how is ginger ale made

A tall, refreshing glass of ginger ale is a fantastic drink, and its surprisingly easy to make at home. Ginger ale is, quite simply, carbonated water sweetened and flavored with ginger-infused syrup. That really is it, and its one of the easiest homemade sodas you can mix up. If you are a true fan of ginger ale, youll also find that this is more economical than store-bought options.

The syrup in this recipe uses a good amount of fresh ginger along with a little lemon peel, which gives it a nice kick. Many store-bought ginger ales dont use any fresh ginger, making this homemade version more flavorful. Since you are assembling it yourself, you can control how much syrup you want in it—and thus, how sweet it is.

Once you have the syrup, all you have to do is add cold club soda and your ginger ale is ready. The syrup will keep for a week in the fridge—just add soda and enjoy. This recipe is a great springboard for so many beverages, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic.

“A few simple ingredients and a pretty hands-off technique; its mostly boiling away on its own on the stovetop. It does take some time, however, to peel and chop all that ginger.” —Carrie Parente

Ginger ale is a carbonated beverage made with ginger root and a sweetener such as sugar, high fructose corn syrup, or a low calorie sweetener. Many commercial ginger ales contain little ginger and a lot of added sugar, but some traditional varieties contain real fermented ginger root.

Steps to Make It

• Gather the ingredients. The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
• In a 4-quart saucepan, place water, ginger, and lemon peel. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer at a low boil, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
• Add sugar, stirring constantly, and continue to boil until reduced to 3 cups (about 15 minutes). The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
• Place a fine wire strainer over a large bowl. Pour in ginger syrup to separate solids from liquids. Discard lemon peel. The strained, cooked ginger pieces can be reserved for other uses like vanilla ice cream or yogurt, if desired. The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
• Allow ginger simple syrup to cool before pouring into a glass container. Seal tightly and chill for at least 1 hour until cold. You can also store it for up to one week in the fridge. The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi
• When ready to serve, mix 1/4 cup ginger simple syrup with 1 cup cold club soda per serving and pour over ice. Additional ginger syrup or sugar may be added to sweeten it to taste. The Spruce Eats / Maxwell Cozzi

• Seltzer and sparkling mineral water are essentially the same as club soda, though the latter has a few mineral additives. Feel free to sub any unflavored carbonated water for the same result.
• Avoid using actual sodas like Sprite or Pepsi in place of the club soda, as this defeats the purpose of making your own ginger ale and the end product will be much too sweet.
• Use your ginger syrup to sweeten other beverages like hot or iced tea or to spice up a cup of hot cocoa.
• Ginger simple syrups are a crucial ingredient to many spiked drinks, too, like this spin on the Moscow mule or a German Jägermeister cocktail.

• Add dimension to your ginger syrup by including herbs and spices. Try adding fresh mint leaves or a cinnamon stick to the boiling water alongside the ginger and lemon.
• Substitute half of the white sugar for brown sugar to create a rich syrup with a warm winter feel.

Making Ginger Ale with REAL GINGER

FAQ

Is there a ginger ale made with real ginger?

Is ginger ale healthier than soda?

Is ginger ale made from Sprite and Coke?

Is Canada Dry real ginger ale?