Old-fashioned ginger beer

about 3 litres

50 g or 1 thumb sized piece of fresh ginger

3 l (12 cups) water

750 ml (3 cups) sugar

2.5 ml (½ t) dry instant yeast

5 ml (1 t) tartaric acid

5 ml (1 t) cream of tartar

90 ml (6 T) raisins

1. Rinse ginger under running water. Cut in smaller pieces and put in pot with water and sugar.
2. Boil over medium heat for one hour. Stir regularly till sugar is dissolved.
3. Remove from heat and allow to cool off for one hour.
4. Mix yeast, tartaric acid, cream of tartar and raisins. Add a bit of the cooled syrup and stir till mixed well.
5. Pour this mixture into the syrup in pot. Stir well.
6. Cover with lid and leave it for 24 hours. The raisins should float on the top.
7. Remove raisins and pieces of ginger.
8. Pour ginger beer in bottles, but leave about 6 cm space at the top. Put two raisins back in each bottle.
9. Close caps and keep in fridge till needed.