Ginger Ale Recipe

Prepare ginger

Peel the fresh ginger with a spoon or peeler, then finely grate or thinly slice it until you have about 1.5 cups packed grated/sliced ginger (approximately 6–8 oz / 170–225 g).

Combine and simmer

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup water, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup light brown sugar, and the grated ginger. Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugars.

Simmer to extract flavor

Reduce heat to low and simmer gently, uncovered, for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid will become aromatic and slightly thickened.

Infuse and cool

Remove the pan from heat. Stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon sea salt. Cover and let the ginger steep in the hot syrup for 30–45 minutes to deepen the flavor.

Strain and store

After steeping, strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean jar or bottle, pressing on the solids to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard solids. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Mix ginger ale

To make a single serving (about 1 cup finished), fill a tall glass with ice. For a lightly sweet ginger ale: add 2 tablespoons ginger syrup to the glass. For medium sweetness: add 3 tablespoons. For strong/ginger-forward: add 4 tablespoons. Pour 3/4 cup (6 fl oz) chilled carbonated water over the syrup and ice. Gently stir once or twice to combine without losing too much carbonation.

Adjust and garnish

Taste and adjust sweetness or acidity—add more syrup for sweetness/ginger, or a squeeze of lemon/lime for brightness. Garnish with a slice of lemon or lime and a sprig of mint if desired.

Batch method (optional)

To make about 1 liter of ginger ale for a group: combine 1 cup ginger syrup (strained) with 4 cups chilled carbonated water in a pitcher; stir gently and serve over ice. Keep extra syrup refrigerated to mix more drinks.