I legit had no idea ginger ale was supposed to taste like ginger until I was in college and had ginger beer for the first time. Ginger ale is a normal unassuming soda-- ginger beer (the right version anyway) is better than pretty much any other soda.
Yes.
Also Blenheim Ginger Ale is good. This was my attempt to clone their good stuff. Not perfect but really close.
9.5 oz (net weight) of peeled ginger
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cups + 6 cups water
1/4 tsp yeast (white wine or champagne is best but bread yeast will do)
place the peeled ginger into a food processor
blend until creamy
add the ginger, sugar, lemon juice and the two cups of water in a sauce pan
turn the heat on to high and stir until sugar is dissolved
bring to a boil
place lid on the pot and lower the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes
remove from heat
cover and let rest for 1 hour
strain it through a fine strainer or cheese cloth and a funnel into a plastic two liter bottle
add in the rest of the water
use an ice bath or time let it cool to 70f
add the yeast, be sure to proof your yeast first
put the lid on the bottle
shake it up
replace the lid with some foil or an air lock
let rest for 24-48 hours at room temp
place it in the refrigerator to stop fermentation
release the gas every day to avoid it from exploding
I just got this too. Ginger ale, especially this brand, was always so bland but I got some anyway. Wow, big difference! It’s a bold flavor but not enough to be “hot” like a Jamaican Ginger