Ginger Beer With Alcohol: Where To Buy And Legality

Ginger beer is a non-alcoholic drink that originated in England in the mid-1800s. It is made by fermenting and brewing ginger with water and sugar, resulting in a drink with about 11% alcohol content. Modern ginger beer is carbonated and has less than 0.5% alcohol content, so it is not classified as an alcoholic beverage. However, some people enjoy making their own alcoholic ginger beer at home. There are various brands of non-alcoholic ginger beer available in the market, such as Cock n Bull, Gosling's, and Fever Tree.

Modern ginger beer is non-alcoholic

Ginger beer originated in England in the mid-1800s and was produced by fermenting and brewing ginger with water and sugar. This process resulted in a drink with about 11% alcohol content. However, today's ginger beer is not fermented, and the alcohol content is negligible, typically less than 0.5%.

Ginger beer has a strong, spicy, and robust flavour, often described as having a "kick." It is a popular mixer in cocktails like the Moscow Mule, Dark 'n Stormy, or even a sangria. It can also be enjoyed on its own over ice, perhaps with a slice of lime.

Some popular brands of ginger beer include Fever Tree, Bundaberg, Fentiman's, Gosling's, and Barritt's. These ginger beers vary in terms of sweetness and spiciness, with some described as having a "pretty good taste" and others as being "very gingery."

While modern ginger beer is non-alcoholic, it is possible to make homemade alcoholic ginger beer through fermentation. This process typically involves using brewer's yeast and can take up to a few weeks to complete.

Traditional ginger beer was alcoholic

Ginger beer is a popular drink that has been enjoyed for centuries. The drink is typically characterised by its strong ginger flavour and carbonation. While most commercial ginger beers today are non-alcoholic, traditional ginger beer was originally an alcoholic beverage.

The origins of ginger beer can be traced back to the mid-1700s in England, where it was first produced by fermenting and brewing ginger with water and sugar. This process resulted in a drink with a mild alcoholic content of around 11% ABV, similar to that of a light beer. The alcoholic version of ginger beer was also known as "bees wine", "Palestinian bees", "Californian bees", and "balm of Gilead".

The process of making traditional ginger beer involved fermenting a mixture of ginger, water, and sugar, and sometimes additional ingredients such as lemon peel, juice, or citric acid. This fermentation process naturally produced alcohol, resulting in a mildly alcoholic beverage. The fermented mixture was then bottled and could be drunk fresh or allowed to age.

The popularity of alcoholic ginger beer began to decline during the prohibition era in the early 20th century, particularly in regions where the sale of alcohol was prohibited. During this time, soft drink companies began producing non-alcoholic versions of ginger beer and ginger ale, which became popular mixers for illegal liquor.

Today, most commercial ginger beers are manufactured rather than brewed, with artificial carbonation and flavour additives. These modern ginger beers are typically non-alcoholic or have an alcohol content of less than 0.5% ABV, which is considered a soft drink by legal definition. However, it is still possible to find alcoholic ginger beers produced by smaller breweries or homebrewers who follow traditional brewing methods.

You can make alcoholic ginger beer at home

Yes, you can make alcoholic ginger beer at home! It's a simple process that can be done with easily accessible ingredients and basic equipment. Here's a step-by-step guide to making your own delicious brew:

Ingredients and Equipment:

• 3.7 pounds of fresh ginger
• 6 pounds of turbinado sugar
• Red star champagne yeast
• Yeast nutrients
• Campden tablets to stop fermentation
• Whirlfloc tablets for clarity
• A pot and a fermentation vessel (e.g., a bucket with an airtight lid, glass carboy, or commercial fermentor)
• Optional: food processor, strainer, airlock, immersion or counterflow chiller, etc.

Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients:

Wash the ginger and shred or chop it. You can also juice the ginger if you prefer. Prepare any other optional ingredients, such as lemon or lime juice.

Step 2: Make the Mixture:

Boil about 6.5 gallons of water in a stainless steel pot. Add the ginger and slowly stir in the sugar to avoid burning. Boil for about an hour, stirring occasionally to prevent boiling over. You can also add other ingredients like lemon or lime juice at this stage.

Step 3: Cool and Ferment:

Cool the mixture as quickly as possible using an immersion or counterflow chiller, or by transferring it to the fermentation vessel to reach room temperature. Sanitize all equipment and tools to prevent bacterial contamination. Once the mixture is cooled, add the yeast and seal the fermentation vessel with an airlock. Leave it at room temperature for a few days to a week, until fermentation activity slows or stops.

Step 4: Bottle and Carbonate:

After fermentation, siphon the liquid into clean, sanitized bottles, leaving behind any sediment. To carbonate, add a small amount of dissolved sugar to each bottle before sealing. Store the bottles in a warm, dark place for a few days to allow carbonation to develop.

Step 5: Enjoy Your Creation:

After carbonation, chill the bottles in the refrigerator before serving. Your homemade alcoholic ginger beer is now ready to be enjoyed! Remember to consume the beverage within 24 hours of opening each bottle.

Feel free to experiment with different ingredients, flavors, and techniques to find your perfect brew. Happy brewing!

Ginger beer is a good cocktail mixer

Ginger beer is a great cocktail mixer, and its versatility is evident in the wide range of cocktails that can be made with it. Its sweet, effervescent notes and spicy ginger finish make it a perfect addition to mixed drinks of all kinds.

The Moscow Mule is perhaps the most famous ginger beer cocktail. This classic drink is made with vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer, and it's bubbly, zingy, and bold. Another well-known cocktail that uses ginger beer is the Dark and Stormy, which combines dark rum, ginger beer, and lime for a refreshing highball.

But ginger beer isn't just for mules; it can be used in a variety of cocktails, including the El Diablo (tequila, crème de cassis, lime juice, and ginger beer), the Whiskey Highball (whiskey and ginger beer), and the Pimm's Cup (cucumber slices, Pimm's No 1, and ginger beer).

If you're feeling adventurous, you can even try a Mexican Mule, which substitutes tequila for vodka in the traditional Moscow Mule, or a Mezcal Mule, which adds mezcal for a smoky flavour. For a lighter, bubblier option, there's the Floradora, a pink drink that combines raspberry syrup, lime, gin, and ginger beer.

Ginger beer is also a key ingredient in the Gin Gin Mule, a modern classic that's a mashup of the Moscow Mule and the minty Mojito. And for those who enjoy bourbon, the Kentucky Mule is a great option, swapping out the traditional vodka for bourbon.

So, whether you're a fan of vodka, rum, tequila, whiskey, or gin, ginger beer is a fantastic mixer that can add a fizzy, spicy kick to your favourite cocktails.

Ginger beer has a strong flavour

Ginger beer has a strong, spicy, and aromatic flavour. It is made with a blend of ginger, water and sugar that's fermented with yeast, then carbonated and bottled. The fermentation process gives ginger beer its characteristic robust taste, which can be more or less intense depending on the brand. For example, the Q Ginger Beer has a mild appearance but packs a punch in terms of taste. On the other hand, Fever-Tree Ginger Beer is known for being sweeter and less strong.

The strong flavour of ginger beer makes it a great mixer for cocktails, such as the Moscow Mule or a Dark 'n' Stormy. It can also be enjoyed on its own, either straight or with ice and lime slices. When used in cocktails, ginger beer adds a spicy kick that enhances the other ingredients without overpowering them. For instance, bartenders swear by Fever-Tree's "premium" ginger beer, which has less sugar and a nice dry taste that won't overpower the other ingredients in a cocktail.

The key to a good ginger beer is a balanced flavour profile with less sugar, moderate spice, and bright effervescence. A flat ginger beer is often considered the worst thing that can happen to the drink. Ginger beer should have enough bubbles to tickle your nose and satisfy your craving for carbonation. In addition to its flavour, ginger beer can also have a cloudy or clear appearance depending on the filtering process and the manner in which it's brewed.

Frequently asked questions