Summer, a favorite season for many, calls for refreshing beverages. If you've only ever had the 2-litre bottled version, you are seriously missing out. My homemade sugar free ginger ale will make your taste buds do the happy dance. Metaphorically speaking. This article dives deep into creating your own diet ginger ale syrup, a healthier and more flavorful alternative to store-bought options. This version keeps all the medicinal properties of ginger intact for a zesty, fresh beverage.
Why Make Your Own Diet Ginger Ale Syrup?
There's something magical about being able to conjure up a drink like that with simple ingredients at home. Making your own ginger ale is quite easy, and a great way to really get that spicy ginger heat.
Health Benefits and Control over Ingredients
Besides the sheer satisfaction of crafting your own beverage, homemade ginger ale offers several advantages. Ginger has potent anti-inflammatory properties and also boosts the immune system - vital during cold and flu season especially! This homemade ginger ale is made with lots of fresh ginger, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. This recipe is also made with maple syrup and not sugar, making this a healthier version. By making it yourself, you have complete control over the ingredients, avoiding artificial sweeteners, excessive sugar, and unwanted additives often found in commercial ginger ales.
Reducing Your Carbon Footprint
Over a year ago I was reading an article in the LA Times about reducing the carbon footprint of the food we eat. It occurred to me that the Pellegrino bottled water we loved to drink is shipped here all the way from Italy. Suddenly I had a vision of a giant cargo ship stacked with shipping containers filled with green glass bottles chugging its way across the ocean.
The Evolution of Ginger Ale
Before today’s carbonated sodas were invented, fermented drinks were often brewed at home as a safer (and only mildly alcoholic) alternative to water, which was often contaminated. The first ginger ale, a soft drink version with no alcohol, was invented around 1851 in Ireland, with the carbonation being created by adding carbon dioxide to the drink.
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Understanding Ginger: The Star Ingredient
Ginger’s rhizome, or root, is the part of the plant that is used for many purposes. Ginger has potent anti-inflammatory properties and also boosts the immune system - vital during cold and flu season especially!
Benefits of Ginger
- Soothes stomach upset.
- Reduces inflammation.
- Shortening or preventing illness.
- Reduce the risk of cancer.
Crafting the Perfect Diet Ginger Ale Syrup: Recipes and Techniques
Sugar-Free Ginger Ale Syrup Recipe
This ginger syrup is a favorite for me. It makes the best ginger ale. I spent a long time looking for a ginger syrup recipe that would make the kind of ginger ale I like to drink. And I was repeatedly disappointed. I tried a few that I found too sharp and hot to drink on their own. And others that were just boring. So I made up my own version with ginger as the star, but a bunch of other complementary spices to make it more interesting. It’s so ridiculously easy to make. Just chop some ginger, throw in a few other spices and a vanilla bean, add some sugar and water and simmer. Add some fresh lime juice if you’re feeling citrusy. Add some booze if you’re in the mood for a Moscow Mule or any of its many variations. This is not a ginger syrup for ginger beer, which tends to be extra spicy with gingery heat. This is, rather, a ginger syrup for ginger ale. Too many ginger syrup recipes rely on ginger alone, which, to me at least, makes them one note and flat. This ginger syrup pretty much makes my perfect ginger ale. But you can feel free to tweak it to your tastes. Bump up the cardamom or skip the star anise or throw in lemon or lime zest if you prefer. If you want it spicier, add more ginger.
Ingredients:
- Ginger
- Water
- Sweetener
Instructions:
- Slice your ginger into thin pieces, then chop into small pieces.
- Place all ingredients into a pan. Heat over medium until it boils.
- Reduce to a rolling simmer, then cook for one hour.
- Let the ginger ale syrup cool, then strain it.
When stored properly in the fridge, this syrup will last two weeks.
FUSS-FREE HOMEMADE GINGER ALE RECIPE
This is a fuss-free homemade ginger ale recipe that is slightly different from a lot of others out there. This ginger ale recipe does not make use of simple syrup. Therefore, there is no stovetop cooking required.
Spiced Ginger Syrup Recipe
Ingredients:
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- Vanilla bean
- Cardamom
- Star anise
- Sugar
- Water
Instructions:
- Add the ginger, nutmeg, vanilla bean, cardamom and star anise, sugar and water to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Reduce to a low simmer and let simmer for about 45 minutes or up to an hour.
- Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Discard the solids and transfer the syrup to an airtight bottle or jar.
Tips for Adjusting the Flavor
- For a milder flavor: If it’s too much for you, and you want to lessen the bite, first blanch the chopped ginger in boiling water. Also, you can peel your ginger or leave it unpeeled.
- For a spicier flavor: Add more ginger.
Assembling Your Diet Ginger Ale
Combining Syrup with Carbonated Water
STEP 2: Mix the ginger juice and lemon juice with the carbonated water and sweeten to taste. Use carbonated water from a bottle or make your own with a soda stream. Never use anything but water in a soda stream.
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SodaStream: A Convenient Carbonation Solution
Fast forward to a few months ago and I came across a product called the SodaStream. I was really impressed but didn’t buy it because even the least expensive model at $99 sounded like a lot of money. Then summer came and I saw how many bottles of water we were going through and I thought it was time to take another look. The more I read, the more I was impressed. I decided to order one and about a week later had it in my hot little hands. I’m totally thrilled with my SodaStream. There are 4 different models, ranging in price from $99 to $199. The biggest difference is in the styling and that the most expensive model ( called the Penguin) uses glass bottles instead of plastic. I ordered the least expensive model and could not be happier. It also uses a larger carbonator canister so that means less frequent changing and ordering. The other models come with smaller, slimmer canisters. I ordered the “Value Pack” which came with an extra CO2 canister, 2 extra bottles and free shipping (this is great bang for the buck). I also ordered 2 extra bottle caps because I just know one will get lost. Refill the empty bottle with fresh water as soon as it’s empty so there’s always some cold and ready to be carbonated (it works best with cold water). I put my syrup in a squeeze bottle and keep that in the refrigerator. Don’t fill the bottles past the fill line. You can make your own flavored soda and if you want to use their syrups (they have over 20 flavors), they don’t contain high fructose corn syrup.
Serving Suggestions and Variations
Want only 1 serving? Prepare the ginger and lemon juice. Then, use half of the mixture and add carbonated water for 1 cup of ginger ale. Store the rest of the ginger/lemon mixture in the fridge. Quick fix: If you don't mind a few bits in your ginger ale, use the grated ginger directly in the drink. No ginger: Turn your homemade ginger ale into a sugar free lemonade. You wouldn’t think that mint and citrus would go well together. I mean, have you ever had a glass of orange juice after you brushed your teeth? The spicy yet smooth sweetness of a ginger syrup combined with fresh-squeezed lemon juice and vague mint is a delight that anyone and everyone must taste. Reserve a few sprigs of mint for garnish. Grind and bruise the mint leaves in a mortar and pestle to release the oils. Pour all of the ingredients together into a large pitcher and stir well.
Storage Tips
As this recipe calls for carbonated water, it is best enjoyed fresh. For a larger batch, store the lemon and ginger juice in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer (in an ice cube tray) for up to 3 months.
Is Ginger Ale Different From Ginger Beer?
Yes. Ginger beer is usually a brewed and fermented drink, with ingredients such as yeast, ginger, sugar, and water. Whereas, ginger ale is usually a carbonated drink made with a sweetener and ginger.
A Healthier and More Flavorful Choice
This homemade ginger ale is made with lots of fresh ginger, which is known for its anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. This recipe is also made with maple syrup and not sugar, making this a healthier version.
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