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Home » Recipes » Beverage Recipes

Homemade Ginger Ale

Published: Jul 29, 2022 by Jan Nunes

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A golden brown beverage in a tall glass with a lime wedge and a straw with text overlay.
A collage of images of how to make homemade ginger ale with text overlay.
A golden brown beverage in a tall glass with a lime wedge and a straw with text overlay.

Homemade ginger ale is sweet, spicy, and refreshing. You can make the syrup and keep it in the fridge to make a glass when you want it.

A golden brown beverage in a tall glass with a lime wedge and a straw.

With just four ingredients, this ginger ale will become your favorite refreshing beverage or mixer. It has the flavor of real ginger and can be made for a crowd or one glass at a time.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • My Top Tips
  • Variations
  • Make-Ahead and Storage
  • More Delicious Drinks
  • 📖 Recipe

Homemade Ginger Ale is made with an easy-to-make ginger simple syrup and plain seltzer or sparkling water. It is very similar to Italian sodas made with Torani syrups, where you control the amount of flavor in each drink by varying the amount of syrup and sparkling water.

I've made this homemade ginger ale often for company on hot days because it is a way to make a simple drink very special. Everyone gets to have just the right sweetness in a timeless summer refresher.

Ingredients

Homemade Ginger Ale Ingredient, clockwise from top right: sparkling water, fresh ginger root, white sugar, and plain water.

For the Ginger Simple Syrup you will need:

  • White Granulated Sugar - White sugar is best for this beverage. It lets the ginger flavor dominate the flavor of the syrup.
  • Water - Just plain tap water is fine.
  • Fresh Ginger Root - Purchase a little more than you need. The ginger root needs to be peeled which will reduce the amount.

For the Homemade Ginger Ale you will need:

  • Ginger Simple Syrup - Absolutely the best when you make it yourself. The detailed recipe is included in this post and also in my Simple Syrup Recipes Chart.
  • Plain Sparkling Water or Seltzer - Sparkling water plus a ginger syrup makes a sparkling ginger ale.

Please see the recipe card for the quantities.

Instructions

How to Make the Ginger Simple Syrup

Tools for peeling fresh ginger root, a french peeler and a teaspoon.
Slices of peeled fresh ginger on a cutting board with a knife.

Peel and thinly slice the ginger root. An "old-school" pivoting peeler or the edge of a spoon works well to peel the ginger.

Making the ginger syrup: water, sugar, and slices of fresh ginger in a small pot.
Boiling the slices of fresh ginger in sugar syrup.

Add water, sugar, and sliced ginger to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Strained ginger syrup in a carafe, slices of cooked ginger in a container, and a strainer with slices of cooked ginger.

Cool to room temperature. Strain and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

How to Make A Glass of Ginger Ale

Ice cubes in a tall glass.

Add ice to a 12-to-16-ounce glass.

Ice cubes and ginger simple syrup in a tall glass.

Pour 2 to 4 tablespoons of the ginger simple syrup over the ice.

Sparkling water and ginger syrup over ice in a tall glass.

Top off the ginger simple syrup with sparkling water and give it a stir. If desired add a garnish and a straw.

My Top Tips

If I plan on serving homemade ginger ale for a gathering of 6 to 8 people, I typically make the ginger simple syrup the day before and triple the recipe. This lets the syrup get nice and cold and I always have enough for everyone to have more than one glass.

Variations

  • Lemon Ginger Ale - Use lemon-flavored sparkling water to make the ginger ale.
  • Vanilla Ginger Ale - Add one-half of a vanilla bean pod when making the ginger simple syrup.
  • Shirley Temple - Add a splash of grenadine syrup while making a glass of ginger ale and garnish with a maraschino cherry.

Make-Ahead and Storage

The ginger simple syrup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

A golden brown beverage in a tall glass with a lime wedge and a straw.

More Delicious Drinks

  • Elderflower and Lemon Mimosas
  • Lillet Bellini Cocktail
  • Coconut Rum Sunrise Cocktail

📖 Recipe

A golden brown beverage in a tall glass with a lime wedge and a straw.

Homemade Ginger Ale

5 from 1 vote
Encharted Cook | Jan Nunes
Homemade ginger ale is sweet, spicy, and refreshing. You can make the syrup and keep it in the fridge to make a glass when you want it.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 25 mins
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Servings 8 Servings
Calories 108 kcal

Ingredients
 

For the Ginger Simple Syrup

  • 4 Ounces Fresh Ginger Root, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 ½ Cups Plain Water
  • 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar

For Individual Servings of Ginger Ale

  • 4 Tablespoons Ginger Simple Syrup
  • Sparkling Water or Seltzer

Instructions
 

How To Make the Ginger Simple Syrup

  • Peel and thinly slice the ginger root. An "old-school" pivoting peeler or the edge of a spoon works well to peel the ginger.
    4 Ounces Fresh Ginger Root
  • Add water, sugar, and sliced ginger to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
    1 ½ Cups Plain Water, 1 Cup White Granulated Sugar
  • Cool to room temperature. Strain and store in a covered container in the refrigerator.

How To Make a Glass of Ginger Ale

  • Add ice to a 12-to-16-ounce glass.
  • Pour 2 to 4 tablespoons of the ginger simple syrup over the ice.
    4 Tablespoons Ginger Simple Syrup
  • Top off the ginger simple syrup with sparkling water and give it a stir. If desired add a garnish and a straw.
    Sparkling Water or Seltzer

Notes

My Top Tips
If I plan on serving homemade ginger ale for a gathering of 6 to 8 people, I typically make the ginger simple syrup the day before and triple the recipe. This lets the syrup get nice and cold and I almost always have enough for everyone to have more than one glass.
Variations
  • Lemon Ginger Ale - Use lemon-flavored sparkling water to make the ginger ale.
  • Vanilla Ginger Ale - Add one-half of a vanilla bean pod when making the ginger simple syrup.
  • Shirley Temple - Add a splash of grenadine syrup while making a glass of ginger ale and garnish with a maraschino cherry.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The ginger simple syrup can be made in advance and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition Per Serving

Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.

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