Created by: Jeffrey Morgenthaler, Bar Manager, Pepe Le Moko and Clyde Common, Portland, OR.
Recipe:
- 2 ounces Stoli Elit vodka
- 6 ounces of my house-made ginger beer (see recipe page 00)
- 1/4 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice
- Lime, for garnish
Directions:
- Place ice into a Moscow Copper Co. mug, and pour in the Stoli Elit vodka.
- Squeeze in fresh lime juice and top with my house-made ginger beer.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and enjoy.
Inspiration:
My inspiration comes from a simple, fresh brewed ginger beer, as it should be made, with fresh ingredients.
Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s House-Made Ginger Beer:
- 1 ounce ginger juice (see notes below)
- 2 ounces fresh lemon juice, finely strained
- 3 ounces simple syrup
- 10 ounces warm water (cold if using the soda siphon)
First, peel and juice your ginger. I find that 1½ ounces of fresh ginger tends to work out to roughly an ounce of ginger juice. I recommend using a juicer if you’re planning on making this often, otherwise use a microplane grater and fine strain the grated ginger through a cheesecloth to avoid any chunks in the final product.
You have two options for carbonating your ginger beer: you can ferment it in the bottle, or you can carbonate on-the-fly with an iSi soda siphon. While the soda siphon is easier to use, for the sake of authenticity you might want your ginger beer fermented in the bottle. The base recipe above will make one 16-ounce bottle of ginger beer, so if you’re using the bottle brewing method, simply multiply the proportions by the number of bottles you will be using. If you’re going the siphon route, note that the canister will hold 32 ounces of ginger beer. So simply double the batch.
Mix ingredients together. If using a soda siphon, pour ingredients into the canister, screw on lid, charge with CO2, shake once, and refrigerate. You’re done.
If you’re planning on brewing in the bottle, I recommend using 16-ounce “EZ” flip-top bottles. You can find these on the internet, at a craft store, or at any homebrewing supply place. Pick up a few to start. Next, find some wine yeast. I use Red Star Premier Cuvee champagne yeast. It’s sturdy, it hasn’t failed me yet, and it’s inexpensive. Fill each bottle with 16 ounces of your mixture and add roughly 25 granules of champagne yeast. Seal the cap securely, shake well, and store for 48 hours – no more, no less – in a warm, dark place. After 48 hours have passed, refrigerate immediately to halt the process. When the bottles are chilled, crack one open, mix up a mule and enjoy!
