Description
For years I’ve loved the zesty heat that can be found in fresh ginger root. I’ve long added it to fresh juices, soups and smoothies. While ginger root powder can provide similar heat and health benefits, it’s just not the same as the flavor profile that can be found in the FRESH root! My preference is organic ginger root. Look for it on sale and stock up!
Back when my sweet friend taught me her concentrated brewing methods and she shared that ginger root was a favorite and I was also in the midst of an obsession with a local chai tea concentrate that featured a heavy hand of gingery heat, I knew I had to give this idea a try! After playing around with several different combos of ingredients, I found that I loved this simple and easily accessible method best! While fresh ginger root and a cinnamon stick is all you need, some other optional add-ins I love, when I have the ingredients on hand are: star anise (just a star or two) and 1/4c of dried rosehips.
Ingredients
- 1 palm-sized organic ginger root
- 2 organic cinnamon sticks
- 2 organic star of anise (optional)
- 4 cups filtered water
- 1 cup organic raw local honey
Additional Supplies
- 1 quart-sized saucepan
- 1 wooden spoon
- 1 4-cup glass bowl or measuring cup
- 1 medium sized fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth
- 1 quart-sized mason jar or other glass receptable to keep finished concentrate in the fridge.
- 1 small funnel to more easily transfer brew from a glass bowl into a bottle for easier dispensing.
Instructions
- WASH ginger root, to remove any dirt that may be present. Finely shred with cheese grater. I find it’s easiest to toss the whole root into my blender and pulse a few times until it is completely shredded. Palm-sized root should yield 3/4c to 1c ginger pulp.
- POUR 4 cups of filtered water into quart sized saucepan. Add shredded ginger root, cinnamon sticks & star anise (if using).
- SIMMER on medium heat for 30-40 mins, or until water has reduced by 1/3.
- COOL mixture for 10-15 minutes.
- PLACE fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth over the top of 4 cup capacity bowl or measuring bowl (I have a 4 cup pyrex measuring cup that works great for this).
- POUR ginger tea mixture through strainer and into glass bowl.
- COOL mixture for 15 minutes, or until lukewarm (or below 104 degrees).
- ADD 1 cup of raw honey to mixture
- STIR gently until all honey is incorporated and dissolves into warm tea.
- POUR tea mixture into 24-30oz glass receptacle, I like to use repurposed Italian Soda pop top bottles for this; they’re easy to pour from and it’s a great way to reuse this type of bottle. You can also simply use a quart sized mason jar.
- KEEPS in the fridge for up to 6 weeks.
- ENJOY by pouring 4 oz of brew into mug and topping off mug with hot water. For an extra kick squeeze some fresh lemon into your steaming mug of ginger tea!
Notes
Why I love boosting with Star Anise:
- Contains anti-fungal & anti-microbial properties
- A powerful fighter for both viral & bacterial infections
- Improves dental health
- Eases nausea & stomach cramps
- Adds a soft hint of sweet licorice flavor to the concentrate
Want a printable label to use on your finished concentrate bottle? You can find one here!
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 40 min
- Category: Drinks
- Cuisine: Tea