Originally Posted by snipe816

I am not certain, but this sounds a bit like what I am looking for - but let me tell you my story of how I know about this.
When I was a nipper our farming household had what they called an ale plant. It was of a semi-gelatinous consistency, somewhat friable, pale in colour and rather wispy around the edges (like cotton wool filaments embedded in a thick gelatinous matrix). It was kept in an old "sweetie jar" (one of those glass jars with 4 sides and a black bakelite-type screw-on cap) and floated in a starter-mixture of sugar and molasses with some flavourings added (such as ginger or lemon, or both). When I say floated, it actually sank to the bottom when first added, at the point where the molasses-sugar mix was replenished, but slowly floated upwards as small bubbles gathered around it. The bubbles would slowly get bigger, eventually coalescing into larger bubbles; when one or more of the bubbles lost their grip on the "blob" they would gurgle up to the top and the "blob" would then sink part way down the jar until, when more bubbles formed, it was floated upwards to the surface again.
The 'ale' was poured off every few days (5 - 10 or more depending on ambient temperatures, summer, winter etc) and the fluid then replenished with fresh starter mixture again.
The gelatinous blob would slowly grow bigger over time (and sometimes small pieces broke off) and parts were also deliberately broken off and either given away to others (neighbours, cousins, aunts etc) or discarded.
The drink was looked on as a health drink. Alcohol content was probably very low and it was judged ready to drink when the sweetness of the liquor was almost non-detectable.
Can you please tell me if you know where I could possibly find this "ale plant" nowadays. The one my family had, was gifted from a friend of the family who lived in Co Fermanagh (NI) many, many years ago
With thanks, Bill Kirk