What Is Ginger Beer? Everything You Need to Know About the Famous Soft Drink

Despite what the name implies, ginger beer is actually a non-alcoholic drink.

It does, however, play a starring role in a popular cocktail, the Moscow Mule. This drink is a simple mixture of vodka, ginger beer and lime. And although alcohol is the main ingredient in most cocktails, ginger beer takes this one.

But what makes it so great? Here’s what ENTITY found out.

What exactly is ginger beer and where did it come from?

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Ginger beer originated in England in the 1800s. It was brewed with ginger, sugar, water, lemon juice and fermented ginger beer plant – which is actually a bacteria, not a plant. The final product did have some alcohol content, but it was no more than 11 percent.

But as the drink became more popular, manufacturers added more spices to the drink and reduced its alcohol content. Today, ginger beer is categorized a non-alcoholic drink because it has less than 0.5 percent alcohol, which meets FDA requirements of non-alcoholic beverages.

What’s the difference between ginger ale and ginger beer?

Ginger beer inspired ginger ale.

Ginger ale was first created by eliminating the alcohol content of ginger beer and adding carbonation. Canadian pharmacist John McLaughlin invented the Canada Dry Ginger Ale in 1907. McLaughlin opened his own carbonated water plant and decided to create his own soft drinks.

Thus, the biggest difference between the two is that ginger beer is fermented (brewed), but ginger ale is just carbonated water flavored with ginger.  However, since many small soda companies brew both their ginger beers and ales today, the difference isn’t as clear anymore. So really, now it’s just about taste and preference.

What are some ginger beer brands?

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Bundaberg is the brand usually used in Moscow Mules. The Australian company makes craft brewed sodas, which is what makes them so popular.

Fever-tree, on the other hand, uses three different types of ginger to create their award-winning drink. The brand won a Great Taste award in 2013 from the Guild of Fine Food.

You also can’t go wrong with Gosling’s ginger beer, especially since the Gosling family was making spirits in England in 1806, which is the same time the drink became popular.

Fentiman’s ginger beer is also popular because the Fentiman family brewed an original recipe for the drink in England in 1905, 100 years after the Gosling’s drink, but still pretty well-received.

Are there any benefits to drinking ginger beer?

The soft drink’s main ingredient is ginger, which, on its own, has a lot of health benefits.

Ginger beer’s effect on your health really depends on the amount of ginger in the drink. But if ginger beer contains a high amount of ginger, you could be increasing your lifespan just by drinking it.

Though it’s not proven, ginger shows the potential to prevent cancer. According to LIVESTRONG, a report in Molecular Nutrition and Food Research found that ginger inhibits the growth of cancer cells. It’s not a cure, but it also doesn’t hurt to drink it.

Ginger can also relieve nausea by helping digestion or it can be used as an anti-inflammatory agent, reports BBC Good Food.

Where can I buy the drink?

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Most big brands can be found at your local convenience store, but the best ginger beer brand is found places you wouldn’t think to venture to, such as:

• Farmers’ markets: You can find indie, local and organic brands at your local Farmers’ market.
• Your local deli: More likely than not, your deli carries your favorite indie brand.
• Bars: If you just want a cup of the soft drink, bars carry the best brands for Moscow mules.
• Local restaurants: Your local family-owned restaurant is more likely to carry your favorite brand than a major chain.

If you’ve been living under a rock this entire time and didn’t know what the fermented drink was, now you know.