With each dinner party I host, I always try to have several signature cocktails available for my guests. This year, I’ve also been offering a signature, non-alcoholic drink option. I mean, why should the non-alcohol drinkers miss out on having a delicious, handcrafted beverage experience? My menus over the past year have included agua frescas, shrubs and sodas. These beverages are all very simple to make and can be prepared in advance. This recipe for homemade Ginger Ale is no different. Simply simmer fresh, aromatic ginger with sugar, water and spices. The resulting syrup is bold, spicy and full of flavor. Way better than store bought ginger ale. Mix this syrup with some bubbly water to make a refreshing, effervescent soda. A perfect addition to your Christmas dinner lineup! Continue reading for the recipe.
Ginger Ale
Ingredients
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 cups water
- 4 oz. peeled and sliced ginger
- 2 teaspoons green cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon whole allspice berries
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
Instructions
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To a medium saucepan, add light brown sugar, white sugar, water, ginger, cardamom, allspice and black peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugars. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Take the mixture off of the heat and let sit for 1 hour.
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Pour the liquid through a fine mesh basket strainer into a large bowl. Discard the solids.
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To serve, add Ginger Ale syrup to a glass filled with ice (to taste, 1 - 2 oz ish). Top off with soda water and gently stir to combine. Store syrup in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
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Elizabeth @TheBareMidriff says
Wow, I’ve never thought about making my own soda before – this recipe looks great! I love all of the other spices you used!
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks Elizabeth! You should definitely give it a try. The process is simple and it’s usually cheaper (and healthier) than store bought soda!
Deanna says
I made a Dark and Stormy the other day and the ginger ale I used was way too sweet. Making it from scratch now seems like the obvious solution.
Brandon Matzek says
Yes! You could certainly make a Dark and Stormy with this syrup. I think I might actually give that a try tonight!
Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga says
Homemade ginger ale…where have you been all my life. Or at the very least, the 9 mos that I was pregnant and oh-so-sick for nearly all of it.
This stuff looks….fabulous!!! Must make!
Brandon Matzek says
Good thinking Averie! I’m sure this syrup would help with an upset tummy. I’m thinking I should actually keep some in the fridge just in case!
Ann P says
This stuff was beyond amazing! I love ginger, so I think I should make a huge bottle of this and keep it on hand 🙂
Brandon Matzek says
PS. If you want to up the shelf life of any syrup, mix in a shot of unflavored vodka!
Diaczun Style says
Wow, love this. Great idea and I can’t wait to try it! Thanks for sharing.
[email protected] says
Can I come to one of your parties!! I’d love to slurp a few glasses of this down!
Marce says
Wow! I just receive my Christmas gift from my husband was a soda stream machine and I was looking for a good recipe to start the fun, thank you!
Brandon Matzek says
That’s wonderful! I am jealous 🙂 This is a great recipe to start with. Easy and flavorful. Let me know how it turns out if you try it!
Beth Michelle says
My husband and I were just talking about homemade ginger ale! This is great! Thanks for sharing.
Peggy says
You make homemade soda sound so easy! Definitely going to have to give this a try because ginger ale is one of our favorites =)
Dominik MJ - opinionated alchemist says
The addition of spices is very interesting! I really like the idea – I only used to add orange zest to give the ginger ale a brighter character.
Try to add a bit citric acid. As ginger ale is considered as soda, one anticipate a engaging sweet & sour play, a point which lacks usually in “home-brewed” products. Off course you can also use lemon juice – however this will give you a lemony flavor, which distracts of the spiciness of the ginger ale.
Another alternative is Celery Tonic , which has not the “zinginess” of ginger – but is a very complex concoction, “and be thrown in the same pot as ginger ale”.
By the way – a Dark ‘n Stormy should be done with ginger beer – which is really much spicier [you are using the ginger juice in the syrup, rather than only infusing the mixture with ginger pieces].
I actually wrote two blog posts – one about celery tonic and one about sodas overall…
Brandon Matzek says
Thanks for the suggestions! I’ll have to check out the citric acid.
Elizabeth says
I’ve never even thought of making soda at home, but this looks amazing!
Lauren says
I love Ginger Ale – but have never made it myself. The recipe looks so pretty in your pot 🙂 However the amount of sugar in that seems huge, but thats just me after all my festive indulgences!
April H says
Sounds delicious! The sugar isn’t that bad, since you’re only using 1-2 ounces. We have a soda stream my husband uses all of the time, I think I’ll try this out!
Cooking Rookie says
Wow, it’s so easy! I am definitely making this. Thanks for sharing and Happy 2012, Brandon!
Sharyn DImmick says
I never would have thought of putting cardamom, allspice and pepper in ginger ale — or brown sugar — but I like all of those things. Maybe I’ll make some for the next party I go to.
Karen says
I never liked ginger ale until 5 years ago or so. When I was a kid, my mom would always give it to us when we were sick, so I always associated the taste with being unwell. Now, (after 50 years or so!)I love it and it could only be better homemade. Love your blog!
nipponnin says
Oh! Thank you! I don’t drink alcohol and I love ginger flavor. This is fantastic! Those photos are great too.
Penny Wolf says
I made this today and I am thrilled with the results! Thank you. I did use palm sugar instead of the white and brown sugars and it is soooooo yummy.
Brandon Matzek says
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing Penny.