Homemade Ginger Ale

Don't know how I never thought of this before, but for our little grill out last weekend, I made the best non-alcoholic beverage I have tasted in a while.  Homemade ginger ale.  It has a little more of the spicy bite than the store bought stuff, but man it was good! To the point where I kept sneaking sips of my husband's glass when he wasn't looking.

Homemade Ginger Ale (from Simply Recipes)

Ginger water
1 cup peeled, finely chopped ginger
2 cups water

Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Club soda
Lime juice
Lime wedges

• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Add ginger. Reduce heat to medium low and let ginger sit in the simmering water for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 20 minutes. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer. Discard ginger pieces.

 Why yes, it is supposed to look like the color of dirty pond water, don't worry.

• In a separate saucepan, make the simple syrup by dissolving 1 cup granulated sugar into 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside.
• Make individual (tall) glasses of ginger ale by mixing 1/2 cup of ginger water with 1/3 cup of Simple Syrup and 1/2 cup of club soda. Pour mix over plenty of ice. Add a squeeze of fresh lime juice and a lime wedge to each glass.

Makes four servings.

NOTE: This would be great for all those pregnant people out there suffering from morning sickness or anyone with a stomach bug. You could also spike this with bourbon to make a Jack and Ginger or with dark rum to make an equally delicious cocktail.