House-made Ginger Beer Recipe

Prepare the ginger

Peel the fresh ginger root with a spoon or peeler. Roughly chop it into 1/4–1/2-inch pieces (no need to be precise). Measure about 6 oz by weight (approximately a 3–4-inch knobby piece depending on size).

Make ginger extract

In a small saucepan combine the chopped ginger and 3 cups of water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes. This extracts the ginger flavor without boiling it away. After simmering, remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes.

Strain and flavor

Strain the ginger-infused water through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a bowl or pitcher, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. While the liquid is still warm, stir in the 1 cup of simple syrup, 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, and a pinch of salt until combined. Taste and adjust sweetness or lime: add up to 2 more tablespoons simple syrup or a little more lime juice if desired.

Chill the concentrate

Allow the ginger-lime concentrate to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until cold (about 30–45 minutes). If you need to speed this up, set the container in an ice bath and stir until cool.

Assemble the ginger beer

To serve, fill 4 highball or Collins glasses with 1 cup of ice each. For each glass, pour 3 tablespoons (about 45 ml) of the chilled ginger-lime concentrate over the ice, then top with 1 cup (240 ml) cold soda water. Stir gently to combine. Taste a finished glass and adjust — for stronger ginger flavor, add 1–2 teaspoons of concentrate; for sweeter, add more simple syrup to the concentrate and stir in.

Garnish and serve

Garnish each glass with a lime wedge and an optional mint sprig. Serve immediately while fizzy.