Ginger Ale Recipe

Prepare ginger

Peel the ginger with the edge of a spoon or a peeler, then thinly slice it. Measure about 0.75 cups of sliced ginger (roughly 2.5–3 ounces fresh).

Combine the sliced ginger, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Add the lemon zest if using.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Once simmering, reduce heat to low and let it gently simmer for 10–12 minutes to extract the ginger flavor.

Remove the pan from heat, stir in 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and allow the syrup to cool and steep for at least 30 minutes (up to 2 hours) for a stronger ginger flavor.

Strain the syrup through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean jar, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids and let the syrup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate. The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Fill four serving glasses with ice cubes (about 1/2 cup ice per glass).

Pour 2 tablespoons (about 30 ml) ginger syrup into each glass. For the recipe's ingredient amount (1/2 cup syrup) this yields four ~8-ounce glasses; adjust syrup quantity to taste — more for spicier, less for milder.

Top each glass with 1 cup (about 240 ml) chilled club soda or sparkling water. Stir gently to combine without losing too much fizz.

Garnish each glass with a lime or lemon wedge and a sprig of mint if desired. Taste and adjust: add an extra tablespoon of ginger syrup per glass for more sweetness and heat, or a squeeze of fresh lemon/lime juice for brightness.

Serve immediately. Store remaining ginger syrup chilled and use within two weeks.