DIY Ginger Ale ~ Made Fizzy with a Ginger Bug
When you first create a ginger bug soda starter to begin making your own lacto fermented sodas, what is the best kind to make first and why?
Ginger ale!
Ginger ale is the easiest homemade soda to make because it is so similar to making the ginger bug itself. It uses fresh ginger, sugar and molasses along with a lemon or lime. Then you add some ginger bug to it, seal it in a bottle and in a few days your ginger ale is ready, bubbles and all. You can control how sweet you want it and as a delightful bonus, it’s good for you too! In this post we will walk through the essentials to make basic ginger ale fermented with a ginger bug soda starter—and you may never shop for commercial ginger ale again!
Prepping the Ginger Bug
The process for any ginger bug soda is easy. Make sure your ginger bug is bubbly and active. Take it out of the refrigerator and allow it to sit until bubbly. It’s a good idea to feed it some fresh ginger and sugar if you haven’t used it in a while. Once it warms up and turns bubbly, you can use it to make soda.
If you want to know how to make a ginger bug, click here!
Making the Ginger Ale Wort
Like any fermented food or drink, make your ginger ale wort (the concoction you create before adding the ginger bug) with the freshest ingredients. Rubbery, wrinkled ginger and lazy lemons or limes won’t cut it. Their expired flavours will reflect in the finished product, so don’t risk wasting your hard work.
Use only 1 cup of the water to make the wort. Add it to a pot along with the ginger, molasses and sugar. By cooking the mixture in a fraction of the water, you avoid having to wait so long for it to cool. When you add the remaining water, it cools it down, making it safe to add the ginger bug sooner than later. (The wort must be completely cooled before adding ginger bug or the heat might kill it.)
Sugar
Wondering if you can reduce the amount of sugar in your ginger ale? You can if you must, but remember that the ginger bug has to feed on sugar to give you a healthy carbonation. Once it’s fermented and loaded with throat tingling bubbles, the ginger ale will be less sweet. Cutting back on sugar results in a beer like flavour (which isn’t necessarily bad), but this is ginger ale so I recommend adding the full amount.
Lemon or Lime
You could leave this out if you wanted to, but adding lemon or lime juice cuts down on any “funky” flavour that is inevitable with fermented drinks. This funk isn’t a bad thing, but it can certainly be an acquired taste. With some ginger bug sodas, a sulphur flavour similar to rotten eggs can result after fermentation. But adding a healthy shot of lemon or lime juice seems to neutralize this unpleasant flavour that can sometimes turn people away from making ginger bug sodas.
In the video I added the citrus peels before boiling the wort, but I recommend adding them after simmering the ginger with molasses. They only need to steep to release their flavours. Boiling can make your ginger ale bitter.
What Bottles Do I Use For Making Ginger Ale?
Use only food grade swing top glass bottles that can withstand the pressure of gas build up during fermentation. If you are using a recycled glass bottle with a swing top that once had a carbonated beverage in it, that is okay to use. But a swing top that once held maple syrup is not your best bet. And stay away from dollar store cheapies that look like they might do the job. They are more likely to explode and cause an injury (and a mess!).
Click to order swing top bottles here!
Another vessel you can use is a recycled plastic pop bottle. They are perfectly safe and actually a little more advantageous because you can squeeze it to tell if gas build up is happening or not.
Only fill your bottles two thirds full to allow for gas expansion. And don’t forget to burp your bottles each day during fermentation. This will prevent gas from building up too much and causing an overly aggressive pop—or eruption—when you open it.
How Long Does Ginger Ale Take To Ferment?
This depends greatly on the temperature of your dwelling space at the moment. Warmer temperatures yield faster ferments. In the summer time during heat waves, my sodas have fermented the same day. If it’s winter, I sometimes have to wait 6-7 days to see bubbles appear. Any longer than that and it’s likely time to start over.
How Long Does Ginger Ale Last?
Once fermented, store your ginger ale in the fridge where it can keep for several days, even a few weeks. Keep in mind that it continues to ferment in the fridge, only at a slower rate. The longer your soda ferments, the less sweet it becomes. The flavour mellows out and the bubbles are still very much alive. I enjoy it most within the first week, which is why I make smaller batches more often.
If You Haven’t Made Your Ginger Bug Yet, What Are You Waiting For?
Haven’t made your ginger bug yet? Check out how here and go try this recipe for homemade ginger ale. Keep it in your fridge during cold and flu season for your natural hydration fix. Sip on it to prevent getting a cold or flu to begin with, or just because you love the zesty, citrusy zing. And alas you may never shop the sugary soda pop aisle again.
| Prep Time | 5 Minutes |
| Cook Time | 10 Minutes |
| Passive Time | 2 Days |
| Servings |
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- 4 Cups water Chlorine free
- 1/3 Cup Fresh ginger Chopped
- 1 Lemon or lime Rind removed and saved
- 1 Teaspoon Molasses
- 1/2 Cup sugar
- 1/4 Cup active ginger bug
Ingredients
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- In a medium pot combine 1 cup of the water, ginger, peel from the lemon or lime, molasses and sugar. Bring to a boil on medium heat and lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove from heat and if desired, allow to steep further. Otherwise cool slightly for 10 minutes and add the remaining 3 cups water. If necessary, cool further so the mixture has no warmth left, otherwise the heat can kill the ginger bug.
- Add ginger bug and mix well. Strain the ginger ale through a fine sieve and transfer to sterile bottles. Fill only 2/3 full. Seal tightly and allow to ferment 2-5 days (cooler climates can take longer). Burp bottles occasionally during fermentation to allow gas to release.
- Once bubbly, store in refrigerator for up to 1 week. Ginger ale gets more bubbly when it sits out of the fridge for several minutes before serving.
2 thoughts on “DIY Ginger Ale ~ Made Fizzy with a Ginger Bug”
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Hello, I’m trying to make my own ginger ale at home and I’m looking at recipes on the internet. I already have cultured my own ginger bug. I’m just a bit confused because I sometimes find the recipes for ginger ale and ginger beer almost the same. I really can’t determine what the difference is. Perhaps you can clarify this one also.
PS: I also love to paint, just like you. I do water color painting and calligraphy. 😀
Hi there, thank you for the message. From what I understand, I believe ginger beer is a little stronger in flavour than ginger ale. Besides that, I am not sure there is that much of a difference.
Helpful hint…if you watched my video I will suggest an alternative, easier way to make this ginger ale. Simply chop the ginger; no need to grate it. Also, strain the wort through cheesecloth for a crystal clear ale or simply the strainer itself. The coffee filter takes forever. Finally, start with only 1/4 the amount of water when you cook the ginger mixture. Add the rest of the water cold after it comes off the stove. That way, it will cool immediately and you can add your ginger bug right away. Huge time saver.
I hope this helped you out. How great it is to know there are more cookers and painters put there 🙂 Happy Cooking (and painting!)