An Exposition on the Fermentation of Ginger- Beer Plant

Brewing with the Gelatinous Ginger Beer Plant: Converting Lactic-Acid Beverages to Alcoholic Ginger Beer Composition of the Ginger- Beer Plant: As Isolated by H. Marshall Ward, The Organisms Comprising the Ginger- Beer Plant: a.) Saccharomyces pyriformis The principal yeast in Ginger- Beer Plant (GBP). It consumes oxygen & sugar and produces alcohol and CO2. It is a weak alcohol producer (4.4% maximum abv [H. M. Ward, 1892]). b.) Cryptococcus qlutinis c.) Unknown aerobian top-yeast Produces alcohol and other by-products from oxygen & sugar (H. M. Ward, 1892) d.) Saccharomyces cerevisiae (beeryeast) Also known as Baker's Yeast or Brewer's Yeast, this organism has been used for centuries as leavening for bread and as a fermenter of alcoholic beverages. e.) 3-4 unknown yeasts of rare occurrence f.) Bacterium vermiforme (later named Lactobacillus hilgardii) The principal bacterium in GBP, responsible for generating lactic acid and, ultimately, acetic acid. g.) Mycoderma cerevisiae This aerobian yeast prefers cool temperatures --50 to 60 F. (10-15 C)-- and glucose for best growth. It cannot invert cane sugar or bring about its fermentation (H. M. Ward, 1892). h.) Bacterium Aceti (later re-classified Acetobacter aceti) In concert with aerobian top yeast (c.) produces ether when in oxygen environment (H. M. Ward, 1892). A. aceti is a common contaminant in all industrial fermentation facilities and is responsible for generating turbidity, ropiness, discoloration, and off-flavors in beer (Kough, 1991). i.) A spore-forming bacillus j.) Large spore-forming bacillus k.) 2-3 Other Schizomycetes not identified l.) Oidium lactis m.) Blue mould- Penicillium glaucum n.) A brown Torala-like form, Dematium pullulans o.) One or more species of unknown Torala

Instructions with observations on brewing with the Ginger- Beer Plant: Lemon Ginger Beer (8.7% alcohol by volume): A 2-quart (2 liter) Mason jar or equivalent vessel 1 Quart (1 liter) distilled water 1-1/2 Cups (375 ml) white sugar (27%) 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) powdered ginger 2 Tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice 1-Teaspoon (5 ml) Cream of Tartar 6 black peppercorns 3 Tablespoons (45 ml) of Ginger Beer Plant 1 coffee filter and a rubber band, or an airlock 1 strainer, a funnel, and a 12 inch (30 cm) square sheet of muslin cloth Optional: 1 hydrometer to measure specific gravity Fermentation Procedure: Day zero: Add sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and Cream of Tartar to distilled water in mason jar, cap and shake well to mix. This also mixes oxygen into the solution to aid in feeding the yeast. For those interested, the specific gravity (SG) of the solution should be approx. 1.104 (13.7% potential alcohol). Uncap and add the peppercorns and Ginger Beer Plant. Cover the Mason jar with a coffee filter secured by a rubber band. This allows the free movement of replacement oxygen into the jar. Place jar in a sunny window, preferably, or anywhere that will maintain a temperature between 80-90 F. (27-32 C.). Day one: After 24 hours, strain out the Ginger Beer Plant and peppercorns, taking care to save the solution. Rinse out the jar and, using a funnel and muslin cloth, carefully pour the solution back into it. To speed up the straining, you may occasionally lift the cloth by its four corners in one hand and GENTLY squeeze the cloth with the other. Replace the peppercorns into the strained solution. Gently rinse the Ginger Beer plant in cool water and either use for another batch or rest in sugar water in the fridge. The solution should be 2-2.5% alcohol (SG ~1.085) at this point. This straining process is to maintain the high quantity (at this time) of yeasts in the solution while minimizing the quantity of lactic and acetic acid producing bacteria that would otherwise inhibit the alcohol producing qualities (which we want to maintain) of

the yeasts. There will still be sufficient of these bacteria to prevent infection of the solution by alien bacteria. Days two through four: For this first batch, taste the solution daily to acquaint you with the progress by placing a small amount on your tongue. During this time period there will be a pronounced sweetness, with a considerable lemon-ginger bite and a gradual alcohol and pepper taste increase. The aroma will be distinctly lemon-ginger, and faintly alcoholic. During this time period also, there will be a steady increase of alcohol to 4.4% (SG ~1.070) and a solution PH of ~5.0. At this point, the primary yeast S. pyriformis (a) stops producing more alcohol (H. M. Ward), leaving further alcohol generation up to the lesser quantities of beer yeast (d) and top yeast (c). At this point also the Acetobacter aceti (h), an acid intolerant (PH 5.4-6.3) species, should form appreciably less acetic acid. Predictably, it will take a further eleven days (nearly three times as long) to double the alcohol content. Days five through nine: Taste during this time period, while still sweet, will show the beginnings of a movement towards a more balanced lemon-ginger-pepper alcohol. The aroma, still primarily lemonginger, begins to also manifest a whiskey aroma. Also, by the end of this time period the solution alcohol content will be 6.8% (SG ~1.052) and have a PH of ~4.6. That alcohol concentration should disable the primary bacteria Lactobacillus hilgardii (f) from forming appreciably more lactic acid and fully disable the Acetobacter aceti (h) from forming further acetic acid. Days ten through fourteen: Taste during this time period will show the final movement towards a nicely balanced lemon-ginger-pepper having a distinct alcohol taste. Taste wise; it ultimately resembles an equivalent to a good sipping whiskey. The aroma is now primarily that of a whiskey with a faint lemon component. By the end of this time period the alcohol content is 8.7% (SG ~1.038). Further fermentation evolves gas (~2ul/s) but no increase in alcohol or decrease in SG. The PH at this point is ~4.0, strongly acidic. Bottling the finished product and refrigerating for five days produced a mildly effervescent, excellent tasting sipping beverage (dont think youre going to drink a water glassful at a sitting!) without the otherwise expected trademark of the Ginger Beer Plant, that explosive effervescence on opening the bottle. Note: Ginger Beer Plant cannot be used to brew beer. Components of the Ginger- Beer Plant (most likely Mycoderma cerevisiae (g) and Acetobacter aceti (h)) will turn your concoction sour.

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