User: apothecarium (posted by lishablog) Date: 2009-12-14 23:49 Subject: Ginger Ale Security: Public

* Start with fresh ginger root.
* Peel and cut about two square inches of the root and add it to a pot with about two liters of water.
* Bring to a boil
* Mix in 1/2 cup of sugar until it's completely dissolved, and then remove the mixture from the heat.
* When the mixture is cool enough that you can touch it without getting burnt -- but still very warm -- add in 1 * Tablespoon of yeast. (You can use the same yeast you have in your house for making bread, though it's also fun to experiment with different brewers' yeasts.)
* Mix well, and then let sit for about 15 minutes before you
pour the whole thing into a clean and empty two liter soda bottle.

You should now have less than 2 liters total, since some of the water will have boiled off in the decoction phase. Make sure that there is at least two inches of empty space at the top of the bottle.

*Put a balloon on top.

The balloon is a poor-man's "air lock". It let's carbon dioxide out of the bottle without letting oxygen in. You will need to let the air out of the balloon several times a day, however, in order to make sure that it doesn't pop off your bottle.

* After three days, add the juice of one lemon, put the top on your bottle and put the whole thing in the fridge.

Drink it up as soon as it gets cold!

Be aware that more than three days of room temperature brewing and this beverage will start to have significant alcohol content. By two weeks, it will be ale good and true, not soda pop at all.

User: apothecarium (posted by seraiaowlady) Date: 2009-12-14 11:37 Subject: tummy trouble Security: Public

My 9yr old is home sick with vommitting. Poor kid was literally up all night until he was just retching what looked like mucos. (I know, TMI, sorry) Any good kid safe recepes out there? I'm doing little things but I've only gotten through my basic herb course so this is just on the edge of out of my league.