JPDavidson.com

Let the boring vacation slideshow begin!

Hello jpdavidson.com – I had nearly forgotten about you until I recently fell victim to a serious case of cyber stalking.  It made me realize that there’s still a whole lot of old JP drifting around out there, and that maybe it was time to start patching over the old with some fresh paint.

So, I’m trying out a new theme here (still needs work) and I might even post more than once a year (but no promises).  Out with the old, in with the new, woo!

Researcher releases adorable baby robot in central park -will the brainless automaton be able to depend on the kindness of strangers to reach its destination?  Let’s watch!

After a successful attempt at homemade ginger beer syrup I’ve decided to go one step further and try fermenting my own bubbles with yeast!  Here’s the step-by-step:

Wash out a standard 2-litre pop bottle – this is our brewing vessle.

 Add 3 cups of the aforementioned ginger beer syrup

Add a pinch of baker’s yeast

(although I’m told champagne yeast yields the best results)

 Top up with water, leaving about an inch of head space.

Cap tightly and leave in a warmish place (like on top of the fridge) for 2-3 days.

You’ll know it’s done when the bottle is rock-hard.  Check it frequently and place in the fridge as soon as it’s done or risk a gingery explosion (fermentation slows to a crawl in the fridge).  It’s normal for the finished product to have a cloudy sediment a the bottom – just pour gently to avoid it and consider tossing the last inch or so.  I’m told this method will result in about 0.5% alcohol but without a way of measuring it’s probably best kept from pregnant women and children.

This recipe tastes great and produces a more complex and subtle ginger beer than mixing the syrup with soda water.  The bubbles are smaller and more delicate too.  All told I really enjoyed the process and won’t shy away from making another batch!