Ginger Beer

Spicy fermented (or brewed) non-alcoholic soda with a firm ginger bite.

Mixers England (18th century)
Flavor profile: spicy

Ginger beer is a ginger-heavy soda that ranges from mild (Reed's) to aggressive (Fever-Tree, Bundaberg). Unlike ginger ale, which is typically sweet and gentle, ginger beer has real ginger spice and often a drier finish. A Moscow Mule or Dark & Stormy demands a spicy ginger beer — the drink is defined by ginger heat meeting rum or vodka. Fever-Tree and Bundaberg are the cocktail-world standards.

Common uses

Moscow Mule, Dark & Stormy, El Diablo.

Cocktails that use Ginger Beer

  • Moscow Mule — Vodka, ginger beer, and lime — served in an iconic copper mug
  • Dark & Stormy — Dark rum floated over spicy ginger beer — Bermuda's national drink
  • El Diablo — Tequila, crème de cassis, lime, and ginger beer — a devilishly good highball

Substitutes

  • Ginger Ale — Sweeter and softer; fundamentally a different drink.