Homemade Ginger Ale
Several months back on one of my sister and I’s visits to the wonderful restaurant Meadowlark, we enjoyed a glass of their homemade ginger ale. We each took a sip and our eyes widened.
“Mmmmmm, mmmmmmm!”
It was similar to the dinner scene from Bill Murray’s film What about Bob.
If you haven’t seen this hilariously underrated film you need to.
I couldn’t believe how good and how different this tasted from most store bought ginger ales. It wasn’t at all like the canned drinks you get from any vending machine.
It was spicy and very flavorful. Not only does this homemade concoction taste better, it also offers the many health benefits of ginger.
I have taken ginger capsules for years to help with motion sickness and vertigo, but it offers so much more…
- It helps with upset stomach and with nausea/vomiting.
- It is an anti-inflammatory. Inflammation in our bodies can cause many health issues.
- It can help with fighting some cancers.
- It is an immune booster.
- It stimulates circulation.
- It helps pain and headaches.
- It also boosts your metabolism and helps with digestion.
These are just to name a few.
I was inspired by this drink and decided to try and make my own this past weekend.
Here is my recipe. I guessed a lot while making it, but this is close to what I did…
- Peel and chop up about 3 cups of fresh ginger root. (I read after the fact that you don’t have to peel, but I’m not sure if you’d get as much flavor.) Peeling does take a while, so it might be worth a try.
- Add ginger to about 6 cups of water in saucepan and bring to a boil.
- Add about 2 cups of sugar. Stir until dissolved. Simmer for 15 min.
- Lower heat and let ginger steep (like tea) for about 1 hour.
- Squeeze fresh juice from 1 lemon and 1 lime into the syrup mixture.
- Strain the mixture.
- Let cool.
- Bottle and refrigerate. Should keep for several weeks.
- Add syrup ginger mixture with club soda. Garnish with lime and mint.
- Enjoy!
