Ginger ale and Giner beer are they the same beverage? Or are they two distinct drinks? They’re both fizzy drinks made from ginger, have a good amount of fizz, and are usually enjoyed in the summer. Yet, ginger ale and beer are quite… different.

The source of fizz is what differentiates ginger ale from the ginger beer. Ginger ale gets its fizz from carbonated water. Carbonated water is water injected with CO2 (carbon dioxide) at high pressures to let the gas dissolve in the water.

The fizz from ginger beer is a result of the fermentation process. The fermentation process employs yeast. The yeast eats some of the sugars present in the substance and then produces alcohol and CO2.

As ginger ale only uses carbonated water, people of all ages can enjoy it since it is a non-alcoholic drink. In contrast, ginger beer has alcohol in it due to fermentation.

Note: Some countries have non-alcoholic ginger beer as a soda made from carbonated water and syrup.

Ginger beer and ale have a similar production process. Both start with the making of ginger syrup. Combining the syrup and carbonated water to taste will give a glass of ginger ale. When ginger syrup, yeast, and water form a mixture and left to ferment, it produces ginger beer.

Here is an easy recipe on how to make ginger ale and ginger beer at home using the same world-famous recipe.

How to Make Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer at Home

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups of finely chopped ginger. A hand blender works well.
• ¾ cup of white or brown sugar
• 7 ½ cups of filtered water
• ⅛ tsp active dry yeast or brewer’s yeast
• 2 tbsp lime juice

Materials & Equipment

• Saucepan
• Stove
• Sieve or strainer
• Bowl
• Ice bath (optional)
• Refrigerator
• 2-L Plastic or glass bottles
• Funnel

Procedure

How to Make Ginger Syrup

1. Combine the sugar and chopped ginger with ½ cup of water in a saucepan.
2. Set the saucepan over a stove.
3. Stir the mixture over medium-high heat until the sugar has completely dissolved.
4. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the saucepan from heat.
5. Cover the saucepan with a lid and allow the mixture to cool for 1 hour. You will get a thick syrup.
6. Pour the syrup to a sieve or strainer set over a bowl.
7. Transfer the bowl to an ice bath. Stir the syrup until it reaches room temperature. Or, place the uncovered bowl of strained syrup inside the refrigerator until cool.

How to Make Ginger Beer

1. Pour the cooled syrup into a clean 2-L plastic or glass bottle using a funnel.
2. Add yeast, lime juice, and 7 cups of water to the bottle.
3. Close the bottle with its cap. Shake the bottle with slow circular wrist movements to mix the components.
4. Leave the bottle at room temperature for around one to two days. Check up on the mixture during this period to see if it has reached your desired amount of carbonation. This is now your ginger beer.
5. Place the bottle of ginger beer inside the refrigerator. This bottle of beer is good for 2 weeks.
6. If carbonation exceeds the desired amount, open the bottle to release excess carbonation. Otherwise, you could have an unwanted explosion.

How to Make Ginger Ale

Add a teaspoon of the homemade ginger syrup to a glass containing ice and chilled seltzer or sparkling water. Add syrup or water to taste. Serve immediately!

Soda Stream makes carbonated water easy and the Co2 bottles are readily available at most food outlet stores.

Conclusion

In a survival situation, you may get bored of just drinking water. That’s why we have come up with this simple homemade ginger beer recipe.

Fresh ginger can last for a very long time and even longer if vacuum sealed. You can buy it already cut up in jars but I prefer the fresh unpreserved ginger for my drinks.

Growing your own ginger can make sure you have an endless supply all year long. It is really easy. Just check out the video above.

The great thing about ginger is that it is:

• It’s an anti-inflammatory
• It relieves muscle pain
• It settles the stomach
• It eases menstrual pain
• It fights infections
• It improves brain function

So as you can see ginger is a fantastic plant with many uses. Grow some today.

Survival Jar

As an electrician and a survivalist prepper, I want to share some of my ideas, thoughts, hardware, and survival techniques I have learned over the past 20 years. The world is changing fast and we need to be repaired for what may come if society breaks down.