Where I grew up it was kind of common to know people, who made their own ginger ale and birch beer. Some of the local pubs had them on tap and I remember often seeing people walking home carrying the soda in their glass milk bottles and sometimes buckets.

I haven't had homemade ginger ale in about 30 years. That stuff would make the eyes roll back in your head as it bubbled its way down your throat. If you find a recipe, dt, please post it. Maybe that could be a summer project for me.