A traditional recipe for homemade ginger ale that is lightly fermented with cultured starter which adds beneficial probiotics and enzymes to the brew.
Ginger ale is one of the easiest drinks to whip up at home in a matter of minutes. The bonus of making ginger ale yourself is that you can ferment it.
This means it is loaded with beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. In addition, traditionally brewed ginger ale is rich in enzymes and enhanced nutritional value.
Fermentation of grains, fruits and herbs into refreshing and delicious drinks is nearly universal in ethnic cuisines. However, the rush to convenience in our modern society means that this practice is largely forgotten with the rise of commercial sodas.
Commercial versions of ancestral beverages offer no redeeming nutritional benefit. Worse, the consumption of these sugar-laced or artificially sweetened drinks encourages obesity and other chronic ailments.
Soda really can be healthy! Learning traditional preparation techniques is all that is required.
This easy recipe below for fermented ginger ale is a popular choice of readers of this blog. Note that raw whey is the suggested starter, but if a dairy allergy is present, a ginger ale starter is necessary.
In addition, while sucanat is the recommended sweetener, jaggery is a healthy option as well that produces great results.
The recipe plus video provides convenient instructions for how to make a “ginger bug”.
Homemade Ginger Ale Recipe
A traditional recipe for homemade ginger ale that is lightly fermented with cultured starter which adds beneficial probiotics and enzymes to the brew.
Ingredients
- 2 quarts filtered water
- 1/2 cup lime juice freshly squeezed, about 3 limes (preferably organic)
- 2 tsp ground ginger preferably organic
- 1/3 cup sucanat
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup liquid whey do not use powdered whey
- 1-2 Tbl raw honey optional
- pinch green stevia powder optional
Instructions
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Mix all ingredients together thoroughly in a half gallon glass jar. Be sure to leave 1 inch at the top else the soda will get moldy instead of ferment. Affix a secure lid.
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Leave at room temperature on the counter for 2-3 days and then refrigerate. D not leave near a fruit bowl. Homemade ginger ale is mildly fizzy. You can then mix with a bit of natural mineral water to add even more fizz if desired.
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Alternatively, you can bottle the homemade soda and leave on the counter for an additional 1-2 days before refrigerating to produce a very fizzy beverage. Be sure to let the bottled soda get very cold before opening. Opening in the sink is also a good idea.
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If the finished homemade ginger ale is not sweet enough for your taste, add a tiny pinch of optional stevia or stir in a small amount of mild, raw honey.
Recipe Notes
2 tablespoons of freshly chopped ginger root may be substituted for ground ginger.
If you have a dairy allergy, you may substitute 1/4  cup ginger bug starter for the liquid whey.
Alternatively, you can use coconut water kefir or the liquid strained from coconut milk yogurt as the fermentation starter.
Other Fermented Beverages to Try!
I ended up utilizing some powdered probiotic (acidophilus) that I mixed it with some
water.
hi can i use whey from homemade yogurt?
Yes you can!
Do you distinguish between ginger ale and ginger beer? Sally has a complicated recipe for ginger beer that is very good but that I’ve only had hit or miss success with. This recipe is much easier.
Yes, ginger beer is a different recipe.
I dont know if this comment will be seen since the original post was so long ago, but here goes! I followed the recipe above with only two exceptions: I used coconut sugar and the lid of the pitcher I used is not air tight. I let it sit on the counter for ~66 hours, stirring once since it looked like everything had settled to the bottom. At the end of this time, there was still a layer of ingredients just sitting on the bottom of the pitcher and minimal fizz. I had to go to work for a 24 hour shift, so I stirred again and divided into four small bottles, hoping for fizziness. Will see what it looks like when I get home, but was wondering if that sounds right??
Okay so I have made a couple of batches now and I like using fresh grated ginger, the taste is better. And you definitely cover it with the Mason jar lid. When you open the jar to stir the ingredients occasionally, it releases some of the gas so you don’t have an explosion.
Do you keep this covered? There is a lot of gas being released as it carbonates, don’t want it blowing its top.
Can coconut sugar be used instead of sucanat?
Probably but I’ve never tried it to know for sure.
Do you cap or cover the 2 quart jar during the first fermentation period?
We love ginger ale mixed with fermented lemonade!!! Sometimes we add raspberries!!!!
When you make the mixture and set it on the counter, do you cover it? What do you cover it with? The lid of the jar or cheese cloth?
I was wondering the same thing!