Homemade ginger beer

• ginger↗200g g

  thickly sliced

• large lemons↗2

  peeled and juiced

• golden caster sugar↗75g g
• light brown muscovado sugar↗100g g
• ice
• soda↗1 litre l

  or sparkling water

• mint↗

  sprigs, to serve

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Put the ginger in a saucepan set over a low heat with the lemon peel, sugars and 500ml water and stir until the sugars have dissolved. Increase the heat to medium, then simmer for 15-20 mins, or until reduced and syrupy. Remove from the heat and leave to cool completely.

2. 2

   Strain the syrup into a jug through a sieve lined with muslin. At this stage, you can transfer the syrup to a small sterilised bottle or jar and keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.

3. 3

   Pour the ginger syrup into a large serving jug. Tip in the lemon juice, fill with ice and top up with the soda water. Serve garnished with a few mint sprigs.