Ginger Soda Recipes

HOMEMADE GINGER BEER

Steps:

• Peel a chunk of the ginger with the tip of a teaspoon-the papery skin scrapes right off-and grate it, using the fine side of your grater. Place the ginger, sugar, and water in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep for an hour.
• Strain the mixture (discard the ginger solids) and allow to cool.
• You've now made ginger syrup (or gingerette, as the Brits call it). Stop right here if you're looking for a short-cut to ginger ale and you don't want to mess around with the fermentation process. Pour three or four tablespoons (more or less depending upon how gingery you like it) of your syrup over ice and add 8 ounces of seltzer water or club soda. Bottle the rest of the syrup and store it in the refrigerator.
• For the full ginger beer experience, place a funnel in the top of the bottle. Sprinkle the yeast in, followed by the syrup, lemon juice, and water.
• Put the lid on the bottle and shake the concoction until the yeast is dissolved. Stow it on a shady shelf or in your pantry out of direct sunlight for 2-3 days, or until fizz is achieved. At this point it is ready to drink, and must be stored in the refrigerator to prevent further fermentation. Don't forget about the bottle, or the pressure will build up so much that it may explode!As with any yeast-powered beverage, the fermentation process continues unless you prevent it from happening. Refrigerating will slow the process down but not stop it completely, that's why it's best to treat ginger beer as a perishable beverage. Consume within 1-2 weeks.
• Serve over ice and savor the spicy taste of your very own homemade ginger beer!

LEMON-GINGER SODA

Steps:

• Blend ginger with 1/2 cup water until smooth. Strain, pressing on solids to yield 1/2 cup juice. Stir together ginger juice, lemon juice, and honey. Ginger base can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week. (It makes enough for 10 drinks.)
• Fill a glass with ice and add 2 tablespoons ginger base. Top with seltzer and garnish with a slice of ginger.

GINGER BUG RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Peel the ginger, and chop or slice.
• In a 1-quart glass jar, combine the water, ginger, and sugar. Stir with a wooden spoon until the sugar is dissolved.
• Cover the jar with fine-weave cloth (layer it if needed) and secure with a rubber band or string. Place the jar in a warm location.
• After 24 hours, feed the ginger bug by stirring in 2 tablespoons each of ginger and sugar. Repeat the feedings daily for 4 to 6 days.
• The ginger bug is ready when bubbles form, it fizzes when stirred, and it smells yeasty and gingery, almost like beer.
• Prepare 7 1/2 cups of the soda base (either cooled sweet tea, fruit juice, or lemonade). Strain 1/2 cup of liquid from the ginger bug. Replace the liquid by adding 1/2 cup water to the ginger bug jar. You can put the ginger bug to "sleep" by storing it in the refrigerator or begin the fermentation process again with daily feedings. For the first 2 days, use 1 teaspoon each of ginger and sugar, then 2 tablespoons each for the remaining 4 to 6 days.
• Combine the soda base and ginger bug, stirring to combine.
• Use a funnel to fill bottles, leaving between 1/2 and 1 inch of headspace. Seal and let sit at room temperature for about 3 days, or until it reaches the desired carbonation. This process is similar to the secondary fermentation of kombucha . Use either glass or plastic bottles; 8 cups will fill three 16-ounce bottles with appropriate headspace. When using glass, "burp" the bottles-briefly open then seal again-daily to release excess carbon dioxide and avoid a possible explosion.
• After bottle fermentation is complete, refrigerate the bottles. Drink cold within a few weeks, after which it will lose carbonation. Enjoy!

HOMEMADE GINGER ALE

Steps:

• Make syrup:
• Cook ginger in water in a small saucepan at a low simmer, partially covered, 45 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep, covered, 20 minutes.
• Strain mixture through a sieve into a bowl, pressing on ginger and then discarding. Return liquid to saucepan and add sugar and a pinch of salt, then heat over medium heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Chill syrup in a covered jar until cold.
• Assemble drinks:
• Mix ginger syrup with seltzer and lime juice (start with 1/4 cup syrup and 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice per 3/4 cup seltzer, then adjust to taste).

HOMEMADE GINGER ALE

Steps:

• Into an empty 2-liter soda bottle, put the ginger root, sugar, yeast, and lemon juice. Fill the rest of the way with water. Screw the cap onto the bottle as tight as possible. Shake the bottle well, then leave at room temperature until the bottle is too hard to squeeze, about 2 days. Refrigerate. To serve, pour through a tea strainer.

GINGER SODA

Steps:

• Bring ginger, lemon peel, and 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add sugar, and stir until it has dissolved. Return to a boil. Cook until syrup has been reduced to 2 cups, about 15 minutes.
• Pour syrup through a fine sieve into an airtight container; discard ginger and lemon peel. Let cool slightly. Cover, and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour (up to 1 week). To serve, fill 8 glasses with ice and lemon slices if desired; stir 1/4 cup syrup and 1 cup seltzer into each glass.

GINGER SYRUP

Steps:

• Mix together water, sugar, ginger, lemon juice, and peppercorns in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves. Let cool, 15 to 30 minutes.
• Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve; discard solids. Chill, covered, for up to 2 weeks.