Jul 30, 2010
How to make your own ginger ale
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The following recipe and instructions are taken straight from Not Dabbling in Normal. Click on through for info on making 5 other kinds of soda, too.
I haven’t tried this, but I’m eager to…
Ginger Ale
Mildly sweet and spicy with a hint of lemon
(prepare 3 days prior to drinking)
- 2 Tbsp + 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1-1/2 cup sugar
- 3 inch portion of ginger club, grated
- 1 lemon, juiced and grated for zest
- 1 small piece sassafras root (approximately 1/4 tsp) *optional*
- 1 Tbsp yeast
- 1 gallon water
- Boil water. Add all ingredients except yeast and let steep for 2 hours.
- Once water is between room temperature and 100F, add yeast and stir.
- Cover liquid and let rest for one day.
- On the next day, strain liquid with cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer.
- Pour liquid into clean, sterile bottles and close tightly.
- Store in cool, dark place for two days.
- Chill to stop fermentation and enjoy over ice!
* * * * *
Little known secret… at the restaurant I work at, if we run out of ginger ale, we mix coke and sprite. Never had a complaint.
Just so you know.
Do it! Grating all that ginger is a huge pain, but it’s worth it, especially if you make a Dark and Stormy with it. I’m not sure the sassafras root would add much, though. I’ve used Jeffrey Morgenthaler’s ginger beer recipe in the past. It seems to be a little more streamlined, and the results are fantastic: http://www.jeffreymorgenthaler.com/2008/how-to-make-your-own-ginger-beer/
I had my first dark and stormy just a week ago. Amazing.
This may be a stupid question, but I see where it says “stop fermentation,” so does that mean this is an alcoholic ginger ale? I guess a true ale, of sorts? Not to be confused with the Canada Dry version, and NOT kid friendly, right?
most things, mixed with sugar and let sit awhile, will turn into something alcoholic. But if you stop it, then it doesn’t.
Hence the original phrase, “Ginger Beer”.
See also, “Birch Beer,” “Root Beer”, all started out as something very different than what we drink today.
That’s a good question. Here’s what the blogger who I got this from says:
Do note that some of these recipes contain yeast, and as yeast feeds on sugars it releases alcohol and carbon dioxide as by-products. Because these recipes aren’t aged but a few days, the amount of alcohol is extremely minor. I personally feel comfortable allowing my own daughter to drink beverages made from these recipes without any worry. It should not be enough to cause intoxication for even our small samplers. If, however, you avoid alcohol for personal or medicinal purposes I recommend sticking with the recipes that don’t include yeast.
Looks delicious!
Careful with the sassafras though. It contains safrole, which is a known carcinogen. If you wanted that flavoring, you could use sarsaparilla flavoring. I’ve also heard that wintergreen makes a good substitute.
Seth
OK Abraham, the key phrase in this whole thing is, “I haven’t tried this…”
I have tried to make Ginger Ale several times and found it extremely tricky to get right. So I will be eager to hear of your results.
PS: If you do this right, it will taste like GINGER!, not the vapid, watered down sugar stuff you get in the store. I smelled like ginger for three days after one adventure (or mis-adventure, as the case may be).