Most West African countries have their own recipes for ginger beer. This Sierra Leonean version is refreshing, with citrusy zing and traditionally uses the local red ginger. This is smaller, has red skin and is more fibrous but more fiery as compared to white ginger. However, you can just as easily make it with white ginger.
Ingredients:
500g fresh ginger
juice of 2 limes
juice of 1 lemon
5 cloves
200g (1 cup) sugar (or to taste)
2l (8 cups) of water
Method:
Scrape the skin off the ginger, chop coarsely then combine in a food processor with 5 cloves. Pulse to chop then render to a paste before scraping into a large bow.
Set aside to infuse for 60 minutes then allow to drain through a fine-meshed sieve, catching the liquid in a fine-meshed sieve.
Sweeten to taste (I used 150g sugar, but you may need up to 200g).
Serve chilled over ice.
