The Distinction Between Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer

Ginger-flavored drinks are barroom staples, the indispensable spicy-sweet associate to a few of your favourite drinks. A Darkish ‘n Stormy and numerous Mules and Bucks wouldn’t be full with out ginger beer. And numerous highballs with out their ginger ale counterpart would simply fall flat.

Ginger drinks typically get lumped into the identical class. Whereas they share the identical ginger spice base, they’re vastly completely different drinks. 

“The most important distinction between ginger beer and ginger ale is the depth of the ginger taste,” says Tyler Ledbetter, bar supervisor at New York Metropolis’s TH/RST Hospitality. “Ginger beer has extra of a spicy, pure ginger taste, whereas ginger ale has extra delicate, even syrupy qualities.”

Every drink can be suited to completely different cocktails. 

“Ginger beer is utilized in numerous mule cocktails: Moscow Mules, Kentucky Mules, Mexican Mules, and so on.,” says Ledbetter. “Ginger ale is extra of a topper in [equal-parts] combined drinks, like Jameson and ginger ale.”

What’s ginger beer?

“It’s a fermented beverage comprised of sugar, water, and ginger,” says Matt Im, head bartender at Portland, Maine’s Prentice Hospitality Group, which incorporates Evo and The Good Desk.

Ginger beer is barely candy and brightly carbonated, filled with an intense ginger taste and pungent punch of warmth. 

“It has this robust taste and zest, you may even describe it as spicy, together with the carbonated fizz that makes for a novel beverage,” says Conrad Gass, director of meals and beverage at Shoreside, contained in the Shore Resort in Santa Monica, California. 

“Primarily, ginger beer is a ginger soda with a heavy taste of ginger and spice,” says Matt Tanner, from EZ’s Liquor Lounge in Houston.

Although ginger beer is seen as important in right this moment’s cocktail tradition, its roots date centuries, when ginger drinks could be sipped for medicinal functions. 

Within the 1700s, early iterations of ginger beers began to seem in the UK. These have been vivid, spicy brews comprised of fermenting ginger root till they reached 2–3% alcohol.

“Most ginger beers have lower than 0.5% alcohol, which is how they’re categorized as non-alcoholic,” says Im. “It’s naturally carbonated through yeast and micro organism through the brew course of, much like kombucha, and completely different producers could use different elements to enhance the flavour (like citrus or peppers).”

What’s ginger ale?

Whereas ginger beer is spicy and daring, ginger ale is extra akin to a soda. 

“Ginger ale is a lighter model of ginger beer, with a lightweight taste of ginger, no spice, and a bit sweeter,” says Im. 

Gass agrees. “Ginger ale is extra of a soda pop flavored with ginger-infused syrup. It’s nonetheless a scrumptious drink, however tamed down for these with a softer palate.”

Im says that ginger ales will be extra versatile in cocktails. 

“I just like the Presbyterian cocktail [bourbon, ginger ale, club soda], and I additionally like making Ginger Highballs with some pink pickled ginger on the underside of the glass so as to add some salinity and tartness,” he says. “I discover that it enhances and stands out much less when combined with whiskeys.”

How you can use ginger beer and ginger ale

Im likes to maintain it traditional with a Darkish ’n Stormy, made with Gosling’s rum, ginger beer, and lime juice. “I like so as to add a half-ounce of lime juice to carry up the flavors of the rum and ginger beer, with a lime wheel on high so as to add some delicate aroma,” he says.

Im additionally wish to tweak a Pimm’s Cup. “At The Good Desk, as an alternative of utilizing ginger ale, we add only a splash of ginger beer to our vacation model for a bit extra physique and heat.”

“And, in fact, there’s the notorious Moscow Mule,” says Gass. “Or a extra fashionable take, like a Kentucky Mule, made with bourbon.”

Gass prefers ginger beer over ginger ale in cocktails due to its complexity, “however ginger ale will be substituted in a pinch,” he says. Gass will use ginger beer to high a Mojito, and he typically subs out rum for tequila.

Gass says the distinction in these drinks comes right down to taste profile…and vibes. “Ginger beer lends itself to these with a extra refined palate, or these feeling adventurous,” he says. “If I’m in a swanky lounge and order a Crown Royal and ginger, I do know I’m getting ginger beer. If I ordered the identical in a high-volume nightclub setting, it’s going to be ginger ale. They’re each enjoyable mixers which have their place in mixology. It simply will depend on what sort of expertise the beverage workforce is making an attempt to create for the visitor.”

Which manufacturers must you get?

“Fever-Tree has developed itself right into a staple behind each cocktail bar,” says Gass. “Schweppes is a protected wager in the event you’re simply in search of an reasonably priced soda.”

You can too go for a pre-spiked model. “Manufacturers like Reed’s make a tough ginger canned mule with zero sugar,” says Gass. “Jameson Whiskey launched a canned Jameson & Ginger. Each of those are prime quality and refreshing brews that any drinker can love.”