Ginger Syrup for Homemade SodaStream Ginger Ale

 

 

Mmmm....Soda.  I used to drink Coke like it was going out of style and my waistband didn't appreciate it.  I dropped it cold turkey along with all other soft drinks for a while.  Nowadays, I allow myself to have a soda every now and then.  Nothing can be too bad in moderation, right?

 

I began to appreciate the specialty soda's.  Virgil's, Reed's, Jones Soda's, and the like.  I also enjoyed trying all the different soft drinks at Club Cool in Epcot when we went to Disney World.  That got me thinking; maybe I should start making my own soda.

 

Queue, the SodaStream.  I first experimented with a blueberry soda and it was delicious.  My sights then turned to a classic cola syrup.  I wanted one with real sugar, and no artificial flavors or colors.  Basically, I wanted to match Coke, but I failed miserably with the formulas I found and tried.  So, I put that idea on the back-burner for the forseable future. 

 

Then, I thought about Shire Water.  Shire Water is a mixed drink of Jameson Whiskey and ginger ale served at our local pub, Cook McDoogal's.  I could make my own ginger ale for Shire Water!  I set out in search of a ginger syrup recipe and found this little gem.



 

The syrup is just what I was looking for in a ginger ale, and it makes one heck of a good Shire Water.  The spices make all the difference.  There is a wonderful ginger flavor that isn't too overpowering, with just the right sweetness, and a wonderfully spicy finish.  Throw in a shot or two of Jameson, and you have yourself one darned good beverage. 

 

Ginger Syrup for Ginger Ale

2 cups water
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
4 ounces peeled and sliced ginger
2 teaspoons cardamom pods
1 teaspoons whole allspice
1 teaspoons black peppercorns
3 star anise pods

In a medium saucepan, combine the water, sugar, brown sugar, and ginger. Toast the whole spices in a heavy-bottomed pan until they just begin to brown and become fragrant. Add them to the ginger mixture and bring to a simmer. Continue to simmer for about 15 minutes and then turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to steep until cool. Once cool, strain into a clean container and store in the refrigerator to chill. Add 2 Tbsp of syrup for every 12 ounces of soda water.

Blueberry Soda

 

My dad got me a SodaStream soda maker for my birthday this year and I couldn't wait to get started on making my own syrups. This blueberry soda recipe immediately came to mind, so I patiently waited for blueberry season. When we finally had enough blueberries, I got to work.

Making the syrup is very simple. It's basically like making a simple syrup, except you make blueberry juice first. So, the syrup was done in no time. The hardest part was waiting for it to cool. Once it was completly cool, I made myself some carbonated water and slowly added the blueberry syrup. Just like that I had blueberry soda! 

This first thing I noticed was how beautiful the color was.  The soda is such a deep purple, and the bubbles are a delicately lighter color.  A treat of the eyes as well as the taste buds.  Speaking of taste, drinking the soda is like have a mouth full of blueberries.  As expected, the blueberry flavor shines, and the sweetness is not overpowering.  The lime juice adds a nice tartness, to make it a well rounded beverage.

Blueberry Soda
An Alton Brown Recipe

Ingredients
20 ounces fresh blueberries, approximately 4 cups, rinsed and drained
2 cups water
7 ounces sugar
1 lime, juiced
Carbonated water

Directions
Put the blueberries and water into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the blueberry mixture into a cheesecloth lined colander in a large bowl. Allow the mixture to cool for at least 15 minutes or until it is cool enough to handle.

Gather up the edges of the cheesecloth and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Discard the skin and pulp. Put the blueberry juice back into the saucepan and add the sugar and lime juice. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved, then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a glass container.

Place the syrup in the refrigerator, uncovered, until completely cooled. To Serve: Combine 1/4 cup of the liquid with 8-ounces of carbonated water and serve over ice.