Rinse 4 ounces of fresh ginger root under cold water and scrub gently with a vegetable brush to remove any dirt.

Slice the ginger into thin rounds about 1/4 inch thick using a sharp knife or vegetable peeler.

Pour 1 cup of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes.

Add the ginger slices to the sugar water, stirring gently to combine without bringing the mixture to a full boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and let the ginger simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the liquid turns pale golden and fragrant.

Taste a small spoonful of the syrup after 8 minutes and simmer 2 more minutes if you prefer a stronger ginger flavor.

Pour the hot syrup through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean bowl, pressing the ginger slices gently to extract all liquid, then discard the solids.

Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes, then transfer it to a clean glass jar or bottle with a tight-fitting lid.