
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