Ginger Beer vs. Ginger Ale: The Real Difference Between the Two

Ginger beer vs ginger ale. Are they different? Yes! Like most soft drinks, ginger ale is created using soda water and ginger flavor. On the other hand, ginger beer is created in the same process as traditional alcoholic beers by fermenting sugar, real ginger, and water. The carbonation is a byproduct of the brewing process, turning ginger beer into a carbonated beverage. And get this, non-alcoholic ginger beer does actually contain a little bit of alcohol, but it is so little alcohol content, the FDA regulates it as a non-alcoholic beverage.

Ginger beer itself originated in England and was brewed with a starter culture called the ginger beer plant. Not really a plant, this group of grains was the base of ginger beer. Today however most commercial ginger beers are fermented with champagne yeast.

Our favorite ginger beer brands to mix in a Moscow Mule include: Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer, Reed's Extra Ginger Brew Ginger Beer, Barritt's Original Ginger Beer, and Bundaberg Ginger Beer

Ginger ale on the other hand is a soda and can help relieve a stomach ache. Our favorite ginger ale brands to use as a cocktail mixer include Vernor's Ginger Ale, Seagram's Ginger Ale, and Schweppes Ginger Ale.