Fermented Ginger-Apple Beer

Fermented Ginger-Apple Beer 

This past month in my permaculture design course, we learned all about fermentation.. and the bug hit! I immediately knew my sourkraut making days were now going to include kim-chi, fire cider, kombucha, ACV, and what else?! Ginger. Fermented ginger is EASY and even better that this bug hit me while it is apple season. Oh, Fall - with the glorious abundance of apples, plums, apricots, Palisade peaches, and more! Apple Cider is amazing and quite simple. If you don’t have a cider press, juicing is a good way to enjoy the fruit, too.

Let me get to the point— When you put two good things together, what do you get? Amazing!

Fermentation complete.

Caution: Consume at your own risk! Extremely delicious flavor inspires immediate and possible overconsumption.

Ye be warned!

Check out this recipe on how to make a ginger bug, then go on to feed fresh apple cider to it during the 2nd fermentation. The end result? Heaven in a bottle.. yes, if heaven could be bottled, this is what it would taste like.

How to make a ginger bug: 
In a medium glass jar, mix 1 tbsp. minced or grated (*must be unpeeled) fresh ginger, 1 tsp. raw sugar, and 1/3 cup water. Cover jar with cheesecloth or coffee filter, then set on counter for 24 hours. Stir when you remember to! After 24 hours, add minced (...or grated) 1 tbsp. unpeeled ginger, 1 tsp. sugar, and a bit of water. Stir, cover, and let sit at room temp. Continue to add and stir every day, and after 2-3 days, you'll see fermentation occur. 

*The outer layer of ginger, the brown peel, is what contains the naturally-occuring yeast and bacteria needed for fermentation. Please consider buying organic ginger when making your own.

This is when you can add the ginger bug to fresh pressed apple cider. In a large glass jar, mix 1/2 cup ginger bug to 1/2 gallon cider, plus 1 tbsp. fresh slices of ginger; peeled. Allow that to ferment for 2-5 days at room temp with cheesecloth cover; stirring daily and keeping it out of the light. Filter with the cheesecloth as you bottle into jars that can be 'burped' for 2-3 days. This is when the apple-ginger beer develops carbonation. Store in the fridge after fermentation is complete.

Recipe is loosely based on another version by Grow Forage Cook Ferment.