• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to after header navigation
  • Skip to site footer
The Healthy Home Economist

The Healthy Home Economist

embrace your right to a lifetime of health

Get Plus
  • Home
  • About
  • My Books
  • Shopping List
  • Archives
  • Log in
  • Get Plus
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Get Plus
  • Log in
  • Home
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Archives
  • My Books
  • Shopping List
  • Recipes
  • Healthy Living
  • Natural Remedies
  • Green Living
  • Videos
  • Natural Remedies
  • Health
  • Green Living
  • Recipes
  • Videos
  • Subscribe
Healthy Home Economist / Archives / Recipes / Drink Recipes / Beverage Recipes / Fermented Beverages / Traditional Ginger Ale Recipe

Traditional Ginger Ale Recipe

by Sarah Pope / Updated: Aug 7, 2023 / Affiliate Links ✔

Jump to Recipe

A traditional recipe for homemade ginger ale that is lightly fermented with cultured starter which adds beneficial probiotics and enzymes to the brew.

ginger ale

Ginger ale is one of the easiest drinks to whip up at home in a matter of minutes. The bonus of making ginger ale yourself is that you can ferment it.

This means it is loaded with beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. In addition, traditionally brewed ginger ale is rich in enzymes and enhanced nutritional value.

Fermentation of grains, fruits and herbs into refreshing and delicious drinks is nearly universal in ethnic cuisines. However, the rush to convenience in our modern society means that this practice is largely forgotten with the rise of commercial sodas.

Commercial versions of ancestral beverages offer no redeeming nutritional benefit. Worse, the consumption of these sugar-laced or artificially sweetened drinks encourages obesity and other chronic ailments.

Soda really can be healthy! Learning traditional preparation techniques is all that is required.

This easy recipe below for fermented ginger ale is a popular choice of readers of this blog. Note that raw whey is the suggested starter, but if a dairy allergy is present, a ginger ale starter is necessary.

In addition, while sucanat is the recommended sweetener, jaggery is a healthy option as well that produces great results.

The recipe plus video provides convenient instructions for how to make a “ginger bug”.

ginger ale recipe
4.67 from 3 votes
Print

Homemade Ginger Ale Recipe

A traditional recipe for homemade ginger ale that is lightly fermented with cultured starter which adds beneficial probiotics and enzymes to the brew.

Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Keyword cultured, easy, fermented, healthy, probiotic, traditional
Prep Time 10 minutes
Servings 8
Calories 21 kcal
Author Sarah Pope

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts filtered water
  • 1/2 cup lime juice freshly squeezed, about 3 limes (preferably organic)
  • 2 tsp ground ginger preferably organic
  • 1/3 cup sucanat
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 cup liquid whey do not use powdered whey
  • 1-2 Tbl raw honey optional
  • pinch green stevia powder optional

Instructions

  1. Mix all ingredients together thoroughly in a half gallon glass jar. Be sure to leave 1 inch at the top else the soda will get moldy instead of ferment. Affix a secure lid.

  2. Leave at room temperature on the counter for 2-3 days and then refrigerate. D not leave near a fruit bowl. Homemade ginger ale is mildly fizzy. You can then mix with a bit of natural mineral water to add even more fizz if desired.

  3. Alternatively, you can bottle the homemade soda and leave on the counter for an additional 1-2 days before refrigerating to produce a very fizzy beverage. Be sure to let the bottled soda get very cold before opening. Opening in the sink is also a good idea.

  4. If the finished homemade ginger ale is not sweet enough for your taste, add a tiny pinch of optional stevia or stir in a small amount of mild, raw honey.

Recipe Notes

2 tablespoons of freshly chopped ginger root may be substituted for ground ginger.

If you have a dairy allergy, you may substitute 1/4  cup ginger bug starter for the liquid whey.

Alternatively, you can use coconut water kefir or the liquid strained from coconut milk yogurt as the fermentation starter.

Nutrition Facts
Homemade Ginger Ale Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 cup)
Calories 21
% Daily Value*
Carbohydrates 5g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
homemade ginger ale in a glass

Other Fermented Beverages to Try!

Switchel: Nature’s Healthy Gatorade

Hindu Lemonade

Homemade Orangina

Homemade Root Beer

FacebookPinEmailPrint
Category: Fermented Beverages
Sarah Pope

Sarah Pope MGA has been a Health and Nutrition Educator since 2002. She is a summa cum laude graduate in Economics from Furman University and holds a Master’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

She is the author of three books: the bestseller Get Your Fats Straight, Traditional Remedies for Modern Families, and Living Green in an Artificial World.

Her four eBooks Good Diet…Bad Diet, Real Food Fermentation, Ketonomics, and Ancestrally Inspired Dairy-Free Recipes are available for complimentary download via Healthy Home Plus.

Her mission is dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. She is a sought after lecturer around the world for conferences, summits, and podcasts.

Sarah was awarded Activist of the Year in 2010 at the International Wise Traditions Conference, subsequently serving on the Board of Directors of the nutrition nonprofit the Weston A. Price Foundation for seven years.

Her work has been covered by numerous independent and major media including USA Today, ABC, and NBC among many others.

You May Also Like

unstrained whey on a large spoon

How to Make “Quick Whey” (no straining)

clabbered milk smoothie

Clabbered Milk Smoothie Recipe

clabbered milk. milk clabber recipe

Homemade Clabbered Milk

water kefir soda

Homemade Water Kefir Recipe (+ Video)

Homemade Coconut Milk Kefir Recipe (+ VIDEO)

Homemade Coconut Milk Kefir Recipe (+ Video)

Large Batch Advanced Kombucha Recipe (+ VIDEOS)

Large Batch Advanced Kombucha Recipe (+ VIDEOS)

Going to the Doctor a Little Too Often?

Get a free chapter of my book Traditional Remedies for Modern Families + my newsletter and learn how to put Nature’s best remedies to work for you today!

We send no more than one email per week. You will never be spammed or your email sold, ever.
Loading

Reader Interactions

Comments (113)

  1. Maida

    Mar 27, 2020 at 8:44 pm

    Could apple cider vinegar be used instead of whey to make ginger ale?

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Mar 28, 2020 at 12:12 pm

      If it is raw, it might work, but I think the taste might be strange. If you try it, let us know how it turns out!

  2. Kay

    May 13, 2019 at 3:35 pm

    I am on a restricted sugar diet. Do you know how many grams of sugar are left after fermentation?
    Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      May 13, 2019 at 5:54 pm

      I haven’t tested it to know for sure.

  3. Lisa

    Jan 13, 2019 at 12:51 am

    Cap the jar tightly or use cheesecloth?

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Jan 13, 2019 at 9:43 am

      Capping tightly is fine.

  4. Em

    Nov 28, 2018 at 9:28 am

    Can I use fresh ginger? If so how much?

    Reply
    • Sarah Pope MGA

      Nov 28, 2018 at 9:56 am

      Yes you can. The recipe notes above provides the substitution amount.

  5. Claire

    Sep 10, 2018 at 10:51 am

    Great, thanks. I read them this morning and I think it must be fine as when I taste a bit without the white spots it tastes like a really great sour ginger ale to me!

    Reply
  6. Claire

    Sep 10, 2018 at 9:34 am

    I made some homemade fermented ginger ale last week (not this recipe but similar), and it is now bottled and has sat out for another 2 days to get it fizzy. However, I’ve just noticed a few little white dots on the surface. Just a couple, but I wonder if it is mould? Should I skim them off and drink anyway or is there a chance it is mouldy and not good for drinking? It’s been left out for 5 days total – 3 in a mason jar and then bottled for 2 days. The lids were loose to avoid exploding glass, but I wonder if something got in? :S

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Sep 10, 2018 at 9:39 am

      Here are some guidelines. https://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/mold-fermented-foods-what-to-do/

  7. Katherine Grant-Suttie

    Jun 7, 2018 at 9:44 am

    Can you use alternative sweetners like monkfruit, yacon syrup or erythritol blends?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Jun 7, 2018 at 11:34 am

      No, you cannot use monk fruit or erythritol as the probiotic starter in this beverage requires a whole sweetener with carb content to feed it as it ferments.

  8. lucy

    Jun 6, 2018 at 6:28 pm

    Can I substitute honey or organic sugar for the sucanat?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Jun 7, 2018 at 7:32 am

      I haven’t tried it but it would probably work fine. The flavor would be a bit different though especially if you use honey.

  9. Bonnie Dust

    Apr 11, 2018 at 10:47 am

    We’re enjoying the fermented lemonade. We also drink Haymakers punch.

    Reply
  10. Kim Wilson

    Jul 2, 2017 at 10:51 pm

    Do you know if you can use cheesecloth instead of a lid on the jar, like when making kombucha, and it will still ferment?

    Reply
    • Sarah

      Jul 3, 2017 at 7:17 am

      Yes, it will still ferment.

« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Sidebar

Mother Nature’s Medicine Cabinet

5 Secrets to a Strong Immune System

Loading

The Healthy Home Economist

Since 2002, Sarah has been a Health and Nutrition Educator dedicated to helping families effectively incorporate the principles of ancestral diets within the modern household. Read More

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Check Out My Books

Mother Nature’s Medicine Cabinet

5 Secrets to a Strong Immune System

Loading

Contact the Healthy Home Economist. The information on this website has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, prevent, or cure any disease. By accessing or using this website, you agree to abide by the Terms of Service, Full Disclaimer, Privacy Policy, Affiliate Disclosure, and Comment Policy.

Copyright © 2009–2023 · The Healthy Home Economist · All Rights Reserved · Powered by BizBudding Inc.

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!