Happy Hour: Ginger Beer (non-alcoholic)

Ingredients
2 pounds plus 1/4 cup sugar
1 pound fresh ginger, shredded
1 pack compressed yeast
1 cup black raisins
2 lemons, juiced
60-72 white raisins

Instructions

1. In a large pot soak the sugar and ginger in 3 quarts water overnight. In the morning, bring the liquid to a boil and allow to simmer for 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

2. Pour the liquid into a clean pail and add enough water to total 2 gallons of liquid. Add the yeast and black raisins. Cover the pail and allow to stand airtight overnight.

3. In the morning, through a strainer, add the juice of 2 lemons. Cover and set aside for 6 days. Do not stir.

4. Siphon and strain all but a few inches of the ginger beer into a clean pail. Discard the remaining liquid, ginger, and raisins.

5. Bring to a boil 1/4 cup sugar with 2 cups water. Add to the ginger beer and stir.

6. Pour the ginger beer into 10 to 12 750-ml bottles leaving 1 inch of air space at the top of each bottle. To each bottle, add 6 white raisins and cork tightly. When the raisins rise to the top, the ginger beer is ready to be served.

Note: Be careful, the corks may pop for the first few days while waiting for the raisins to rise. Place a towel on the cork when opening bottle. This is a non-alcoholic beverage.

Source: Colin Cowie