This is a great refreshing drink and so easy to make.
150g root ginger (about the size of the picture)
1 Kg Sugar
5 ml brewers yeast
10 l of water
4 - 5 raisins (Very optional they are really just there to amuse kids while it is brewing. They will rise and sink as CO2 builds up on them and the bubbles pop when they get to the surface of your Ginger Beer))
Scrape the skin off the ginger with a knife (just hold the knife right angles to the ginger and slide the blade down the skin and it comes off quite easily)
Slice the ginger into a large saucepan using a mandolin or the slicing part of a grater. You can grate it into the pot too but as it is quite fibrous it doesn't grate all the well. Just leave the fibrous bits in the mix as well.
Put 2 litres of water into the saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
Add the sugar to a 10 l container and then pitch in the hot ginger liquid with all the bits of ginger in it. It is quite important to leave the ginger in as this gives your ginger beer that nice ginger bite.
Top up the liquid with cold water to 10 l. Check the temperature isn't hotter than 20C - 25C.or you will kill the yeast in the next step.
Tap off about a cup of the liquid and dissolve the brewers yeast in the cup. Let it stand for about 15 minutes to activate the yeast. Pour it all back into the 10 l of ginger beer. Add the raisins if using them.
Cover the top of the container and let it stand in a warm place while it brews. Covering it stops wild yeasts from infecting the brew and spoiling it, though it will probably be finished long before that happens!
You can actually start drinking this after about 24 hours, but the longer you wait the better it becomes. Do not screw down a lid onto the container during this time. There is a fair build up of carbon dioxide and your container might explode if you do. It will be slightly fizzy and be mildly alcoholic at roughly 3% - 5%. After 4-5 days the yeast will settle out and your ginger beer will start clearing. After about 7 days it will be almost clear if it lasts that long! Nothing like giving someone a glass of clear liquid that tastes of Ginger beer.