Homemade Ginger Ale with Ginger Bug
There’s nothing quite like a cold, fizzy glass of homemade ginger ale — especially when it’s naturally fermented with a ginger bug.
If you’ve already made your ginger bug starter, this is one of the easiest and tastiest ways to put it to use. Homemade ginger ale has that fresh ginger kick, just the right amount of sweetness, and natural fizz created during fermentation.
You can adjust the sweetness and ginger flavor to your own taste, which is one of the best things about making it yourself.
Homemade Ginger Ale Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ gallon filtered water, divided
- 1½–2 cups sugar
Organic white sugar or unrefined sugar both work. You can use less depending on your preferred sweetness. - 3 cups organic fresh ginger root, chopped or sliced
- 1 cup ginger bug starter
- ⅓ cup fresh lime juice or lemon juice, optional
Important: Use filtered water. Chlorine can interfere with the beneficial yeast and bacteria needed for fermentation.
- Fermentation: 3–5 days
- Yield: about 10–12 standard swing-top bottles
- Use bottles rated for carbonation
- Refrigerate once it reaches the flavor and fizz you like
Directions
1. Make the Ginger Tea
Add part of the ½ gallon of filtered water, the fresh ginger, and sugar to a large pot.
Bring the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low or medium and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Add the remaining filtered water.
Set the ginger tea aside and allow it to cool completely to room temperature.
Do not add your ginger bug while the liquid is hot. Too much heat can kill the beneficial yeast and bacteria that make fermentation possible.
2. Strain the Ginger
Place a fine-mesh strainer over a large bowl or container.
Pour the cooled ginger mixture through the strainer to separate the ginger pieces from the liquid.
3. Add the Ginger Bug
Once the ginger tea has cooled to room temperature, add:
- 1 cup ginger bug starter
- ⅓ cup lime or lemon juice, if using
Stir everything together with a wooden spoon.
4. Bottle the Ginger Ale
Pour the liquid into clean flip-top bottles, leaving approximately 1 inch of headspace at the top of each bottle.
Close the bottles securely.
5. Ferment
Allow the ginger ale to ferment at room temperature for approximately 3–5 days.
Fermentation time will vary depending on the temperature inside your home. A warmer house can cause fermentation to happen faster.
As the ginger ale ferments, you should begin to see signs of activity and carbonation.
Taste it as it develops. If you’d like it sweeter, you can adjust the sweetness to your preference.
The ginger ale is ready when it is fizzy and no longer overly sweet.
If it is still sweeter than you like, allow it to ferment a little longer so the natural fermentation process can continue consuming some of the sugar.
A Note About Carbonation
Fermented drinks can build up quite a bit of pressure inside sealed bottles.
Some people “burp” their bottles by briefly opening them every day or two to release excess carbonation.
I personally do not normally burp mine, but you need to pay attention to your bottles and your fermentation time.
I’ve been making fermented drinks for quite a while and have never had a bottle explode, but I have forgotten about a batch for a few extra days and ended up with a very fizzy bottle that came pouring out like champagne!
These days, I open my fermented drinks outside on the deck — just in case. 🙂
Always use bottles designed to handle carbonation, check them regularly, and use extra caution when opening.
How Many Bottles Does This Recipe Make?
This recipe makes approximately:
- 10–12 standard swing-top bottles, or
- 4–5 larger swing-top bottles
The exact amount will depend on the size of the bottles you use.
You can also ferment ginger ale in jars, but it usually will not develop as much carbonation. It will still have that delicious fermented ginger flavor.
Watch Sherrie Make a Ginger Bug
Want to see the process in action? Watch Sherrie demonstrate how she makes her ginger bug starter.
When Is Homemade Ginger Ale Ready?
Your ginger ale is ready when:
- It has developed noticeable fizz
- The sweetness has mellowed
- It has the ginger flavor you like
Once it tastes right to you, refrigerate it to slow the fermentation process.
And remember — even after refrigeration, fermented drinks can continue developing some pressure, so always open them carefully.
Enjoy & Share!
Homemade ginger ale is one of my favorite ways to use a healthy, active ginger bug.
Once you get comfortable with the process, you can experiment with different levels of ginger, citrus, and sweetness until you find the flavor your family loves.
If you haven’t made your ginger bug yet, start with my Homemade Ginger Bug recipe first, then come back and turn it into this naturally fizzy homemade ginger ale.
Enjoy & Share. Thank you for watching! ☺️