Prepare the ginger 'tea' base. Do this by cleaning the ginger knobs and chopping into 1-2" pieces.
Add the ginger to a pan with the filtered water and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for around five minutes. * (* For a more concentrated flavor, you can use crushed or grated ginger).
When ready, leave the ginger water to cool completely before moving on to the next step. When it is lukewarm, add the sweetener of your choice and mix well. It's easier adding it to the mixture when slightly warm, however many people prefer not to add honey to hot water, so I suggest leaving it till 'warm.'
Prepare the lemon juice by juicing the lemons. You can use a juicer for this, if you have one, or do this manually. I microwave my lemons for between 10-30 seconds to help the lemons release their juices, roll the lemons across the center a few times before cutting in half, and then squeeze as usual. This helps to get out as much of the lemon juice as possible AND makes the process faster.
In a large jug, combine the ginger tea mixture and lemon juice and voila!
How To Store: Leftover homemade lemonade will store within the refrigerator for 4-5 days. Just give it a quick stir before using and away you go.
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Notes
Instead of honey, you can use other natural sweeteners such as maple syrup. Just be aware that each sweetener will affect the flavor of the ginger lemonade in different ways.
You may want to reduce or increase the level of sweetener suggested. Add a little bit at a time, taste, and adjust.
You can also add various herbs to the lemonade too. My favorites include fresh mint, basil, lavender, or rosemary!
Meyer lemons will provide the sweetest lemon juice, thus possibly reduce the amount of additional sweetener you need to add. However, you can use any lemons in this recipe.
If you make up a large jug, make sure only to add ice to individual glasses rather than the entire pitcher. Otherwise, you run the risk of diluting the lemonade. You could also add lemon-juice ice-cubes, to avoid watered-down lemonade.
If you want to make lemonade using sparkling water, then you may be able to use a smaller amount of ginger juice in place of the steeped ginger tea.