Homemade Ginger Ale

Soda. Pop. Cola. Diabetes-in-a-can. Whatever you call it, we all know what it is. Hyper-sweetened, carbonated, ice-cold liquid distraction, taking you away from your miserable life for just a few minutes before dropping you right back where you started, perhaps the worse for wear. Or maybe you're drinking diet soda, so you can have all of the kidney stones and same insulin shock without any of the last few shreds of natural ingredients in this type of beverage. But can't it be something more? Can't soda be something less sweet, more flavorful, and more wholesome, perhaps even with some alcohol, and where you don't feel guilty after drinking? Yes it can!

Try this homemade ginger ale recipe next time you're about to reach for a thirst quencher. Carbonation in this soda is achieved the old-fashioned way, and exactly the same way as beer - the sugars are fermented, creating carbon dioxide (and trace amounts of alcohol). It's the same for cola, ginger ale, sarsaparilla, root beer, or whatever voodoo tonic one might brew up. What you're left with is a ginger ale that's delicious and refreshing, not nearly as sweet as the store-bought version but surprisingly satisfying despite its less syrupy contents. All you need is some bread yeast, ginger, sugar, an empty 2 liter soda bottle, and a few days of patience, and you're in business. Just make sure to burp that bottle every once in a while after it's fermented, or it could bulge or even burst in your fridge or on your nicely cleaned floor.

Homemade Ginger Ale
By Alton Brown

• 1 1/2 ounces finely grated fresh ginger
• 6 ounces sugar
• 7 1/2 cups filtered water
• 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Place the ginger, sugar, and 1/2 cup of the water into a 2-quart saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to steep for 1 hour.

Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer set over a bowl, pressing down to get all of the juice out of the mixture. Chill quickly by placing over and ice bath and stirring or set in the refrigerator, uncovered, until at least room temperature, 68 to 72 degrees F. Do NOT add the yeast until the temperature is no more than 110 F, or preferably lower.

Using a funnel, pour the syrup into a clean 2-liter plastic bottle and add the yeast, lemon juice and remaining 7 cups of water. Place the cap on the bottle, gently shake to combine and leave the bottle at room temperature for 48 hours. Open and check for desired amount of carbonation. It is important that once you achieve your desired amount of carbonation that you refrigerate the ginger ale. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks, opening the bottle at least once a day to let out excess carbonation.