Ginger Ale

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2008

Show: Good EatsEpisode: Ginger: Rise of the Rhizome

Rated: 4 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (36)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(36)

Cook Time:
3 min
Level:
Easy
Yield:
about 2 quarts

Times:

Prep: 15 min
Inactive Prep: 49 hr 0 min
Cook: 3 min
Total:: 49 hr 18 min

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Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces finely grated fresh ginger
6 ounces sugar
7 1/2 cups filtered water
1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions

Place the ginger, sugar, and 1/2 cup of the water into a 2-quart saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to steep for 1 hour.

Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing down to get all of the juice out of the mixture. Chill quickly by placing over and ice bath and stirring or set in the refrigerator, uncovered, until at least room temperature, 68 to 72 degrees F.

Using a funnel, pour the syrup into a clean 2-liter plastic bottle and add the yeast, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups of water. Place the cap on the bottle, gently shake to combine and leave the bottle at room temperature for 48 hours. Open and check for desired amount of carbonation. It is important that once you achieve your desired amount of carbonation that you refrigerate the ginger ale. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, opening the bottle at least once a day to let out excess carbonation.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Ginger Ale
Nathan Philadelphia, PA 06-29-2010
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First Try...
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

I just put this together today for the first time. I'm not rating it yet, as I haven't tasted it. My thoughts thus far are... that it is very easy to make, simple ingredients. I've read a few of the reviews and would like to address a few things I read. If you don't care for the flavor imparted by using bakers yeast you can use a brewers yeast but only an ALE yeast. It will give you a much cleaner flavor. As for sugar substitues, try honey or corn syrup. and if you really want to try something outta this world add some vanilla to your syrup.Read more
recipe Ginger Ale
Jim Clover, SC 06-27-2010
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Good Ginger Ale
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I love ginger ale and this recipe is quickly becoming the standard in my fridge. I do have some minor issues if anyone... has suggestions. The ginger ale is cloudy. I have tried filtering the syrup through cheese cloth and coffee filters but it doesn't help. Is there a way to estimate how much of the sugar the yeast consumes. A lot of the high end ginger ales I have had have a bit more bite to them than this does. Is there a way to get a bit more snap into the product?Read more
recipe Ginger Ale
Caribbean Cruisine Miami, FL 06-14-2010
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Light and Refreshing
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

The Ginger Ale is light in ginger flavor, which is why the next time we will make it with much more ginger. After 48 hours at... room temperature, the yeast flavor was still wild and unpleasant. However, after another week in the refrigerator, that flavor had dissipated. The key to minimizing the yeast flavor, therefore, seems to be to let it settle to the bottom of the container, which takes several days.Read more
recipe Ginger Ale
Jose Doral, FL 05-02-2010
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Loved it!
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I love this recipe. I did a few changes though. Since I enjoy the ginger's strong flavor I augmented it's quantity. Also... this time I'm adding a little nutmeg to the mixture. Also I'm leaving the lemon part to for the last. Last time the lemon juice's flavour degraded over the first two waiting days. I hope the non- lemon acid medium does not alter the fermentation process. I'll check back in a day or two.Read more
recipe Ginger Ale
Leo Shawnee, KS 04-09-2010
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Excellent recipe
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I find this recipe quite tasty, with a minimal yeast flavor. After 48 hours there is a tiny amount of alcohol but quite... negligible (less than "non-alcoholic beer"). At the moment I'm experimenting with the recipe to find out the minimum amount of regular sugar required to produce the fizz, to allow me to create a "very low sugar" ginger ale by sweetening it with natural sweeteners (such as stevia). My wife is diabetic and does not like the artificial sweeteners used to sweeten conventional diet sodas. It seems to me the only way to produce a completely alcohol-free and completely sugar-free homemade ginger ale is to replace the yeast method of producing fizz with club soda or seltzer water. Alton Brown's ginger syrup can then be used in a mix with club soda (much like a soda fountain) for a completely alcohol-free ginger ale. If sugarless is the goal, syrup would be impossible using stevia (or, for that matter, Splenda, which does not melt), though I think Xylitol may work for making a ginger syrup.Read more
recipe Ginger Ale
Ken Barnardsville, NC 04-03-2010
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Great Stuff
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I increased the recipe to a five-gallon batch. It?s not necessary to peel the ginger as long at you check for woody and moldy... spots. I minced it in the food processor. I omitted the yeast as I already brew and keg my own beer. I put it in a keg and force carbonated it. Took it to work as a prototype to start doing our own natural organic sodas for the restaurant. Any one have a Cola recipe? Read more