Make Your Own Naturally-Carbonated Ginger Ale (2024)


Make Your Own Naturally-Carbonated Ginger Ale (1)

How to make delicious ginger ale at home

I used to be addicted to a major brand of cola. I kicked my habit on February 11, 2017. Not that I'm counting or anything.

That might not sound like much unless you too have been addicted to cola. If you are/were, you know how hard it is to give it up.

In the past I'd tried to stop drinking cola at home but thought I could still drink it when we went out to eat. I know now that isn't possible, at least for me. I had to do it cold turkey.

And so far I've been successful. But oh, sometimes I miss those carbonated bubbles.

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I never managed to get much carbonation in my attempts to brew kombucha, but my natural, homemade ginger ale has never failed to have a fair bit of fizz.

So this weekend I made a batch of ginger ale that I can sip on when I need "bubbles." Am I strange to crave those bubbles? Maybe. I don't know of anyone else who says that's the part they miss about soft drinks.

Soft drinks used to be good for you

Soft drinks actually began as medicinal drinks to cure ailments such as indigestion, headaches and psychological disorders.

Eventually those non-FDA-approved "medicinal" ingredients had to be removed from the drinks, but flavored, carbonated beverages continued to gain popularity.

Nowadays commercial soft drinks are made from a list of chemicals that I can't even pronounce, with nothing good in them at all. I have no desire to pour these chemical brews down my throat any more!

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Homemade ginger ale is still good for you

On the other side of the coin, ginger is well known for its anti-inflammatory properties and that it can help digestion, reduce nausea, lower blood sugar and cholesterol, fight the flu and colds, and can boost the immune system.

Ginger ale is simply ginger, filtered water, sugar and lemon juice. Yes, it does contain sugar, but the amount compared to a can of cola is much, much lower. The drink is then fermented and naturally carbonated.

How to make naturally-carbonated ginger ale

Although I don't use a lot of plastic in the kitchen anymore, this method of making ginger ale uses a 2-liter plastic bottle so you can test the amount of fermentation without worrying about a glass bottle exploding on your counter.

Ingredients

2 inches of fresh ginger
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup filtered water

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Grate the ginger as fine as possible. Add ginger and sugar to the water in a saucepan and heat gently until the sugar dissolves.

Remove from the heat, cover and let steep for an hour.

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Pour through a fine cloth set over a bowl (I use clothespins to attach a clean handkerchief to my canning funnel), and then squeeze the cloth well to release all the juice. Discard the pulp - I add it to my compost pile.

Let the ginger tea cool to room temperature.

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Pour the liquid into the plastic 2-liter bottle, using a funnel.

Add the following to the bottle:

7 cups filtered water
1/8 tsp yeast
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Put the cap on the bottle, shake gently and leave at room temperature for 48 hours. Check the bottle by squeezing; if there isn't any give to the bottle, you might need to refrigerate before 48 hours.

Open the bottle to check the amount of carbonation and refrigerate when it has "enough."

You can store the bottle of ginger ale in the refrigerator for up to two weeks, but open the bottle each day to let out excess carbonation.

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My bottle was ready a little before the usual 48 hours; the plastic bottle was extremely tight and full with no give when I tried to squeeze it.

When I took the top off {carefully} I was rewarded by a huge "whoosh" and lots and lots of bubbles!

How to store your natural ginger ale

Homemade ginger ale should be kept in the refrigerator and consumed within two weeks. Check the bottle daily and "burp" it if the plastic doesn't give at all when you try to squeeze it.

If you like bubbles, try making this naturally-fermented ginger ale at home.

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Make Your Own Naturally-Carbonated Ginger Ale (7)




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Make Your Own Naturally-Carbonated Ginger Ale (2024)

FAQs

Is ginger ale naturally carbonated? ›

ginger ale, a sweetened carbonated beverage of which the predominating flavour and pleasant warmth are derived mainly from the underground stem, or rhizome, of ginger Zingiber officinale. Though originally carbonated by fermentation, modern ginger ales are artificially saturated with carbon dioxide gas.

Why does ginger ale help with nausea? ›

Ginger has been used as a natural remedy to treat nausea for generations thanks to its natural substances which are are suspected to have anti-inflammatory and anti-nausea properties.

Is ginger ale the healthiest soda? ›

In the case of artificially flavored ginger ale, the beverage has no more health benefits than any other soda, which, of course, are zero. But in the case of ginger ale flavored by real ginger root, the beverage has marginally more health benefits than other soft drinks.

Is ginger ale anti-inflammatory? ›

Sore throat: Studies report that certain compounds in ginger have anti-inflammatory properties. Thus, freshly made ginger ale may help soothe a sore throat. Migraine: Many people who have frequent migraines swear that drinking ginger ale makes their pain bearable.

Does Canada Dry have real ginger? ›

Canada Dry Ginger Ale has always been made using real ginger extract to provide its ginger flavour,” she said.

Why do hospitals give ginger ale? ›

The hospital did what caregivers have done for thousands of years: Reach for ginger root as an anti-emetic. When ginger ale was invented in the mid-19th century, it quickly became a bedside staple among people suffering from various causes of nausea and vomiting.

Who should avoid ginger? ›

Pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with heart conditions, and people with diabetes should not take ginger without talking to their doctors. DO NOT take ginger if you have a bleeding disorder or if you are taking blood-thinning medications, including aspirin.

Is Schweppes ginger ale made with real ginger? ›

VERIFY looked at the ingredients list of Seagram's ginger ale and found that the soda contains “ginger extract with other natural flavors.” Schweppes, Canada Dry and Great Value ginger ale do not include ginger in their ingredient list and instead only say “natural flavors.” According to the FDA, “natural flavors” can ...

What is the unhealthiest soda? ›

The Top Ten Worst Soft Drinks For Your Health
  • Number Eight: Mountain Dew. ...
  • Number Seven: Rockstar Original. ...
  • Number Six: Sunkist Orange Soda. ...
  • Number Five: Bawls Geek Beer. ...
  • Number Four: Jolt Cola. ...
  • Number Three: Lucozade. ...
  • Number Two: Rockstar Punched Guava. ...
  • Number One: Hype Energy Drink.

Is it okay to drink ginger ale every day? ›

Despite the health benefits of ginger, ginger ale still falls into the category of soft drinks or sodas, so it's not a health food. If you choose to consume ginger ale, it's best to do so in moderation as part of an overall healthy diet. Many commercial ginger ale drinks use artificial ginger flavoring.

Which is better for your stomach ginger ale or Sprite? ›

Ginger ale: Ginger ale has the same potential benefits as Sprite, but it may also relieve nausea because it contains ginger. However, most commercial ginger ales contain very little real ginger. People can check ingredient labels to find out how much ginger a product contains.

What medications should not be taken with ginger? ›

4 Medications Ginger Can Interact With
  • Blood Thinners.
  • Diabetes Medications.
  • Antiarrhythmic Medications.
  • Blood Pressure Medications.
May 2, 2024

Who should not drink ginger ale? ›

“Most commercial-brand ginger ales have at least 10 teaspoons of sugar,” says Dr. Goldman. “If a person has bloating, gas or indigestion, the carbonation and sugar may make it worse. Even diet ginger ale can be harmful because our bodies may not digest artificial sugars as well.”

Does ginger ale help arthritis? ›

In theory, ginger can reduce the activity of several chemical substances that promote joint inflammation. Results from RCTs assessing its role in treating participants with osteoarthritis found that it has a high safety profile and can have moderately beneficial effects in reducing pain and disability.

Is ginger ale more carbonated than other sodas? ›

Different kinds of soda also have varying carbonation levels. Coca-Cola is slightly more carbonated than its diet counterpart. Ginger ale has almost twice the carbonation of most colas.

Which beers have natural carbonation? ›

Natural carbonation includes the processes of keg conditioning, bottle conditioning, and spunding. All of Pure Project's mixed fermentation beers are naturally carbonated in either bottles or kegs. Examples include Madeline, Roes Red, and Emmeline.

Is ginger ale fermented? ›

Traditional ginger ale is fermented from a microbial starter culture (yeast or ginger bug), sugar, fresh ginger root, other flavourings and water.

What ginger ale is all natural? ›

Reed's Zero Sugar Real Ginger Ale, All-Natural Classic Ginger Ale Made with Real Ginger (8pk,12oz can) Amazon's Choice highlights highly rated, well-priced products available to ship immediately.

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