h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Thank you very much for this recipe.

However, having had several strong bottles explode like grenades in my kitchen, I would recommend not so much sugar in that final section.

For the fizz you only need a half-teaspoon per pint - like homebrew.

If you wish to sweeten (as I would) you would be better with sweetener or a non-fermentable sugar.

I have followed this to the letter and produced two batches (yes some exploded) but I have a question.

When growing the plant at what temp does it need to be kept in? My two plants don't bubble or froth, (at very start they do but only lasts 1/2 hr or so). I would expect the thing to bubble all 10 days or so. When I bottle it it does build gas BIG TIME but after 15 days it looks VERY cloudy and tastes bitter not gingery.

George

I agree.
Having looked through the recipe I would say that it certainly is alcoholic as sugar and yeast is involved so CO2 must be produced.
The issue, as you rightly say, is the sugar at the end.
I intend to have a go at this but my experience of home brewing tells me that you definately do not want to put loads of sugar in at the end. The sugar at the end is required for the secondary fermentation and half a teaspoon per bottle should be enough.
As stated elsewhere it is essential to use beer bottles or at least bottles where the contents have been under pressure such as lemonade.
I will have a go and report back on the results.
I do fancy the idea of going on a picnic this summer with ham rolls, hard boiled eggs, slabs of fruit cake, tinned pears and, of course, lashings and lashings of ginger beer.

Old Fart99 has just given himself a bit of shock and set his heart palpitating. I googled Ginger Beer and ended up on www.gingerbeer.co.uk which turned out to be a Lesbian web site. I am obviously out of touch with modern terminology. I was looking for lashings and lashings of ginger beer but ended up with pictures of just lashings and lashings!

my ginger beer tastes bitter! do you know why this is?

Help! I am coming to the end of my 10-days fermenting process (first try), and I want to know about the affect of adding more sugar, and alcohol. So as I understand, the minimum amount of sugar for that 2nd stage part should be about 1/2 teaspoon per pint (a lot less that 500g's!!!!!). This will lead to a fairly unsweetened drink, low in alcohol. If I add more sugar, say 5 teaspsoons per pint, will that result in a more alcohol drink? or just unpleasantly too sweet?

I used fast-acting yeast also by the way, how has this affected my ginger beer?

Jason