Ginger Beer: A Primer + Picks for every Palate
Don’t be fooled. Ginger BEER is not ginger ALE. There is a difference. While both evoke images of swarthy pirates throwing barrels of fermented liquids, only Ginger Beer is actually brewed (mixed with bacteria to do something unholy and scientific to sugars in the drink). The result is a tang that is best likened to the gap between apple juice and apple cider. It’s noticeable. And like any hipster-drink, Ginger Beer has just enough of a backstory to impress at the bar.
The descendant of Mead and Metheglin (mead + spices), Ginger Beer was invented by the English in the late 18th century. In the mid 1800’s, English law mandated a 2% alcohol limit on non-taxable drinks. Anything over 2%? Pay up. This lead to the infusion of carbonated water into the previously “adult” beverage. Simultaneously, emigrants to Islands such as Bermuda and Jamaica discovered “awesome” and decided to add it into their drinks. Today, its numerous flavors reflect the diversity of its brewers, and the result is a beverage best-reserved for the waning light of a summer day.
Where to Find Ginger Beer?
To be honest – the better the brew, the more challenging it may be to find. However given that most of us don’t have access to Caribbean shoreline or self-brewing tools, here are four locations where you should start:
- International-Mart: These are typically found in immigrant-heavy neighborhoods, and will always greet you with the distinct smell of either fish, curry, suya spice or cardamom depending on nationality of the owner. Walk straight to the counter and ask plainly for ginger beer. You will be escorted past the rows of unidentifiable delicacies to a short dusty shelf containing your reward. Fortune and Glory kid, Fortune and Glory.
- World Market: This pan-American chain contains the largest collection of ginger beer, (but ran out of Bundaberg the day before I arrived…) Prices here are often higher than the International Mart, but are subject to sales and promotions.
- Liquor Store: Given the relation of ginger beer to the Moscow Mule and Dark and Stormy cocktails, many liquor stores make a point of carrying a healthy selection of ginger beer (at times bundled with Rum at a “promotional” price). A bit more expensive than World Market, but a one-stop-shop for those with hair on their chest (Read: Liver).
- Hipster + Fair Trade + Sustainable + Hyper Local + Organic shop: Look for the shop or the store with the ironic name. (Mine was “Two Turnips and a Truck”.) Therein you’ll likely find the highest prices of the bunch, but short of the International-Mart, it’s your best chance at a truly esoteric ginger beer.
The Selection
Caveat Emptor: The most important aspect of good style is fit. The sugar content of the following drinks stand in direct opposition to that. Hell, even reading this review may even add something to your waistline. Prices below are ballpark, and what was found while gathering samples for this post.
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DG Jamaican Ginger Beer – Per Bottle: $1.39
Knit ties are meant for the summer – Ginger beer the same. No drink is better woven than DG Ginger Beer. The liquid cloudiness and throat-tingling ginger-spice stands as an example for dappered men everywhere. May the sounds of steel pans and Patois accompany each pour. Look for this one wherever green cards are sold. The downside? 56g of sugar is quite a bit more than anyone should have in a liquid serving.
Fentiman’s Ginger Beer – $1.99 per bottle
Don’t be fooled by the pretentious bow-tie-wearing language on the front of the bottle – this brew is as real as it gets. 100 years of history is proven is on the label, where it suggests you “upend before pouring”. (Such that the flecks of ginger are evenly suspended in the flask.) Note: “the finest ginger root of Shanghai, and global juniper and yarrow” will cost you. Visit your favorite Hipster’s fridge first to try this drink before blowing your hard earned cash. World Market / Hipster-Mart also carries it.
Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer – $2.32 per bottle
As the only choice on the list with alcohol, Crabbie’s is technically the most “True-to-form” ginger beer. Much like a quality pocket square, it may seem like a lot to spend up front, but step into the outside world and you’ll see bars in Edinburgh (where’ it’s made) charging five pounds for it. You’ll have similar experiences trying to buy a pocket square on Savile Row. The ginger is strong with this one, so strong in fact that you will be forgiven for attempting to chew it. Liquor Store or Bar only.
Fever-Tree – $2.99 per big bottle
With one-fifth the sugar of its Jamaican cousin and all of its cloudy, flavorful goodness, this is your bartender’s choice. I personally found the flavor a perfect complement for both mixed drinks and straight pours. All men should aspire to this. There are ginger beers, and there are Ginger Beers. This is the latter. Liquor Stores and World Market carry this. Amazon will even ship a bunch of minis to you
Cock & Bull – $1.49 Per Bottle
Lapel flowers are a bit much for some. Others however wear them with an air of invincibility. Such can be said of Cock & Bull Ginger Beer, no lie. This is up there on the sucrose chart, so buyer beware. (36g) Find it hiding amidst the orange sodas at World Market.
Reed’s Ginger Beer – $1.49 Per Bottle
Easily the most divisive of the drinks on this list, Reed’s is nothing special. This is exactly what makes it so dangerous, you’ll never see it coming. It’s just quality ginger beer with some islandy flavors. Further research shows that it is still brewed today the same way it was years ago. This is entry level stuff, (sorry Joe) but it’s not to be overlooked. Much like a linen pocket square, it’s probably your first real venture into expanding your horizons into the realm. Yet strangely, it gets the most play out of anything in your wardrobe. You’ll find it at your local grocery store, hidden among the ginger ales.
Gosling’s Ginger Beer – $1.93 per can
I admit, this is where I got started. My first ginger beer at the tender age of fourteen. It was my first dark and stormy. My first tailored suit. Its flavor was a blank canvas on which everything else was meant to be built. Now that I know what I’m doing, I rarely go back here, as there are cheaper, tastier options with healthier compositions. Kudos to Gosling’s for recognizing the best Island Dark & Stormy’s are made with dark rum however. Don’t ever buy the bottle + can deal, it’s a rip-off.
Goya Ginger Beer – $1.00 – $1.99 Per bottle
Goya’s flavor is hard to pin down, I’ll leave it to an earlier comment by Clawbrant : “That is a real masochist’s soda, less ginger bite and more chemical burn.” He’s not kidding. This stuff is prescription-grade. It’s non-alcoholic, so Drinkwel isn’t really necessary, but much like a fedora, your stones must be named Ricky and Ricardo for you to pull it off. If DG is the sweetness of Montego bay, Goya rolls down the hard streets of Kingston. Welcome to Jamrock.
You can’t go wrong with ginger beer, but you can go very right. Ask for it at the bar and wait for a respectful nod from the bartender. It’s different. It’s delicious. And aside from Crabbie’s, it’s not a half bad option if you’re the designated driver. Watch out for the sugar content, as this article was accompanied by extra laps for me. As far as the style seen in the pics? Most of it came from the Bespoke Post “Made” Box, Hook and Albert, or the Tie Bar.
About the Author: Julian (A.K.A “Brailleyard” in the comments) is a Grad student down-south who sympathizes with the struggle of finding good Ginger Beer/clothes at a great price. Between classes and trips to the tailor you’ll find him behind his camera in a makeshift photography studio or sampling Nashville’s food scene.
Good ginger beer should be like a dominatrix, initially… grab you by the throat, and then slowly expand your senses. Seriously, if it doesn’t bite you, it’s not ginger beer, it’s ginger ale.
Fever Tree is the bee’s knees.
Ginger beer is common here in the UK; it’s in every supermarket. In contrast, it can be tricky to find ginger ale.
What about Barritt’s, the original Dark N’ Stormy ginger beer? I’m pretty sure that to be named a Dark n’Stormy it actually has to be made with Barritt’s otherwise you’re not supposed to call it that.
Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew is dee-licious.
My personal favorite is AJ Stephan’s of Boston. It’s distributed by Real Soda across the country, and my God does it hurt when you take the first sip, but it’s damned good.
You know, to make this review I actually did buy some Barritt’s…paired it with a pair of “Wurkin Stiff’s” to make a point of their reliable taste…Nine beers just felt a little excessive…whereas eight? Eight was just fine.
I’ve not heard of the Dark N’Stormy rule however.
I can say that if it’s the case, Goslings is in danger of copyright infringement, they sell a bundled package called a “Dark N’Stormy” combo pack… ( again, don’t buy, it’s a ripoff)
WHOLEHEARTEDLY AGREED.
Bundaberg is outstanding stuff – and it broke my gingery heart that I couldn’t include it on the list of brewed beverages. (World Market had just run out the day before I arrived.)
I hope we can make an addendum to this article before the end of summer –
God save the queen.
And her royal Ginger beer brewer.
Aslo…I fail to understand why one would desire ginger ale when it’s Beer is readily available.
Clearly the grass is greener on the other side.
Interesting…how does AJ Stephan’s compare to Blenheim’s? (a spicier brew that I remember treating me like the dominatrix that Invictus noted above.)
I’ll admit…while “testing” it for this review…it grew on me, enough that I’ll no longer pour it out if handed to me.
such an opinion change is almost as hard as changing political parties.
I read up a little more on it, I had it wrong. You have to make it with Golsings rum to call it a Dark N’Stormy, they own that name. You can make it with whatever gingerbeer you like.
WHOA WHOA WHOA. Another Dappered Nashvillian?!
You nailed The Turnip Truck to a T (heh). That’s the one in the Gulch across from that other hippy store, right?
Man after my own heart. Maine Root is a bar staple in this neck of the woods, and it has just the right combination of bite and sweetness to make a killer Dark and Stormy or Moscow Mule.
Agree. I’m an American but live in the UK now, and get frustrated that most “ginger ale” I find is actually just cheap ginger beer, but they re-label it (looking at you, Tesco) as “American” ginger ale. Of course it is neither. That said, I prefer ginger beer, but some drinks call for true ginger ale. Also, Schweppes ginger ale is decent and can be found at Waitrose.
Sorry for being “that guy”, but I think you mean the 19th century: “Ginger Beer was invented by the English in the late 18th century. In the
mid 1800’s, English law mandated a 2% alcohol limit on non-taxable
drinks.”
I also missed a perfect opportunity to ask
DID WE JUST BECOME BEST FRIENDS,?!
No worries ‘that guy’ is sometimes necessary to save us from ourselves.
There should be two sentences there: one in reference to the 1700 ‘s, during which time G.B. was invented, and the 1800’s during which time it migrated. Having 18th century and 1800‘s next to each other like that is just inconsiderate writing.
Seconded. Great stuff.
Blenheim is ginger ale. It’s made at that South of the Border monstrosity along 95 at the South Carolina state line. It’s more burn than bite (and I’m pretty sure the burn comes from something they put in there that’s not ginger), but it is good stuff.
Had my first experience with Cock N Bull this weekend. I made Moscow Mules. Without a doubt the best ginger beer i’ve used for this cocktail. There was a little left for me to have a sip and it was a nice punch. Will purchase again.
Great article! I can’t wait to try some new ones. It’s hard to find these a lot of places and even the great liquor store down the street only carries one or two brands.
Now I really want a moscow mule.
Yep! Hahaha
Hey now… “but much like a fedora, your stones must be named Ricky and Ricardo for you to pull it off”. I resent that comment! 😛
Bacteria? Surely you meant to say yeast right?
Great article. For those of us that like a truly hot ginger beer, I would like to suggest an alternative. Maine Root is a great little company out of the other Portland on the East Coast. I have been mixing my summer cocktails with their Ginger Brew for several years and may now be officially classified as an addict. Not for those with a delicate palate, but if you eat the hot pepper garnishes with your tacos or Chinese food, Maine Root Ginger Brewging available at Whole Foods is for you.
Yeah, being a photographer and foodie is soooooooooooooooooo hipster
Don’t forget that Reed’s is also available at Trader Joe’s for those of you who live near one.
Crabbie’s is a solid call. Just discovered it relatively recently and I’m hooked.
Is that your rocks glass in the top picture? Whose silhouette is on it? I love that glass!
Indeed. My mind was thinking cheese while my heart was thinking ginger beer. (and before you say…but wait, cheese uses yeast too?!…there are some french one’s that use exclusively bacteria.
however, I shall correct this failure.
Lewis and Clark.
Siskel and Ebert.
Jobs and Wozniak?
Orville and Wilbur.
I will allow any of the above changes to the naming of your nether regions. This, or any other team with equally “ballsy” actions.
go in peace my child’
I respect that. I’ve had no luck finding it outside of North Carolina – so hopefully it broadens its impact so that I can add it to this list.
I was in London three years ago and tried Crabbie’s at a pub and I was hooked! I tried sourcing it when I got back to the States but couldn’t find it anywhere. I settled for other ginger beers, many of those listed here, but it wasn’t the same. When I heard they started importing it here about 1.5 years ago I immediately bought a case at BevMo. I’m not even a big beer drinker; it’s just that good! I haven’t tried their Spiced Orange though, that’s next.
I used to enjoy Reed’s Extra, but I finally found the DG Jamaican, which is exquisite. When I tried the more-easily-found Reed’s Extra after that… it was almost unpalatable.
It’s definitely worth asking at your local liquor store’s “beer” attachement – I didn’t think it’d be there – but when I asked for “ginger beer”, and “ginger beer with alcohol” explicitly – he walked me straight to the Crabbies.
Ginger Beer is my passion, but I find that too many “ginger beers” have too many fillers and other spices. I love the burn and the more ginger the better, but I also feel that it should be fermented to create that unique Ginger-Beer flavor.
I love Bundaberg because of the low amount of carbonation that is similar to a naturally brewed Ginger Beer (even though they too add carbonation). It also has an amazing amount of true Ginger-Beer-brewed flavor.
Fever Tree is easily one of my favorites. The strong burn and ginger flavor is amazing.
Has anyone heard of Rachel’s Ginger Beer (Seattle, WA area)? My wife ordered it for me for Christmas and had it shipped to me in NV (expensive, because of the ice packing required). It is delicious, but, in my opinion, it’s not a true Ginger Beer, because it’s not brewed. It is an awesome amount of ginger, and it has all natural ingredients, but it is not brewed. Rachel has even said that the difference between ginger ale and Ginger Beer is the amount of ginger added – wrong!
After all this pissing and moaning about the imperfections of the Ginger Beers I’ve had, I’ve never regretted drinking one. I’ve loved them all to some degree and still can’t get enough.
Also, I began making my own from scratch at home and that has been fun! For the record, it is quite easy. The biggest investment is time waiting for fermentation.
If you have the time and the spirit, make your own. Once you experience fresh ginger juice, you will never, ever go back. Guaranteed. Thing is, you need a sturdy juicer. First, make a fresh ginger syrup: try 1.5 parts simple syrup to 1 part ginger juice. Add 5-6 dashes of Angostura bitters. Dilute with soda and lime juice to taste.