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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Homemade Ginger Ale

    Published: Oct 19, 2026 by Elizabeth · This post contains affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Make your own soda at home! This Homemade Ginger Ale is a fun, from-scratch version of the classic soda, made with fresh ginger!

    A glass of homemade ginger ale, garnished with a slice of fresh ginger.

    I'm making homemade versions of classic sodas. They are so quick, and easy to make at home with real ingredients.

    I have several fruity sodas, and several darker cola type beverages, so today I'm going in a different direction with a ginger ale.

    Lots of people enjoy ginger ale on a flight or with an upset stomach, but I love a fresh can of ginger ale anytime! It's also great as a cocktail or mocktail mixer.

    Real ginger is so good for you, with tons of healing properties. And it really can help with an upset stomach. So let's get into it!

    Jump to:
    • Why does this recipe work?
    • Why You'll Love This Homemade Ginger Ale
    • Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
    • Step-by-Step Instructions
    • FAQ & Expert Tips
    • Recipe Prayer
    • Related Recipes
    • Tried this recipe?
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    If you're excited about homemade sodas, check out some of my other faves

    • A soda glass of homemade Dr. Pepper with a cherry garnish and red & white striped straw.
      Homemade Dr. Pepper
    • Two glasses of lemon cream soda, garnished with a lemon wedge and yellow striped straw.
      Homemade Lemon Cream Soda
    • A glass of homemade root beer.
      Homemade Root Beer (No Yeast)
    • A soda glass of homemade mountain dew, garnished with a lime wedge and green striped straw.
      Homemade Mountain Dew

    Why does this recipe work?

    Ginger ale is really just a sweet, gingery soda. So with a bit of sugar and some fresh ginger, we can get a delightfully sweet and sharp flavor.

    A glass of homemade ginger ale, garnished with a slice of fresh ginger.

    Why You'll Love This Homemade Ginger Ale

    • Dietary needs - this recipe is vegan and has a refined sugar free swap. No processed ingredients anywhere!
    • Made From Real Ingredients - No artificial flavors. Every flavor comes from actual fruits!
    • Customizable - make a stronger or more mild drink based on your preferences
    A glass of homemade ginger ale, garnished with a slice of fresh ginger.

    Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

    • Sugar: I use organic cane sugar to make sure the syrup is vegan. For a refined sugar free version I recommend using agave. It works great and doesn't change the flavor! You can also use stevia for totally sugar free.
    • Water
    • Ginger: grab some fresh ginger!
    • Lemon Zest: in some of my fruity sodas, I call for both the juice and zest of the fruits, but for this soda, we're skipping the juice and just using some zest to help create another layer of flavor - this way the soda isn't lemony
    • Vanilla: a small amount of vanilla extract helps create a more syrupy flavored drink, closer to what you might find in a store-bought ginger ale. If you'd prefer a brighter, fresher taste, feel free to skip the vanilla
    • Citric Acid: I use some food grade citric acid to create a little more of that tart flavor. This is optional though, feel free to skip it
    Homemade ginger ale syrup ingredients

    Pro Tip: use the back of a spoon to easily peel ginger

    For soda

    • Ginger Syrup: from above
    • Seltzer Water: you can also use club soda or any other unflavored sparkling water - though the best flavor will come from plain sparkling water
    • Ice
    • Garnishes: a fun straw and a slice of fresh ginger
    Homemade ginger ale ingredients

    Step-by-Step Instructions

    Step 1. Add the sugar, water, ginger, lemon zest to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then cook at a simmer for 10 minutes.

    Homemade ginger ale step 1 - heat the ingredients.

    Step 2. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and citric acid, if using. Let cool 30 minutes.

    Homemade ginger ale step 2 - stir in the vanilla and citric acid.

    Step 3. Strain the mixture and bottle.

    Homemade ginger ale step 3 - strain.

    Step 4. For soda, pour 1-2 ounces of the Ginger Ale syrup over ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a piece of fresh ginger if desired.

    Homemade ginger ale step 4 - serve syrup over ice topped with sparkling water.

    FAQ & Expert Tips

    Does homemade Ginger Ale taste exactly like the real thing?

    Pretty much! It captures the classic ginger bite.

    Can I make the syrup ahead of time?

    Yes! The syrup will last several weeks in the fridge.

    A bottle of ginger ale syrup.

    Recipe Prayer

    Thank you God for this homemade version of soda, with less processed ingredients. Thank you for the gift of sweet drinks. Amen.

    A glass of homemade ginger ale, garnished with a slice of fresh ginger.

    Related Recipes

    • Several glasses of cherry limeade soda, garnished with a fresh cherry, lime wedge, and green and white striped straw.
      Homemade Cherry Limeade (Cherry Lime Soda)
    • A soda glass of orange cream soda, garnished with an orange wedge and orange striped straw.
      Orange Cream Soda
    • A soda glass of strawberry cream soda garnished with a strawberry and a red striped straw.
      Strawberry Cream Soda
    • A glass of homemade cola garnished with a lime wedge and red striped straw
      Homemade Cola (Pepsi and Coke Variations)

    Tried this recipe?

    Please leave a review in the comments section below and post on Instagram tagging me @elizabeths_table. You can also stay in touch with me on social media by following me on Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok or by subscribing to my newsletter.

    📖 Recipe

    A glass of homemade ginger ale, garnished with a slice of fresh ginger.

    Homemade Ginger Ale

    Make your own soda at home! This Homemade Ginger Ale is a fun, from-scratch version of the classic soda, made with fresh ginger!
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cooling Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 8
    Calories: 100kcal
    Author: Elizabeth

    Equipment

    • Fine Mesh Strainer
    • Striped Straws
    • Soda Glasses

    Ingredients

    • 1 Cup White Sugar or Agave
    • 1 Cup Water
    • 4" Piece Ginger peeled
    • Zest of 1 Lemon
    • ¼ Teaspoon Vanilla
    • ½ Teaspsoon Citric Acid optional

    For soda

    • 1-2 Ounces Ginger Ale Syrup
    • Sparkling Water
    • Ice

    Instructions

    • Add the sugar, water, ginger, lemon zest to a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally, then cook at a simmer for 10 minutes.
    • Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and citric acid, if using. Let cool 30 minutes.
    • Strain the mixture and bottle.
    • For soda, pour 1-2 ounces of the Ginger Ale syrup over ice and top with sparkling water. Garnish with a piece of fresh ginger if desired.

    Notes

    Makes 8 ounces of syrup.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 100kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 0.1g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 16mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 0.1IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.04mg

    Nutrition information is an estimate.

    Tried this recipe?I love to see what you make! Tag me on Instagram @elizabeths_table

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