Making ginger ale is so easy you wouldn’t believe it. That being said, when I made ginger ale for the first time, it was a comedic disaster. The ginger ale recipe I used called for fresh lime juice. But instead of using the juice of fresh limes I used concentrated bottled lime juice (which I mistook for fresh lime juice).
It was limey, to say the least.
It was also gross.
When I realized my mistake, I tried it again. And it came out beautifully. But I know what you’re thinking…
I will give you five reasons:
1. It’s a perfect late-summer, early-fall beverage.
2. It’s beyond easy.
3. It’s fermented which means it contains healthy probiotics.
4. Conventional ginger ale usually contains high fructose corn syrup, preservatives and “natural flavoring” for the ginger flavor. “Natural flavoring” is another word for chemicals.
Schweppes, Canada Dry and Seagram’s contain all of the above. Guess what they don’t contain?
5. Homemade ginger ale contains…get ready for this… real ginger.
Here’s the recipe I used from Nourishing Traditions, with a few minor changes:
Ingredients
3/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and diced 1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh lime juice 2 teaspoons sea salt 1/4 - 1/2 cup rapadura, sucanat or organic raw cane sugar 1/4 cup whey 2 quarts filtered waterDirections
Peel and chop ginger
Add other ingredients to 2 quart glass jar and add filtered water.
Just to be clear, for the lime juice, absolutely do NOT use this (or anything like it):
Absolutely use this:
Leave on counter for 2-4 days.
That’s it!!
Seriously, how easy is that?
Because this is fermented it will probably be stronger than most ginger ales you’ve tried in the past. If it’s too strong, dilute it with some carbonated water. The carbonated water will also add some additional fizz.
Also, most recipes I’ve seen call for 2-3 days of fermenting on your kitchen counter before transferring it to the fridge. Be sure to taste it as you go. Your taste buds will tell you when it’s ready.
Mine tasted flat after two days and there was no sign of bubbling. On day three it was slightly better.
On day four, it looked like this:
And it tasted great.
Have you made homemade ginger ale? Did you do anything different? Please share your experience in the comments below.
And if you’ve enjoyed this post, please share it on Facebook with your friends!
Hi, my name is Craig Fear. And yes, that 's my real last name. Welcome to Fearless Eating, my blog about traditional foods where I dismantle common food myths and help you eat, well... fearlessly!
I'm also a certified Nutritional Therapist as well as a GAPS certified practitioner. My practice, Pioneer Valley Nutritional Therapy, is located in Northampton, Massachusetts.
For years, I have made ginger ale using the liquid ginger available in most health food stores mixed into a glass of plain soda (seltzer). No muss no fuss. But, those small bottles are getting more expensive both online and in stores, so I may try your recipe, although my native laziness may put it off until I’m out of liquid ginger
grt
Hi Gene! Thanks for commenting. Let me know if you try the fermented version. I’m sure it’ll taste a little different. But it’s better for you!
Could you possibly add a pinterest button to your blogs? It would make pinning your blog super easy when I am on my mobile!
And, lemme get that straight - its real lime juice, not bottled, right?
lol
Hi Kathy, I have to get on Pinterest first. I’m a little behind with that one.
Kathy, You can add a pinterest button to your toolbar and then YOU can add whatever you want to pinterest.
Hi! We are a month into GAPS, and I’m wondering if there is a GAPS-safe sweetener you’d recommend? Is it okay to use honey? Thanks!
Hi Kiara,
Raw honey is the way to go when you’re on the full GAPS diet. If you’re doing the Intro you want to start with just a little in herbal teas and then increase slowly until you get to full GAPS.
Good luck!
fyi, honey has antiviral/antibiotic properties that can impede fermentation. the natural yeasts consume the cane sugar and the longer it ferments the less sugar (and more fizz) the drink will contain. If you’re on GAPS, I would recommend either waiting until you’re off it, or starting an actual ginger bug that will ferment longer (ie, does not use whey, which is a fermenting shortcut).
Any idea where I can get info on how to make a ginger bug? We only use honey and I would LOVE to make this!
Here’s a recipe for a Ginger Bug http://alifeunprocessed.blogspot.com.au/2012/02/how-to-make-ginger-bug.html I made mine last week and it works brilliantly!
So raw honey is out… I have a sugar intolerance. Can you use pasturized honey or maple syrup?
Yeah, no. It doesn’t, as long as it’s diluted. Pure honey has antibiotic properties because it draws the water out of cells. Once you dilute it, it ferments very very well (ever hear of mead?).
How long is it good for? Will it stay fizzy for a while? I would like to make a batch and keep it on hand for possible upcoming winter colds and belly aches.
Hi Anastasia,
It’ll last quite awhile due to the fermentation process. I drink mine pretty quick but I’ve read it’ll last a few months in the fridge. It should stay fizzy as well.
My son as a dairy allergy. I was wondering if you have a sustitute suggestion for the whey?
Thanks,
Brodie
I make mine with water kefir grains and no whey at all. You have to drain them out when you’re finished fermenting and either reuse them or store them in the fridge in water and sugar to keep them “fed”. They do multiply after awhile so you’ll get a return on your small initial investment and be able to ferment more jars at the same time. I get my kefir grains and other fermenting supplies from culturesforhealth.com Hope this helps.
I have some water kefir grains I could use for making ginger ale if I knew how - are you willing to share the recipe?
I already make water kefir. Do you add all this to the grains in the first fermentation? Or do you add all this to the kefir (minus the grains) after it’s made as a second fermentation?
Hi Brodie,
I’ve read you can use some coconut water kefir or some liquid from some coconut milk yogurt (which you can find in most health-food stores) in place of the whey but I haven’t tried this myself.
Good luck!
And you’ll see in one of the comment above from Jeanette, that she’s successfully used water kefir in place of whey.
I am looking for something that tastes like mountain dew for my son who is addicted to it. Any suggestions on how to make this ginger ale a little mountain dewie?
Well I guess you could add more sugar. It’s not the best but it’s certainly better than Mountain Dew.
Thank you. I will experiment and see how he likes it with less sugar,
You could also trying messing with additonal juice from fresh citrus fruits. Orange, grapefruit, lemon, etc.
try adding some pineapple juice to make it more ‘soday’. if you’re feeling brave try making a light ‘cider’ out of golden delicious or granny smith by adding about 1/2 an apple mashed up into the brew. i haven’t gotten around to trying it yet but it’s on my list for the near future and i’ve read of others having good luck with them.
Hi there,
I’d love to try this recipe! What do you think of adding a touch of S. Boularri to the recipe? Just to increase the probiotic nature of the drink and I believe most Kombucha drinks have it in it. Good idea or gross? Its a beneficial yeast that doesnt need to be refrigerated.
Thank you!
Hi Michelle,
I haven’t tried that so i can’t say if it would change anything. Give it a shot and let us know how it goes!
I usually leave out the salt, which, I think, gives it a funny taste.
Can you elaborate on two points
1. Whey? Is this the same as the wheny powder of put in my protein shake? or is it something different?
2. Container. Do i leve in on my counter in an open or sealed container?
thanks.
oops! no edit button
Whey? Is this the same as the whey powder I put in my protein shake? or is it something different? do i just dump a 1/4 cup scoop of the powder in the mix?
Bill,
I’m new at all this, but from what I gather, no, the whey you put in protein shakes is different, if only because it’s powdered. Powdered whey has had all the bacteria killed/removed, and that is what starts the fermentation process. You’d have to get liquid whey made from raw, unpasteurized milk. Where you find that, I’m not sure, I’m trying to figure that out, myself!
Hi Taylor and Bill, if you contact your local Weston A Price chapter leader, they can usually direct you towards your local dairy farmer. (Unfortunately, their site is down right now. It’s being cleaned of a malware virus.)
You can also get whey from grocery store yogurt. If you buy a large container of full fat, low-temp pasteurized, PLAIN yogurt, and scoop some out (for eating!), the next day there will be some liquid gathered at the top… this is whey.
To get the whey in the recipe, buy or make a large container of plain yogurt (not Greek) and place it in cheese cloth, suspended above a bowl, allowing the whey to separate (what will be in the bowl) from the curds (what will be in the cheese cloth).
You do need fresh whey in order to start off the fermentation correctly. If you don’t have a source of raw dairy, you can still use the whey you strain from plain, cultured dairy from the store. Ever see the thin, almost clear liquid that will separate from your sour cream or plain yogurt? That’s whey and you strain it through a clean cloth to separate it fully.
Thanks for the great replies. They were WHEY helpful.
I think I’ll check Whole foods to see iof they have liquid whey, and if not, i’ll get some non-greek plain yogurt and seperate the “curds from the whey”.
ps. why shouldn’t greek yogurt be used?
Because Greek yogurt is what you have left in the cheesecloth after straining out the whey.
Excellent! Thanks, everyone, for the help! I am off to the store today, will pick up some full-fat, non-Greek, plain yogurt and get some whey! Is it possible to, once you have some whey, keep it going, so I don’t need to keep buying more yogurt?
Taylor, you should get about 8-12 ounces of whey when you strain the yogurt. It will last in the fridge for quite ahwile.
Regarding all the comments above, perhaps my video demo will help a little? Note: turn the volume UP!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FDwOpa4kRc&feature=player_embedded
Can I use ginger powder or does it have to be fresh ginger roots?
Is it necessary for the ginger to be peeled? That’s the most tedious part … What about washed & chopped since the ginger all gets strained out anyway?
Yes! It has to be fresh ginger! and No, you don’t have to peel the ginger, but if you have a vegetable peeler it is fairly quick and easy to do. And you don’t have to strain out the ginger, I just leave it in the jar and it just keeps getting a bit more flavorful the longer it sits in the fridge. But it doesn’t last a really long time
Another ginger recipe in NT that does use powdered ginger is ginger beer. It is pretty good, too, though I prefer the ginger ale.
I do peel my ginger and the easiest way is with a spoon. My children like to help in the kitchen and this is something they have been able to do since they were little. You can’t get hurt scraping with a spoon. It leaves much more of the ginger than a peeler. I hate to waste good ginger.
Just to be clear, I am forgetful.
If I make kefir, which part is the whey, the liquid or the thicker white part? Thank you!
the liquid.
Would it be ok to use fresh lemon juice rather than lime juice? I just happen to have beautiful lemons in my back yard!
absolutely!
Is it possible to use a starter culture rather than whey? I try to avoid dairy as much as possible. When I make sauerkraut, I use a packet of starter culture to get the fermentation process going. Do you think this would work? I am not a master fermenter yet, so I really don’t know.
Hi Andrea, many people use starter cultures in place of the whey with success. I’ve never tried it so I can’t say how it might change things but I think it would work.
I made this tonight and added a little wine yeast instead of the whey since I am trying to avoid dairy. Hope this is okay? Also, I am in the San Diego area and am making mozzarella from raw milk if anyone wants the whey.
Hmmm, not sure about that one. Let us know how it goes!
The wine yeast is working well-maybe a little too vigorously-I had to put the jug in the fridge.
Tastes yummy, though. Thanks for the recipe!
Could you substitute the organic sugar with raw honey instead? I didn’t know if it would change the flavor.
Hi Jennifer,
I haven’t tried it but I’ve heard people do use honey instead. I think it ferments a little slower but I’m not 100% sure about that. I imagine it would change the flavor quite a bit as well. If you try it, be sure to report back with your results!
I am excited to try this today! I am new to fermenting. Do I put the lid on the jar or just cover with a cloth?
I don’t think it matters that much. If you cover it with a cloth though, cover it well so nothing can get in. Some airborne bacteria may still penetrate but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as they could promote the fermentation process. I guess I would leave the lid on though just to be on the safe side.
Do you strain out all the bits when it’s done, or leave them in there? Are they nice to have in the glass you’re drinking, or is it better to keep them out of the glass?
I’m making your recipe this week. I just made whey yesterday!
Yes, I strain them out but they can’t hurt you! So how did the recipe go?
[...] 2012 · by mrspolivka · in Beverages, Courtney's Kitchen I kept seeing a recipe for homemade ginger ale on Facebook, and I had lots of fresh ginger on hand, so I decided to make [...]
i’ve been making homemade ginger beer/ale for about a 2 months now. i’ve personally had great luck taking about a handful size of ginger and freezing it overnight, then blending it to a fine mush, pouring in about 3 cups of boiled water with about a 1 cup of turbino sugar then adding about a lime worth of juice. i’ve used lemon and lime juice, mostly lime and have tried juicing, grating, and blending the lime and they’re all about the same. i’ve also used bottled lime juice which works if you give a small squirt and give it a few days to mellow, it’s easy to put in too much but either cutting the batch or letting it sit longer tends to help a lot. lemon gives a stronger flavor but both of them fade over time. you can also use pineapple juice at this point or later to mix it. blend the whole mess for a bit so it’s a nice smooth mash and then put it into a good container. some people don’t like plastic but i like using a 1/2 gallon plastic jug with a pop-lid so it won’t explode if it over ferments. once it’s ‘good’ i think strain it into pint jar with 1/2 pint of filtered water, add a bit more sugar and some honey and let them sit and ferment for a few days to a week or so, mostly cause i drink it by then. for a more ginger ale you may even want to cut it again after a few days in the pint jars. i’ve started my batches with a few inches of organic ginger root and never needed to add yeast or whey. the short version is that organic ginger comes with microbes that grow with it naturally and just so happen to ferment it and by being organic it keeps those. i’ve made about 6-7 batches now, all with grated/blended ginger, water (sometimes boiled, sometimes just filtered), sugar, and lime juice. after the 3rd one i started just pouring a few teaspoons of the last batch into the new jar and it’s going strong within a few days. if you brew it for a week or two it turns into a very strong ginger beer which goes well with rum as a dark and stormy or just to have on it’s own if you like home brewing. it’s got a slight beer smell but more of a wine alcohol taste, it’s quite pleasant. whether made as a ginger ale or ginger beer it’s also quite delicious with added spices. my current mix has; tumeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, allspice, black pepper, sea salt, cayenne pepper, cumin in roughly that order. i like adding them at the start and then tweaking each batch over a week or so. i’ve also found a cinnamon stick in the bottom gives a nice flavor and seems to help the microbes, plus it looks cool.
by changing what goes in when you can make a pretty wide range of flavors and if it’s too strong just dilute it with water and taste again then repeat till you’re happy and give it a few days to ferment and ’round off’ the flavor.
Is the sugar required for the fermentation? Or can I use agave syrup or stevia?
Also, once on the counter, is the jar supposed to be covered or uncovered?
No, the sugar is not required for the fermentation. I’m not sure how the stevia or agave nectar would change things though I think it should be fine. Can’t hurt to try. Keep it covered. Good luck!
Thanks for the quick response! I picked up the ginger and limes tonight. Whey is in the fridge.
Covered, as in a screwed on lid? Or could a tea towel over the top do? Not sure if it should let gas escape or not.
I put a lid on it but I’m sure a tea towel would be fine as well.
This is my first time trying this recipe.
When I looked at my ginger ale today, day 4, I noticed it had some mold floaters on the top.
Is it OK?
Or should I count this as an unsuccessful experiment?
Thank you for any input.
Hi GG,
Sorry it took me so long to reply! I’ve noticed this from time to time in my beet kvass. I always just skim it off and it’s fine. I would try a little to make sure but I would think it’s OK if you followed the recipe. Sometimes people don’t add enough salt which is vital for keeping out the bad bacteria.
Does the ginger ale go bad after a few days? Mine starts to smell a bit..
Do you have to use Whey? We have a food allergy.
No, not necessary but very helpful. You could try a vegetable starter culture in place of the whey.
How can I brew ginger ale without lemon or lime? I can have orange juice and pineapple, but for some reason Lemon or Lime somtimes triggers severe reactions in me (one time I stopped breating). I even have to have only small, very small, amount of grapefruit (I get ill).
Thank you for whatever help you can give.
Hi Judee,
I would just leave out the lemon or lime. They add flavoring and are not essential to the fermentation process.
Craig
When making ginger beer, is the alcohol level comparable to regular beer (5% or so)? Will the amount of sugar and whey impact the alcohol level? Thanks, i enjoy reading your posts!
Hi Al,
I don’t exactly what the alcohol content is but it’s pretty minimal - nothing close to regular beer anyway.
Thank you so much! I have a huge container of whey sitting in my fridge and I knew there had to be a good use for it. Then someone posted a link to this recipe on Facebook. Thanks again! I love ginger ale and have been wanting to add fermented stuff into my diet.
I have a dairy allergy. Is there a substitute for the whey?
You could try water kefir grains or another sort of starter culture. There was some previous comments in the thread about this so be sure to scroll back up to check them out.
I made a batch - followed the instructions to a T but found it to be too strong and a bit bitter. I used sucanat (the lesser amount called for because I am diabetic) and found it was not sweet enough. I added some stevia when it was ready to go in the fridge and added some sparking water to weaken it. It is tolerable now but still not as good as I was expecting it to be. I will probably try it again sometime but would like to make it more diabetic friendly - I’m wondering if anyone has suggestions.
Love the site. I’ve been fermenting for awhile, thought i’d ask before sacrificing a load of ginger. Why not ferment more like 7+ days like kombucha? Also, what are your thoughts on coconut sugar? Will a lacto ferment be just as good (i’ve always got kefir whey around)?
Anyway, great site! Thanks for all you are doing to promote good bacteria!
Hi Jay, thanks for the kind words. Things will ferment at different rates depending on a number of factors. You just want to make sure whatever you’re fermenting doesn’t over ferment. I find this happens quite easily with pickles for example. So the best way to insure against that is to just taste your ferments every day. You’ll know when it’s right - it should taste pleasantly sour and yet fresh at the same time. As for the coconut sugar, you could certainly try it. It sounds a little coconutty for my tastes (and I love coconut) but it should work just fine.
[...] anything but natural. If you love cooking with fresh ginger, you’ll be over the moon with this six ingredient ginger ale recipe from the Fearless Eating Blog. Just mix it and let it ferment on your kitchen counter for a few [...]
Great article. Feel free to post ginger ale tips to my site.
Can I make it without whey or kefir? If I omit these will it taste ok?
Hi Penny, yes you can try it without whey. The whey isn’t totally necessary.
Hi Craig,
So I made your ginger ale and it tastes a bit funky…I usually use a ginger bug to ferment beverages…this is the first time I made and used whey so i am not sure if that is it or perhaps it’s the salt in the recipe? i tasted it after 2 days and it was not very fizzy. I have left it for another two days to see what will happen. Could my whey be off?
Any thoughts?
Cheers,
Renee
Hi Renee,
It’s hard to say. Lots of things can affect how things ferment. It’s very much an unpredictable process. But if I had to guess I’d say next time to use a little less salt.
Craig
I just found this and I got so excited but one problem I have is the whey. I can’t have whey…do you know a good substitute for the fermentation?