Homemade Jamaican Ginger Beer

This Traditional Jamaican Ginger Beer recipe is an old family recipe that is simple to make. Serve over ice for a great tasting island drink.

 

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The full recipe with ingredients/instructions is available on the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Important tips/tricks are also included in the blog post.

Homemade Jamaican ginger beer tastes superior to any store bought alternative. This is a refreshing drink, and once you've tried this recipe you won't buy store bought ginger beer again. As it is so easy to make, a jug of this Classic Jamaican ginger beer is perfect to serve at holiday get togethers with family and friends.

This homemade version is non-carbonated, non-alcoholic, and only takes a few ingredients to make. The process is simple as well. Ginger root is pureed, then added to boiling water along with cloves and cream of tartar. Once cooled the liquid is sieved before fresh lime juice, sugar, and vanilla extract are added

Ginger is naturally good for you and has many health properties, including being a great boost to your immune system. So ideal to drink over the colder winter months to prevent colds and flu.

If, like me, you enjoy making your own refreshing no-alcohol drinks, why not try my Jamaican Sorrel Drink, Homemade Cranberry Lemonade, Green Sherbet Punch, or my Strawberry Basil Lemonade.

Ingredients

Here is what you will need for this recipe:

• Water
• Ginger root, peeled and chopped
• Whole cloves
• Cream of tartar
• Lime juice from fresh limes
• Light brown sugar
• Vanilla extract

How to make Jamaican Ginger Beer

• Bring 8 cups of water to a boil on the stove-top.
• Meanwhile, add peeled and chopped ginger root and 2 cups of water to a blender. If you don't have a blender, grate the ginger.
• Pulse until the ginger is finely chopped and mixed with the water. 

• Add the ginger to the boiling water and stir it in.
• Remove from the heat immediately.
• Add the cloves and cream of tartar and cover.
• Allow the mixture to cool. Once cool, place in the refrigerator for at least four hours, or overnight. 

• Drain the ginger mixture and place the liquid into a large pitcher.
• In a separate container, add the freshly squeezed lime juice and whisk in the brown sugar. This will allow the sugar to dissolve easily in the drink, similar to this Jamaican Lemonade.

• Add the lime and sugar mixture to the pitcher of ginger beer, along with the vanilla extract, and stir. 
• Serve the ginger beer over ice. 

Expert Tips

These tips will help you make the best Jamaican ginger beer you've ever tasted. 

• Peel the ginger. Leaving the skin on can result in a bitter tasting drink.
• 1 ½ cups of brown sugar is added to the ginger beer. However, this can be adjusted up or down, depending on taste. If you like it a little sweeter add more sugar, less sweet then add less sugar. You can also use honey in place of the sugar or granulated sugar.
• The longer the ginger beer sits, the stronger it will taste. Once made allow it to sit for at least 4 hours, but I prefer to leave it for 24 hours if time permits.
• Serve this drink cold. It's nice and refreshing.

Variations 

I like this ginger beer just as it is, but here are some other options:

• If you can find Jamaican ginger it is the best to use in this recipe as it is an aromatic and pungent ginger, superior in flavor to other ginger root. Otherwise use the ginger root you can find in-store.
• If you don't have limes, lemon would be a good swap, although lemon is far more bitter in taste so you might have to adjust the sugar.
• Strictly for the over 21 audience only, this ginger beer poured over ice with a shot of rum makes a delicious drink. Or add the drink to your favorite cocktail.

FAQs:

If you have tried this Jamaican Ginger Beer recipe, or any other recipe on my blog, then please rate it and let me know how it turned out in the comments below!