Ginger Water Recipe

4 from 3 votes

Ginger water made with the cold-steep method -- no boiling, no sugar. Fresh ginger sliced and steeped in cold water for 2 to 4 hours in the fridge. The result is sharp, clean, and faintly peppery. Makes one liter, about 4 glasses. Add lemon after straining for the lemon variation.

Course Beverage, Drinks

Cuisine Asian, Mediterranean

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Prep Time 5

Steeping Time 4

Total Time 4 5

Servings 4 glasses

Calories 5kcal

Author Zoe Tanaka

Cost $2

Equipment

1 Glass jar or pitcher (1 liter)
1 Fine mesh strainer
1 Sharp knife for slicing ginger

Ingredients

For the Ginger Water

30 g fresh ginger root about a 2-inch piece; no need to peel -- wash well and slice thin
1 liter cold filtered water tap works if yours has no strong mineral taste

For the Lemon Variation (Optional)

1/2 lemon fresh-squeezed; add after straining, never before steeping

Instructions

Prepare and Steep

Wash the ginger root but do not peel it. Slice into thin rounds, about 1/8 inch thick. You need about 30g -- roughly a 2-inch piece. Thinner slices steep faster and extract more flavor. Older ginger with papery skin still works fine.
Place the ginger slices in a clean glass jar or pitcher. Pour 1 liter of cold water over them. Do not use warm or hot water -- cold steeping is what keeps the flavor bright and clean rather than cooked and tea-like.
Seal or cover the jar and refrigerate. Steep for 2 hours for mild ginger water (good for a large glass over ice), 4 hours for the standard version (noticeable flavor without being overwhelming), or overnight for a very assertive concentrate. Overnight concentrate should be diluted 1:3 with sparkling water before drinking straight.

Strain and Finish

Pour the steeped water through a fine mesh strainer into a clean jar or pitcher. Press firmly on the ginger slices to extract remaining liquid. Discard the solids -- they have given everything they have.
Squeeze half a lemon into the strained ginger water and stir to combine. Add lemon after straining, never before or during steeping -- citric acid interacts with ginger compounds over the steep window and adds an unwanted bitterness. Half a lemon per liter brightens the drink without pushing it into lemonade territory.
Keep refrigerated in a sealed jar for up to 5 days. Serve cold over ice or at room temperature. For a light sparkling mocktail, dilute 1 part ginger water with 3 parts sparkling water. Shake or stir the jar before pouring -- a small amount of ginger sediment is normal and harmless.

Notes

Cold steep vs boiling: cold steeping keeps volatile ginger compounds (gingerols) intact, producing a brighter, cleaner flavor. Boiling shifts the flavor toward warmer, cooked ginger tea.

Steep time guide: 2 hours = mild, 4 hours = standard, overnight = concentrate (dilute before drinking).

Add lemon only after straining -- citric acid added before steeping creates bitterness.