How to Make Ginger Ale [Homemade Recipe] - My Fermented Foods (2024)

Published January 26, 2019 Updated April 22, 2020 By Gigi Mitts 4 Comments

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How to Make Ginger Ale [Homemade Recipe] - My Fermented Foods (1)

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Ginger ale is a non-alcoholic and refreshing drink made of fresh ginger and carbonated sweetened water. It’s probably the easiest soda you can make at home with little effort.

It can be consumed directly to enhance your energy levels and feel fresh or used as a base to improve the flavors of spirit-based drinks.

Table of Contents

Ginger Ale vs Ginger Beer

A lot of people mix up Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer. They are two completely different drinks. Ginger beer is brewed and fermented drink, while ginger ale is a carbonated beverage flavored with ginger.

Ginger beer is an alcoholic beverage prepared from water, fermenting ginger, sugar, and a starter culture. Ginger beer has stronger flavors with a mild spicy touch when compared to ginger ale.

Ginger Ale benefits

Ginger Ale offers the following benefits:

  • It can improve your immune system functions thereby protecting you against recurrent attacks of allergies and infections. This is why patients who suffer from allergic dermatitis, rhinitis, and chronic sinusitis are advised to drink Ginger Ale on a regular basis. Ginger Ale can promote metabolic rate and fat burning processes and stimulate weight loss.
  • Ginger in this beverage has the potential to support the functions of the digestive system. It can provide relief for constipation, bloating, indigestion, and heaviness in the stomach.
  • Ginger Ale can regulate the production of mucus in the respiratory passages thereby relieving the symptoms of common cold and other respiratory infections such as nose block, cough, congestion, and sneezing.
  • Ginger Ale has powerful anti-cancer potential. It can support the body’s natural ability to destroy cancer cells thereby reducing the risk of cancer.
How to Make Ginger Ale [Homemade Recipe] - My Fermented Foods (2)

How to make Ginger Ale

You can make ginger ale at home in less than an hour. It is that simple and easy. The main ingredient is fresh ginger. You can get fresh ginger from your local supermarket produce section. You can make ginger syrup using fresh ginger and granulated sugar.

To make ginger ale you will need either club soda or seltzer water.

Club soda is carbonated water that has been infused with minerals such as potassium sulfate, sodium chlorine, sodium bicarbonate and others. The minerals give water a slightly salty taste.

Seltzer originated in Germany and is also carbonated water but with no added minerals. It can be enhanced with flavourings without alerting its taste which is why I recommend using it for your ginger ale.

You will also need fresh lemon or lime juice. I use lemon juice as I have all year lemon tree. However, using either of them will not impact the taste of your ginger ale.

You don’t need any special equipment to make ginger ale in your own kitchen. Equipment used is simple and includes a saucepan, bowl and a mesh strainer.

Once you have your ginger syrup ready you can make ginger ale by mixing ¼ of syrup and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice per with ¾ cup seltzer. This is my perfect mix but you can adjust the ingredients to suit your own taste.

You don’t need any special equipment to make ginger ale in your own kitchen. Equipment used is simple and includes a saucepan, bowl and a mesh strainer.

Once you have your ginger syrup ready you can make ginger ale by mixing ¼ of syrup and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice per with ¾ cup seltzer. This is my perfect mix but you can adjust ingredients to suit you own taste.

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How to Make Ginger Ale [Homemade Recipe] - My Fermented Foods (3)

Ginger Ale Recipe

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  • Author: Gigi Mitts
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 2 quarts 1x
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Description

Ginger ale is a non-alcoholic and refreshing drink made of fresh ginger and carbonated sweetened water.

Ingredients

Scale

  • 1 cup of fresh ginger
  • 2 cups of water
  • ¼ cup of granulated sugar
  • ¼ fresh lemon or lime juice
  • 4 cups of cold club soda or seltzer water

Instructions

  1. Prepare ginger: Peel the ginger and cut it into small cubes.
  2. Simmer ginger: Place the ginger and water into a small saucepan and set over medium heat. Let the ginger simmer for about 30 minutes then remove it from the heat. Remove the saucepan from the stove and let ginger sit in the saucepan for another 10 minutes.
  3. Make syrup: Pour the ginger syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing down to get all of the juice out of the mixture. Discard ginger pieces. Place the ginger syrup back into the saucepan then add granulated sugar. Bring to simmer for about 10 minutes.
  4. Cool the syrup: Remove the saucepan from the heat. Set it aside and let the ginger syrup cool completely.
  5. Assemble: Serve it by mixing ¼ of syrup and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice per ¾ cup seltzer. Serve over ice. Place the remaining syrup in a mason jar and refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks.

Notes

Equipment:small saucepan, bowl and a mesh strainer

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cup
  • Calories: 80
  • Sugar: 20 grams
  • Sodium: 17mg
  • Saturated Fat: 0 grams
  • Unsaturated Fat: 0 grams
  • Trans Fat: 0 grams
  • Fiber: 0 grams
  • Cholesterol: 0mg

FAQs

Is ginger ale good for you?

Ginger Ale offers benefits such as faster weight loss and improved energy levels. It can refresh your senses after a tiring day and reduce weakness, lethargy, and body pains. Ginger Ale is specifically good for people who suffer from recurrent respiratory problems like common cold, allergic rhinitis, bronchitis, or sinusitis.

Does ginger ale have caffeine?

Traditionally prepared Ginger Ale does not contain caffeine. This is what makes it a superior refreshing beverage. It can act as a stimulant and increase your energy levels without creating the short-term and long-term side effects of caffeine consumption.

Ginger ale calories

It is estimated that a 100-gram serving of Ginger Ale contains 34 calories. This is why it is also suitable for people who are conscious of their calorie intake and want to lose weight.

The calorie content, as well as the amount of carbohydrates in this beverage, is much lower than the commercially available soft drinks and carbonated beverage. This makes Ginger Ale a safer alternative to increase energy levels and feel refreshed even for patients with diabetes.

Conclusion

Ginger Ale is very easy to prepare and does not require you to put in much time and effort. This naturally refreshing drink may offer several health benefits. Its therapeutic effect on your digestion and respiratory system and stimulatory effect of your brain and immune system can help in the prevention of several diseases and help keep you healthy and active. Therefore, it’s definitely worth making ginger ale at home.

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How to Make Ginger Ale [Homemade Recipe] - My Fermented Foods (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take for ginger ale to ferment? ›

Depending on the temperature of the room and the amount of yeast that made it into the bottle, your ginger beer can take up to 10 days to fully ferment and carbonate. Check on the plastic bottle after 5 days. If it is firm, the soda is likely carbonated. Open the bottle and give it a taste.

What is homemade ginger ale made of? ›

You can make homemade ginger ale with just four ingredients—including fresh ginger root—and it's much easier than you may think. Our simple homemade ginger ale recipe combines carbonated water, ginger-infused simple syrup, and citrus (we like lime juice, but lemon juice is an easy swap if preferred).

Is ginger ale a probiotic? ›

The results showed that there were probiotic bacteria in ginger ale, from the Lactobacillus, Streptococcus and Micrococcus genus. Organoleptic test results by panelists showed that ginger ale from ginger emprit has a good taste. In addition, it is found to contain a phenolic compound (flavonoid group), namely luteolin.

Does fermenting ginger produce alcohol? ›

Brewers would boil ginger, add sugar to the liquid, and then allow the resulting liquid to ferment, resulting in a beverage (ginger beer) with about an 11 percent alcohol content. That's high! Today's ginger beer is rarely fermented, however, so you'll note on the label that it is completely alcohol free.

What is the fermentation schedule for ale? ›

Ale fermentation of brewer's wort follows three phases: lag phase for three to 15 hours, exponential growth phase for one to four days, and stationary phase of yeast growth for three to 10 days.

What is the best yeast for ginger ale? ›

Yeast. Ginger ale is a light, refreshing beverage, so neutral ale yeasts that throw off minimal esters and phenols are best. There's no need to get fancy; simple dry yeasts like S-04 and US-05 are great choices, with S-04 producing a slightly fruitier version and US-05 a little cleaner.

Is Canada Dry real ginger ale? ›

“Canada Dry's ginger flavour extract is not 'real ginger' as reasonable consumers understand that term,” the lawsuit claims. “It is manufactured in a lab using various chemicals and extraction processes.”

Is homemade ginger ale good for you? ›

This Homemade Ginger Ale is the perfect alternative to a traditionally sugar-packed soda. Plus, it is good for you— ginger is an anti-inflammatory and aids in digestion! WOT we love about this recipe: It is sweetened with maple syrup, and you can control the sweetness and how strong the ginger flavor is.

What illnesses does ginger ale help with? ›

Ginger may offer benefits for heart health, headaches, and nausea, as well as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, varieties of ginger ale that contain more ginger may be better for your health. However, ginger ale may cause increased gassiness due to its carbonation.

Who should not drink ginger ale? ›

“Most commercial-brand ginger ales have at least 10 teaspoons of sugar,” says Dr. Goldman. “If a person has bloating, gas or indigestion, the carbonation and sugar may make it worse. Even diet ginger ale can be harmful because our bodies may not digest artificial sugars as well.”

Is it OK to drink ginger ale everyday? ›

In either case, ginger ale is still soda, and numerous studies have linked drinking soda with an increased risk of obesity. "Ginger ale is not classified as a health food and should be consumed in moderation," advises Jamie Bering, MD, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic in Arizona.

Does anyone make ginger ale with real ginger? ›

Reed's Real Ginger Ale

Our ginger ale is made with pressed organic ginger in every batch and is known and loved for it's crisp, classic taste and natural ingredients. Choose real ginger ale for the ultimate refreshment.

How much alcohol is in homemade ginger ale? ›

Alcohol Content – Homemade Ginger Ale (7 Days)
DaysABV %Notes
10.26%Very light and sweet
20.79%Same
31.31%Beginning to taste a little alcoholic
41.31%Same
3 more rows
Aug 8, 2020

What two sodas make ginger ale? ›

If you're curious about the mixture and want to try making it yourself, the blog recommends a 70 percent Sprite and 30 percent Diet co*ke blend for the "most authentic ginger ale flavor."

How long does it take to ferment soda? ›

You want the contents to reach up to the bottom of the bottle's neck but no higher. Close the top. Ferment for 2 to 4 days at room temperature and check the carbonation by opening the top slightly. Usually I get enough carbonation on day 3 or 4.

How long does it take for strong ale to ferment? ›

High Alcohol Brews

As we've mentioned several times, a long secondary fermentation will greatly improve the flavor, especially for higher gravity brews like Imperial Stouts, Strong Ales, and Barleywines. For higher gravity ales, plan on 2 weeks in the primary and 9-12+ months in the secondary.

How long does it take for ginger beer to be alcoholic? ›

Cover the jar with a lid with an airlock. Fill the airlock to the line with water or alcohol. Allow to ferment at room temperature until there are no more bubbles left for at least a week. This can take up to 1 to 3 months.

How to know if ginger beer is fermenting? ›

If that doesn't do it, tie a plastic bag (without holes), with a couple of turns of tape or a tick rubber band, on the fermenter neck and just wait a day or two. If CO2 is produced the plastic bag will inflate slowly. You will then know that you do have fermentation. How long should I leave ginger beer to ferment?

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