South African Culinary Heritage Collection
SA Recipes
Ref: SAR-0045
Printed 03 November 2026
Drinks
Sweet
Gemmerbier (Ginger Beer - Traditional Home-brewed)
Recipe by
Christo Lochenberg
Published 14 November 2025
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Ingredients
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- 4 litres (16 cups) Cold water
- 500g (2 cups) White sugar
- 30g (approx. 2 tbsp) Fresh ginger, grated (do not peel)
- 5ml (1 tsp) Cream of tartar
- 10ml (2 tsp) Instant dry yeast
- 1-2 lemons, thinly sliced (optional)
- A handful of raisins (optional, helps fermentation)
About This Recipe
A refreshing, slightly fizzy, and naturally fermented ginger beer. Traditional home-brewed versions have a distinct zing and a unique flavour profile compared to commercial varieties. It's a non-alcoholic drink, but traditional fermentation can produce trace amounts of alcohol.
Preparation Instructions
- In a very large, clean non-metallic bowl or food-grade bucket, combine the cold water, sugar, grated ginger, and cream of tartar. Stir well until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- In a small cup, dissolve the instant dry yeast in a little lukewarm water (about 60ml) and let it stand for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Add the activated yeast to the ginger mixture in the large bowl. Stir gently. Add lemon slices and raisins (if using).
- Cover the bowl loosely with a clean cloth. Let it stand at room temperature (around 20-25°C) for 24-48 hours. Stir once or twice during this time. You should see small bubbles forming on the surface, indicating fermentation.
- Bottle: After 24-48 hours (taste to test for desired fizziness and sweetness – it will get less sweet and more fizzy), strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve or muslin cloth to remove the ginger, lemon, and raisins.
- Pour the strained ginger beer into clean, strong, sealable bottles (e.g., plastic cool drink bottles are safer than glass for this type of fermentation as they can handle pressure). Do not fill to the very top; leave some headspace.
- Close the bottles tightly. Let them stand at room temperature for another 12-24 hours to build up more fizz. Crucially, 'burp' the bottles (release the gas) once or twice during this time to prevent excessive pressure build-up and potential bursting.
- Once sufficiently fizzy, transfer the bottles to the refrigerator. This slows down fermentation.
- Serve chilled. Drink within 3-5 days for best flavour and fizziness.
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© 2026 SA Recipes · Recipe by Christo Lochenberg
Source: https://sarecipes.co.za/browse/recipe/gemmerbier-ginger-beer-traditional-home-brewed · Developed by Christo Lochenberg
