The 10 Best Ginger Beers in 2023

Things to Consider Before Buying Ginger Beer

Ginger is an old spice which was used as a tonic for many ailments by a number of civilizations, including the Ancient Chinese and Indians. There is reference to ginger being taken for health in ancient Chinese, Sanskrit, Greek, Roman and Arabic texts.

Ginger was brought to the world from southeast Asia by the Romans in the first century. After the fall of the Roman Empire in 410, the Middle East began to control the trading of ginger. This monopoly, along with the scarcity of ginger, and greater demand for it, forced the price to rise considerably. Ginger was probably introduced to Africa and the Caribbean in or around the 15th century where it was then cultivated.

Ginger does not exist as a wild plant, it has been cultivated for thousands of years and grows best in warmer climates. India is still the main source of ginger; producing 34% of the 3.3 million tons that were produced in 2016. China, Nigeria and Indonesia are also serious producers.

Ginger beer was first made as a fermented alcoholic drink from ginger, water, sugar and the starter culture known as ginger beer plant (GBP) or ‘bees wine’. This ‘plant’ was a mix of a fungus, Saccharomyces florentinus yeast and Lactobacillus hilgardii bacterium. These clumped together and allow ginger beer to ferment. Ginger Beer Plant is hard to source nowadays – probably as it was lost during Second World War rationing. Many recipes for ginger beer now use brewer’s yeast in place of the Ginger Beer Plant.

Appearing in England in the mid-18th Century, ginger beer was also exported to the US and elsewhere in earthenware bottles. Over time, other spices were added to the ginger beer and by 1855, its alcohol content had been limited to 2% by excise laws.

Although ginger beer continued to be produced from this time, it did fall from popularity. However, thanks to drinks such as Dark and Stormy and the Moscow Mule, ginger beer is a staple drink once again.

The Difference Between Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale

Ginger beer is made before fermentation completes. This gives it a strong ginger and spicy flavor and carbonation. Most ginger beers today are categorized as non-alcoholic because they meet the FDA requirements of an alcohol content of less than 0.5%

If a ginger beer is cloudy, or unfiltered, the bottle or can will need a gentle shake or inversion before pouring.

Ginger ale is usually sweeter, and the ginger flavor is mellow. Ales are often made with carbonated water, ginger essence and other flavorings. Probably invented in the mid-19th century in Ireland, Vernor’s Ginger Ale was actually the first soda made in the US in 1866. James Vernor sold it in his Michigan drug store for 30 years until he opened a factory to make it on a larger scale. The modern ginger ale evolved in 1907 when the Canadian, John McLaughlin, invented what became known as Canada Dry.

In reality, the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale is not as obvious today. A number of manufacturers brew both ginger beer and ginger ales and some soda manufacturers will add stronger ginger flavor – such as essence – to their ginger ale to make it stronger.

Health Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is related to the cardamom and turmeric plants and is a flowering plant. It is the root or rhizome of ginger, usually just known as ginger, which is most common as a spice. The main compound in ginger that gives health benefits is gingerol. Ginger also contains iron, vitamins B6 and C, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, zinc, folate, niacin and riboflavin.

Ginger can be helpful with nausea and is still a popular home remedy for motion sickness. Research has shown it can also relieve the nausea symptoms of morning sickness during pregnancy, although it has no impact on level of vomiting. Those who suffer with chronic indigestion may also find some relief with ginger as it can help speed up stomach emptying.

There may also be some benefits of ginger for our musculoskeletal system. A trial of 247 people with osteoarthritis in their knee who took ginger extract needed less pain medication as they had lower levels of pain. Ginger may also help to reduce muscle pain, especially after exercise.

Ginger could help reduce the risk of heart disease as a small study showed that a small ginger powder supplement was able to reduce a marker for oxidized lipoproteins – a major risk factor for heart disease. Ginger may also be able to help reduce higher levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol (LDL) which also contributes to heart disease risk.

Safety of Ginger

Ginger is on the FDA’s Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) list and when consumed in reasonable quantities, ginger is safe and has few side effects. Some people can experience mild side effects from consuming ginger, such as heartburn, abdominal discomfort and gas.

Individuals who have gallstone disease may need to be careful with ginger as it can increase bile flow in the body. Although research has yet to confirm which medications ginger interacts with, there is some agreement that it may interact with anticoagulants and affect their action in the body.

Studies in pregnancy have not identified any harm from taking ginger, and indeed it may be useful to alleviate nausea symptoms, but if you are pregnant you should speak to your health care provider before taking ginger.

Conclusion

If you like to sit down with an occasional Moscow Mule in an evening, or even just a bottle of refreshing ginger beer, we hope that you have enjoyed this in-depth article on ginger beer. Ginger was known to promote health in ancient times and today, scientists have been able to confirm some of what these civilizations knew back then.