How to pour it
a ginger beer in
Peel the ginger with the edge of a spoon and grate it finely. Put the zest with the sugar and two tablespoons of hot water in a bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Leave the mixture to stand for ten minutes so the juice draws out of the zest. Then pour it through a fine sieve and press the pulp out well. What remains is ginger syrup.
Squeeze the lime and stir the juice into the syrup. Fill the mug or glass three-quarters full with ice and pour the syrup over it.
Top up along the side with ice-cold sparkling water and stir briefly once. Taste, and stir in a little extra syrup if you’d like it sweeter.
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The story
The name ginger beer is misleading, because it almost never contains alcohol. It dates back to a time when the drink was fermented with a ginger starter, a paste of grated ginger, sugar and water in which yeasts and bacteria naturally got to work. That fermentation created the carbonation and left behind a small amount of alcohol, usually too little to count. What you buy in stores now is generally simply carbonated, but the flavor remains: cloudy, sharp and full of ginger. That very sharpness makes it the mixer at the heart of the Moscow Mule and the Dark 'n Stormy.
The right glass
Ginger beer belongs in metal or thick-walled glass, and in both cases, it is all about the cold. A copper mug takes on the temperature of the ice almost immediately and becomes misted on the outside, so it feels cold in your hand; that is just as much a part of the Moscow Mule as the lime. If you would rather see the build than feel it, a heavy glass does the same job while giving you a view of the drink. More models can be found among the cocktail glasses.
Speakeasy Moscow Mule Cup Curved 45 cl
RCR Tattoo Moscow Mule 42 cl (4 pieces)
Both sets together € 76,90.
The right tools
For ginger beer, besides the glass, you need a citrus juicer for the lime juice and a fine strainer to remove the grated ginger. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 48,85.
Which splash belongs in ginger beer?
Ginger beer is almost always non-alcoholic. The two cocktails centered around it are the Moscow Mule with vodka and the Dark 'n Stormy with dark rum. On every drink page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it works well in, and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
More ginger makes it sharper, while less sugar makes it drier; start with this ratio and adjust it afterward. A piece of cinnamon or a few peppercorns in the syrup gives the whole drink a warmer flavor. With vodka and lime over plenty of ice, you have a Moscow Mule; with dark rum and lime, a Dark 'n Stormy; and with gin, a gin mule. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Fill the mug or glass completely with ice first, and only then top it up. Finish with a thick lime wedge and a sprig of mint, so you smell the mint before drinking. Store the syrup in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator and use it within a week.
Good to know
Why is it called beer if it contains no alcohol?
The name comes from the time when the drink was fermented with a ginger starter. This produced the carbonation and left a small amount of alcohol behind. What you buy now is usually simply carbonated and alcohol-free, but the name stuck.
What is a ginger starter?
A mixture of grated ginger, sugar, and water that you leave for a few days, feeding it daily. An active culture develops naturally, converting the sugar, and you use it as a starter for the drink. Without a starter, you make the quick version with syrup and sparkling water.
What is the difference from ginger ale?
Ginger ale is carbonated and filtered, so it is clear, sweet, and light. Ginger beer is traditionally fermented, remains cloudy, and is much sharper. In a mule, you can taste the difference immediately.
How long does homemade ginger beer keep?
The syrup keeps for about a week when sealed and refrigerated. Once you top it up with sparkling water, drink it immediately, because the carbonation is gone within an hour.
Which cocktails can't do without it?
In the Moscow Mule, with vodka, fresh lime juice, and ginger beer over ice, and in the Dark 'n Stormy, with dark rum, lime, and ginger beer. In both, the ginger beer is the ingredient that gives the drink its character.
Frequently asked questions
Does ginger beer contain alcohol?
Almost never. The name comes from the old fermented version, which contained a small amount of alcohol. What you buy in stores now is simply carbonated and alcohol-free.
What is the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale?
Ginger beer is traditionally fermented, cloudy, and sharp with ginger. Ginger ale is carbonated and filtered, clear, sweet, and much milder.
How do you make ginger beer yourself?
Grate fresh ginger, dissolve it with sugar in a little hot water, let it steep for ten minutes, and strain it. Stir in fresh lime juice and top up with ice-cold sparkling water.
Which cocktails can you make with ginger beer?
The Moscow Mule with vodka and lime, and the Dark 'n Stormy with dark rum and lime. Both are built over plenty of ice.
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