This homemade ginger ale has bite! Wow! And it sparkles. It’s refreshing and different. It’d make a great cocktail base, but I love is as-is.
Homemade Ginger Ale
Course: Beverages8
servingsIngredients
8-9 oz. fresh ginger, unpeeled
4 cups water
1.25 – 2 cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 lemon (optional)
4 limes
Sparkling water
Directions
- Use a food processor to chop up the ginger – finely, but not minced. (Remove three 4-inch pieces of peel from the lemon, leaving as much of the pith behind as you can. Repurpose the rest of the lemon.) Place the ginger along with the (peel), water, sugar, and salt in a nonreactive saucepan. Heat to a boil over a high flame (setting 7 out of 9) – which takes about 9 minutes – and then reduce the heat to a steady simmer (setting 2-3), and cook until the mixture is reduced by at least 25%, for 30-60 minutes.
- Let steep, covered, for 20 minutes. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer over a medium-sized mixing bowl, Let cool completely, then store in the refrigerator, covered, until ready to use. Repurpose the chopped ginger. The syrup should keep for at least two weeks under refrigeration. Makes about 2 cups.
- To make a single serving of ginger ale, shake the syrup container vigorously. Pour 1/4-cup of the syrup into a (preferably collins) glass. Cut one of the limes into quarters and the juice one of the quarters into the glass. Pour in 1/2 cup sparkling water. Stir gently to mix. Add ice until the glass is full. Top with more sparkling water, if necessary, and stir gently. Tuck the squeezed lime quarter into the glass. Serve.
Notes
- Substitutions: lime for the lemon; tonic water (which is different, but equally interesting), club soda, or a sparkling citrus soda for the sparkling water.
Social Learning
Here’s an easy way to measure the reduction. Once all the ingredients are in the pot, stick a ruler into it! (Take it out, of course, while you’re cooking.)
I think it’s a bit more refreshing if you let the finished glass of ginger ale chill in the ice chill for a few minutes. You may have to re-stir if if you do that.
The Backstory
I have a carbonation machine, and make my own sparkling water. Yes, that’s how fancy I am. For this ginger ale, I sparkle that water as hard as I possibly can. I want it heavily sparkled, so that it’ll still have a nice texture once I’ve mixed it with syrup, ice, and stirred it around. Even so, there’s no way I can get the kind of industrial-strength sparkle of a can of Vernors. But the bite of this ginger ale would give a can of Vernors a slap in the face. Seriously. It’s that spicy.
For those of you who don’t know, Vernors is a secret ginger ale weapon. The ginger ale to end all ginger ales. I wouldn’t say that I swear by Vernors, but I would say that there’s nothing else quite like it.
Aldi
I live near an Aldi was recently rebuilt, and the way they did it was to construct a new building around the old building, and then dismantle the old building – keeping the store open through the entire thing! Amazing!
I resisted shopping at Aldi, and I’m not quite sure why. No sushi made to order? No wine bar? No hot food bar? No French pastry chef? I don’t know, maybe those reasons. Anyway, I’ve recently embraced it. One of the things about Aldi is that most of the produce you have to buy in bags. You can’t just buy a single piece of ginger. Or at least I’m not sure if you can rip open a bag and just buy a piece. It seems like some people do this, but I’m not sure how off-the-menu it is. This is how I came home with a whole bag of ginger, and decided to make ginger ale with what was left over.
Homemade Ginger Ale
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We’ve been making homemade ginger beer (aka ginger ale) since we lived in Maine — it is such a great slacker of thirst! I usually get the ginger from our Asian grocer (usually fresher and more flavorful) and sometimes add some galangal for extra kick! And, now that I’m drinking much less alcohol, beverages like this really help! Also, I find this pairs really well with a lot of foods, especially Asian dishes!
I’ve never heard of galangal! We have several fabulous Asian grocers in the neighborhood. I’ll have to go looking for it.
I’ve been wanting to try making my own ginger ale for a bit – I can’t wait to try this recipe! We have a drink mate fizzer that you can actually fizz liquids other than water which I love (and my dentist hates)!
Oh how cool! You’ve got to show it to me! Apparently, if you try that in a soda stream, it explodes!
I’ve never made ginger ale. I did enjoy a lot of home made root beer when I was a child. Several of my grandparents friends made it, and I always enjoyed it. Glad it was a success for you, and it’s always nice that you share.
Wow, homemade root beer sounds like fun!
We’ve been eyeballing a Soda Stream machine, we adore sparkling water. I think it would be cool to make it at home… it does seem pretty fancy and so does your homemade ginger ale. If it’s anything like ginger beer (which I also love), I can imagine the fresh, wonderful bite. Fun recipe, Jeff!
It’s simpler and not as nuanced as ginger beer. We’ve had a Soda Stream for years, and we use it every day. And we drink a lot more water!
Cool! I didn’t know ginger ale can be so easy to make!
Yeah! Ginger beer is more complicated, and I think I might try to tackle that one day, too.
I am definitely going to be trying this. I am an Aldi fan and know the need to use excess produce.
I hope you like it, Anne!
Ginger is so refreshing and always gives me a lift.
Me too!
I love homemade gingerale, so much better for you than the ready made stuff. We have a carbonator as well, love it! I can’t imagine how much we would spend on soda water if we didn’t. My geeky husband figured out that the carbonation bubbles stick to the water better, the colder the water is. This time of year, it comes out of the tap at around 40° C, so it carbonates well. In the summer, we leave uncarbonated bottles in the refrigerator overnight to get the best carbonation (and not have to press the button 10 times! 2-3 does the trick!
Surprisingly* enough, we don’t have Aldi in Canada but I love going there in Spain, and their prices are spot on.
*I say, Surprisingly because Canada is more like Europe than America so it surprises me that they haven’t entered this market. You could call the population card, but down in Arizona, there were several Aldi’s serving populations far less than the Greater Toronto area. Go figure!
That is interesting. Yeah, you’d think that Canada would be more likely to have an Aldi.
this sounds wonderfully delightful and refreshing Jeff. One day I will buy myself a soda stream to make my own sparkling water! I like to make citrus cordials throughout summer; and then I just add some bought sparkling water. so delicious.
😀
Jeff I am so inspired by your post as we love ginger ale and ginger beer.
I already every year as a tradition when we harvest our small ginger crop, make stem ginger in syrup. Recipe at this link
https://happyretireeskitchen.blogspot.com/2019/03/how-to-make-homemade-tropical-stem.html
I’m thinking that I’m already halfway there to ginger ale as I always have a lot of syrup, after I use the cooked stem ginger in cakes, biscuits etc. We have a soda syphon machine as well which works well. When I return home, I’m going to try the syrup and see how it measures up for making a ginger ale, it might be a touch too sweet, but it is potent. I’m excited about the possibilities. We also grow galangal, so I’ll think about possibilities there as well. Great, thanks Jeff. This is why I love blogging:)
How cool! I have a feeling that the syrup would probably work perfectly. It will get pretty diluted in the sparkling water, so it may not be a problem if it starts out sweet.
That looks so refreshing Jeff. We’ve got Aldi here (and Lidl too) all over the place. I have to say they still don’t have as much choice as the largest supermarkets yet. Although they are cheaper!
I think that Aldi in the U.S. is different, but they don’t have as much choice here, either. Apparently their aim is to sell what they know sells well, and keep their stock very simple.
¡¡Hola Jeff!! Qué bebida tan refrescante nos traes hoy. Aquí en España no somos mucho de tomar ginger ale, ni siquiera de consumir agua con gas. Aquí triunfa la cerveza, ya sea negra, tostada, rubia, con limón de exportación o nacional, es la bebida estrella. Y bueno, tenemos buenos vinos y buen cava (como champange pero nacional). Tenemos mucha variedad de bebidas pero estamos encasillados. Eso sí, la cerveza y una buena tapa española, y somos los reyes, ja, ja.
Por aquí también hay Aldi, pero como yo no tengo uno cerca, no he ido nunca a comprar, pero es un supermercado que está en auge, cada vez hay más. Besitos.
Thank you for your interesting comment. Coincidentally, I’ve been watching a show in Spanish (dubbed into English, because I’m sad to say that I don’t speak Spanish, but I sure wish I did), and at the bar which the characters frequent, they are often asked if they want a toasted beer, and I’ve been wondering what that was. I looked it up. I’ve never had one. I’m eager to come to Spain and try one. (I’m sure I can find one in the U.S., but wouldn’t it be a great excuse to come to Spain?)
I never knew that you could make your own ginger ale and it looks easy to make too! Well I’ll have to give it a try since my husband LOVES ginger ale. That tall glass is stunning.
Thanks, Judee!
I would love this! I used to drink Vernors once in a while when I lived in Michigan! Nothing like that first sip (and cough!) haha!
Right?
This homemade ginger ale sounds like a ginger bomb in the best way possible! The bite, the sparkle, the refreshing kick – it’s practically begging to be poured into my next happy hour.
Thank you, Raymund!
I’ve recently embraced shopping Aldi too. Actually, just took my 20 year old daughter there for the first time yesterday. I was thrown off by the produce in bags too, so still had to make a stop at Meijer for the single onion I needed, but I’m glad you found a refreshing way to use up that excess ginger!
So it’s not just me!
I really love ginger ale and have never thought to make it. I will now! 🙂 ~Valentina
🙂
I have to try this, they say ginger extract drink helps in digestion
Do they? When I was a kid, they used to give us gingerale if we were sick.
Looks so delicious and healthy. Sounds really good. I will try it. Thanks.
You’re welcome!
Haha – I love the impetus behind this recipe, Jeff. Too much ginger? Make ginger ale! I do love ginger ale, and I had an old boss who was hooked on Vernors. I’ve never made ginger ale at home, though. I definitely need to try this! We have one of those fancy schmancy water carbonator doohickies, too.
🙂
Looks refreshing.
Thank you!
I throw away too much ginger so this sounds perfect! And great for cocktails too.
Right? Do did I.
This homemade ginger ale recipe is a game-changer! I love the bold bite and the refreshing sparkle it brings. The addition of fresh ginger gives it a unique twist, making it perfect for sipping on its own or as a fantastic cocktail base. The detailed instructions are super helpful, and I appreciate the tip about measuring the reduction with a ruler – such a clever hack! I also resonate with your preference for a heavily sparkled ginger ale; it adds a fantastic texture to the drink. Thanks for sharing this fantastic recipe, and I can’t wait to try it out and impress my friends with this homemade delight! Cheers to your culinary creativity! 🌟🥂
Thanks!
What a delicious looking drink Jeff, love the glass too!
Thanks!
Initially, I thought this was going to be a recipe for ginger beer…my mother used to make it and pass the “root ” as she called it around everyone…I remember sometimes the corks popped in her larder…I love ginger beer the ale does sound refreshing and quicker to make …I love anything ginger 🙂
Thanks, Carol!