Fresh Lemongrass-Ginger Ale

I propagated a few store-bought lemongrass stalks a few years ago when I first moved into my house, and every year since then, they’ve been the gift that keeps on giving, year round. Each little lemongrass plant (which began its life as a clump of three rooted stalks) has grown into a wild-looking shrub with…

Linda Ly

Written by Linda Ly

Fresh lemongrass-ginger ale
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I propagated a few store-bought lemongrass stalks a few years ago when I first moved into my house, and every year since then, they’ve been the gift that keeps on giving, year round. Each little lemongrass plant (which began its life as a clump of three rooted stalks) has grown into a wild-looking shrub with dozens of thick, juicy, citrusy stalks. And maybe I’m biased, but I feel homegrown lemongrass far outflavor the ones you can find in the store (especially since you can use the lemongrass leaves as well).

Lemongrass shrubs

Needless to say, we make a lot of meals with lemongrass around here. My husband is king of marinated lemongrass chicken, and I like to drop a few stalks into the broth for my slow-cooked Vietnamese pulled pork tacos. In the winter, we’re all about lemongrass-infused tea. In the summer (and with our heat wave this past week), we do flavored fizzy drinks with a versatile lemongrass-ginger syrup. It’s lemony and spicy and wakes the senses. It also adds a little (or a lot of) zing to iced teas, hot teas, margaritas, mojitos, Prosecco, and Dark and Stormy cocktails.

But on most afternoons, you’ll find me on our sunny porch with two jars by my side: a jar of lemongrass-ginger syrup and a jar of lemongrass-ginger ale on the rocks!

Fresh Lemongrass-Ginger Ale

Makes 1 quart syrup (12 to 16 servings)

Ingredients

For the Simple Syrup
6 cups water
3 cups sugar
1/2 pound ginger, sliced crosswise into matchsticks
2 stalks lemongrass (at least 8 inches each), cut into 3-inch segments and smashed with the flat side of a knife

For the Lemongrass-Ginger Ale
1/4 to 1/3 cup lemongrass-ginger syrup (per glass)
Soda/seltzer/carbonated water (to fill)
Squeeze of lime

Making Fresh Lemongrass-Ginger Ale

Fresh ginger
Cut the ginger into matchsticks
Sliced ginger
Fresh lemongrass and ginger

To make the simple syrup, combine the water, sugar, ginger, and lemongrass in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and maintain a hard, rapid simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid reduces to almost half, about 1 hour.

Strain the syrup and discard all the solids. Pour the syrup into a jar and refrigerate.

Strain the syrup and discard the solids
Fresh lemongrass-ginger syrup

To make the lemongrass-ginger ale, add the syrup and your choice of fizzy water to a glass. Stir to combine, add ice if desired, and garnish with a fresh squeeze of lime juice before serving.

2014-08-03-09
Yield: 1 quart syrup

Fresh Lemongrass-Ginger Ale

Fresh lemongrass-ginger ale

Lemongrass adds a little (or a lot of) zing to iced teas, hot teas, margaritas, mojitos, Prosecco, and Dark and Stormy cocktails. Try this fresh lemongrass-ginger ale for a delicious summer drink!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the Simple Syrup

  • 6 cups water
  • 3 cups sugar
  • 1/2 pound ginger, sliced crosswise into matchsticks
  • 2 stalks lemongrass (at least 8 inches each), cut into 3-inch segments and smashed with the flat side of a knife

For the Lemongrass-Ginger Ale

  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup lemongrass-ginger syrup (per glass)
  • Soda/seltzer/carbonated water (to fill)
  • Squeeze of lime

Instructions

  1. To make the simple syrup, combine the water, sugar, ginger, and lemongrass in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat and maintain a hard, rapid simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid reduces to almost half, about 1 hour.
  3. Strain the syrup and discard all the solids.
  4. Pour the syrup into a jar and refrigerate.
  5. To make the lemongrass-ginger ale, add the syrup and your choice of fizzy water to a glass.
  6. Stir to combine, add ice if desired, and garnish with a fresh squeeze of lime juice before serving.

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© Linda Ly
Category: Everyday Eats & Sweets
Linda Ly

I'm a plant lover, passionate road-tripper, and cookbook author whose expert advice and bestselling books have been featured in Time, Outside, HGTV, and Food & Wine. The National Parks Cookbook is my latest book. Garden Betty is where I write about modern homesteading, farm-to-table cooking, and outdoor adventuring—all that encompass a life well-lived outdoors. After all, the secret to a good life is... Read more »

33 Comments

  2. Just made this and it is so yummy! Any tricks on mixing though, maybe I just cooked my syrup too long, but it got really thick in the fridge and it didn’t stir in so well when I went back for seconds.

    Reply

    1. It’s possible you cooked it down too long (and made a thick concentrated syrup — still delicious though). My syrup stays pourable after refrigerating.

      Reply

  3. Yum yum!! Your blog inspired me months ago to propagate my own lemongrass from some cuttings at the grocery store, and after patiently waiting for 3 weeks they finally sprouted roots!!! Then, I gave it away to a friend 😀 Then, my aunt gave me a huge one in a 5 gallon pot. Anyway, point is: you and your blog inspired me. THANK YOU! I’m super excited to make this lemongrass ginger ale.

    Reply

  4. I love that ginger bite and have been looking for a ginger drink that delivers – I think you’ve hit it. Sadly, I’ll have to use store-bought lemongrass, but this might be a good way to use up some lime basil which has proven to be lovely and short on uses this summer. Can’t wait to try it!

    Reply

  5. I’m going to try this when I get home tonight. I planted lemongrass from seed this spring, and with all the rain we’ve had, it’s grown huge! 🙂 I can’t wait to use it for the first time.

    Reply

  6. Love the recipe.. looks very refreshing. I just love my lemongrass in my yard. I try to come up with new ways to use the fresh flavor and this is just perfect. Cheers!

    Reply

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