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jamaican ginger beer in two glasses with ice.

The Best Jamaican Ginger Beer Recipe

If you're looking for a delicious and refreshing beverage that's perfect for any occasion, try making Jamaican Ginger Beer. This easy traditional recipe is made with fresh ginger, lime juice, and sugar for sweetness. Make a big batch of this non-alcoholic soft drink for all ages to enjoy a cold, flavourful drink anytime.
Prep Time15 minutes
Steeping Time4 hours
Total Time4 hours 15 minutes
Course: Christmas, Drinks & Cocktails, Jamaican, Juices, Smoothies & Shakes
Cuisine: Jamaican
Keyword: best jamaican ginger beer, how to make jamaican ginger beer, jamaican ginger beer, jamaican ginger beer benefits, jamaican ginger beer ingredients, jamaican ginger beer non alcoholic, jamaican ginger beer recipe, jamaican ginger beer soda, jamaican ginger beer vs ginger beer, jamaican homemade ginger beer recipe, jamaican soft drink ginger beer, jamaican spicy ginger beer
Servings: 6 servings
Author: Taneisha Morris

Equipment

  • Blender
  • Large Pot
  • Cheesecloth Strainer

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Fresh Ginger Root peeled and chopped
  • 10 cups Water
  • 1 tbsp Rice rinsed
  • 3 whole Cloves
  • 1/3 cup Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 cup Granulated White Sugar more or less to taste
  • 1 cup Brown Sugar more or less to taste
  • Rum optional, as desired
  • 2 cups Sparkling Water optional, if not using use 10 cups fresh still water

Instructions

  • Thoroughly wash the ginger, then scrap off some of the skin and chop into smaller pieces. Add the ginger pieces to a high-speed blender with 2 cups of water and pulse until the ginger has puréed. Next, bring 10 cups of water to a boil (12 cups if not using sparkling/carbonated water).
    ginger and water in blender cup.
  • Stir the ginger purée into the boiling water and remove from heat immediately. Add the cloves, rinsed rice and cover. Allow the mixture to cool completely then place in refrigerator to steep for 4 to 6 hours. For best result, steep overnight.
    pureed ginger and cloves boiling in pot of water.
  • Strain the steeped ginger beer using a fine strainer then add the lime juice, rum (if using) and sweeten to taste with the sugar. If using carbonated water, stir in 2 cups. Then chill and serve over ice.
    straining the ginger beer.

Notes

Stir before Serving - once the drink sits, the ginger will settle. This is normal, stir before serving and pour over ice.
Ginger Skin - scrap off some of the ginger skin before puréeing because the skin has a bitter taste.
Strength of Drink - for a less spicy drink, use less ginger or add more water.
Serve Chilled - for the best results, serve Jamaican ginger beer chilled over ice.
Alcoholic Ginger Beer – add a shot of rum to glass of ginger beer over ice for a tasty adult beverage.
See notes section above for additional tips and tricks!