The Serious Eats Ginger Beer Taste Test
Clockwise from top left: Fentimans, Reed's, Great Uncle Cornelius, Ithaca Soda Co., The Ginger People, and GuS.
I'm not huge on sodas like Ed, but I will drink a ginger beer every once in awhile. Since visiting London when I was little with my family and buying big bottles of it at the local grocery store, I've been hooked. I think that ginger beer goes great with a whole bunch of foods, cutting through fatty food and complementing spicy Thai food. In summer, it's refreshing; in winter, the ginger is warming. Aesthetically, I like it because it often comes in cool glass bottles instead of a can. As a bonus, it's often made with honey or real sugar instead of fake sugars or high fructose corn syrup, which both gross me out.
I didn't think I'd overdone it when I walked into the office with seven bottles of ginger beer banging around in my bag. However, by the time I had poured out seven samples of each for five mouths to taste, things were starting to look a little crazy. We are very serious about our taste tests here at Serious Eats, so of course we did it blind-style and highly organized.
The Contenders
Reed's Premium Ginger Brew
Reed's Extra Ginger Brew
GuS Grown Up Soda Extra Dry Ginger Ale
The Ginger People Ginger Beer
Great Uncle Cornelius' Finest Spiced Ginger
Ithaca Soda Co. Ginger Beer
Fentimans Traditional Ginger Beer
We tasted, we were overwhelmed, but we persevered.
Recommended
The most interesting: Fentimans describes itself as "Botanically Brewed" and it is the only one of the bunch with true fermentation going on. I'd hazard to say that this is the reason that the British export tasted so weird when placed next to all the other higher-in-sugar carbonated American brands. Like beer, traditional ginger beer is brewed through a fermentation process. A traditional ginger beer, like Fentimans uses the ginger beer plant or other live active cultures, like yeast. Fentimans was the least sweet and has a flavor that can only be described as funky. Some tasters thought it was "medicinal" while others loved its "ginger bite."
The biggest surprise: Reed's, which is widely available throughout the U.S., is my old standby. Out of the two varieties we tasted, we preferred the Premium Ginger Brew. When I purchase Reed's, I always go for the Extra Ginger Brew for that extra kick, however the taste test proved that the Premium, sweetened only with white clover honey and pineapple juice (and without the fructose) is where the flavor's really at. Tasters described Reed's as being "fruity", "gingerbread-y", "sweet but not too sweet", and having a "pronounced honey flavor."
The best to mix with a drink: Great Uncle Cornelius' Finest Spiced Ginger. We all agreed that the darkest, spiciest, and sweetest of the bunch needed to be cut with something. I think I'll take it home and do just that. It would be great with tonic for a homemade ginger soda, with Goslings Black Seal Rum for a Dark N' Stormy, or with whiskey for a Jack and Ginger, but is way to heavy to drink by itself.
Not Recommended
GuS Grown-Up Soda Extra Dry Ginger Ale was thrown into the field just as a benchmark. It's a lot easier to find ginger ale than ginger beer in the U.S. Though I'm sure this is a perfectly nice ginger ale, it just didn't stand a chance against the stronger ginger beers. Comments ranged from "watered down" to "weak flavaaa."
The Ginger People Ginger Beer was a huge disappointment. I love the spicy little Ginger Chews that this company makes, but we all agreed that the strong lemon flavor made this smell like awful bathroom cleaner.
Ithaca Soda Co.'s Ginger Beer was bizarrely clear and light-tasting. Somehow it was peppery without having any ginger flavor.
At the end of the tasting Robyn drew a picture to illustrate how we all felt:
*Note: Since we finished this taste test, ginger beers seem to be jumping out of grocery store refrigerator cases at me. I've now seen Goya, Regatta, and Stewart's. Maybe we should do a second taste test with more varieties or maybe we've missed your favorite?
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51 Comments:
Maine Root Ginger Brew!!
They also make an outstanding root beer.
OTC617 at 9:28AM on 07/14/09
What happened to DG Jamaican ginger beer?
QueenAlli at 9:28AM on 07/14/09
Blenheim Ginger Ale.
the extra spicy version is my favorite.
rexroof at 9:38AM on 07/14/09
Seriously - Blenheim's Hot Hot is unstoppable.
ellcee at 10:04AM on 07/14/09
i just like robyn's drawing :) that would make for a good 'neighborhoodie'
gastronomeg at 10:24AM on 07/14/09
Left Hand makes a great one -- JuJu Ginger, which I think must be very rare because I hardly ever see it (Handlebar here in Chicago had it last summer).
anysuchname at 10:57AM on 07/14/09
stewarts? saranac?
I'll admit though, Reed's is hands-down the best.
mr guy at 11:04AM on 07/14/09
Don't forget Barrett's or Bermuda Stone!
DabbaMac at 11:05AM on 07/14/09
I was going to add Barritt's from Bermuda. They use it to make their dark and stormy drink with Gosling's black seal rum. Barritt's also makes a canned version of their dark and stormy but it is better fresh made at the bar.
JessMS34 at 11:11AM on 07/14/09
Bundaberg make a stellar ginger beer.
organicmatter at 11:14AM on 07/14/09
I didn't like Reed's - it seemed to have a grapefruity taste I wasn't looking for. I do love Blenheim's, and Cock and Bull (is that still made? It was a must-have for Moscow Mules).
Nezrite at 11:33AM on 07/14/09
Speaking of Goya, what _I'd_ like to see is a taste-test of malt sodas. Because I still get queasy when I think of the Malta Goyas I had a few years ago (and yeah, that's plural--had to make sure they were gross), but maybe other brands would be more appealing...
skizziks at 11:34AM on 07/14/09
Stewart's was the first ginger beer I ever tried. I was about 10 years old and the store was out of ginger ale, so I decided to try it. After the explosive burn factor faded, I was hooked. Now many years later, I look for a touch more flavor when I drink a soda, and have mellowed my taste somewhat. If you can find it, Americana Honey Lime Ginger Ale is one of my favorites now, fantastic drink.
iWander at 11:39AM on 07/14/09
Nezrite: Cock N' Bull is still made- we carry it at the bar I work at, and it's awesome for mixing w/whiskey.
thatgrrl at 12:09PM on 07/14/09
i used to buy this sinus-clearingly spicy one called "irie" - in a small brown bottle with a white and pale blue label. but no one i know has ever heard of it. did i hallucinate this?
maqloubeh at 12:59PM on 07/14/09
I am really into ginger beers and ginger ales. They have to be pretty spicy to make me happy. Blenheim was a favorite, but I can't seem to find the hot hot anymore in San Francisco. Agree with the commenter who mentioned Maine Root. Also, Fevertree is coming out with a ginger beer that I've been lucky enough to taste (compliments of Grub Report) and I can report that it's well balanced and has a great ginger punch. Bundaberg is my go-to when I can't find any of the above.
Jen Maiser at 1:52PM on 07/14/09
Oh, and one more thing -- I did try Fentiman's the other day, and it was ok. I agree with the "funky" adjective. It wasn't what I was expecting in a ginger beer, but I might give it another chance now that I have a better handle on its flavor.
Jen Maiser at 1:53PM on 07/14/09
anyone know where to find Bundaberg in the New York area?
tressa eaton at 1:59PM on 07/14/09
Blenheim's extra spicy and rye (Old Overholt) is my favorite highball. It's not called ginger and jack, it's called a highball, btw. I'll have to try Great Uncle Cornelius' b/c it's not easy to find Blenheim's up north.
latenac at 2:01PM on 07/14/09
Bundaberg!
dirtygreek at 2:09PM on 07/14/09
Bundaberg's is delicious. That's what I keep around for my dark and stormy or straight out of the bottle!
beverlyr at 2:10PM on 07/14/09
I traveled to Australia and became obsessed with ginger beer. The best I found was in Tasmania: Cascade. So delicious. Bundaberg is a worthy stand-in.
anichila at 2:23PM on 07/14/09
My boyfriend and I have a serious addiction to Dark and Stormies - we've tried most of the ginger beers on your list and have concluded that Goya is by far the best, especially if you're looking for something spicy and delicious. We thought many of the others were way too sweet.
cuprien at 3:06PM on 07/14/09
Is there a difference between ginger beer and ginger ale? And has anyone tried Vernor's ginger ale, or is that a regional Michigan thing? I have yet to find a ginger beer I like better than Vernor's, and I'm wondering if I haven't tried the right ginger beer (I haven't tried many).
LizGiff at 4:13PM on 07/14/09
We get Vernor's in Wisconsin, and I'd have to say it's in a league of its own. Very sweet, fairly gingery, but more flavorful than an average ginger ale. It has its place but it's not a Dark & Stormy ginger beer.
Nezrite at 6:28PM on 07/14/09
Both Reeds' varieties are my favorite, but I had to try Regatta, since it's brewed right near my house. It's not as spicy as Reeds, so it might be good for a first-time ginger beer drinker.
sharkweek at 6:40PM on 07/14/09
The taste test is definitely incomplete without Maine Root Ginger Brew, powerful but incredibly delicious, if you're into ginger. Regatta's not bad, so long as you stick with the non-diet version. "Medicinal" is too charitable to Fentiman's.
PenguinSteak at 10:59PM on 07/14/09
Good-O
Brooklyn Battery at 11:10PM on 07/14/09
Love the picture too! The difference between Ginger Ale & Ginger Beer? Typically Ginger Ale has 1/2 the Ginger & twice the sugar of Ginger Beer - and is made by infusion; whereas "real" ginger beer is brewed & fermented (as befits the descriptor) and contains a trace alcohol- and the best have Ginger as the No1 ingredient. Fentiman's any day
celli57 at 3:41AM on 07/15/09
@OTC617--have you had Maine Root's Blueberry Soda? It's to die for, tastes like sparkly blueberry muffins.
veggieout at 7:17AM on 07/15/09
I CALL BULLSHIT! Y'all left out a great ginger ale, Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale "Southern Spice When Ordinary Won't Do"
It'll make your lips numb (in a good way), and gives a good burn from all the ginger with a nice dark color and just a sweet little hit at the end. It goes great in floats and as a mixer with your favorite adult spirit. It can be shipped anywhere in the country by the case or by the pallet load. But of course you soda snobs would probably look down your noses at it, as it only comes in cans... But it's by far the best Ginger Ale I've ever had. Y'all should order a case then redo this obviously flawed taste test!
We can get Vernor's at Publix's in Alabama (meh), but it's a completely different animal than Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale
Pavlov at 8:20AM on 07/15/09
I grew up with Vernor's in Cincinnati. Say what you will about it, but for my ginger addiction it was my gateway drug.
Oh, btw, can a brother get some Uncle Cornelius in Minnesota?
jfultz at 10:20AM on 07/15/09
@pav - I've had that stuff and it's...weird. LOL
arm1970 at 11:00AM on 07/15/09
Ithaca Soda Co. Ginger Beer is my favorite ginger beer, I'm surprised it didn't appeal to you.
QueenMab at 11:07AM on 07/15/09
This might only be available in the Midwest, but Sprecher Ginger Beer, and all of their other sodas, is very clean, strong, and gingery- give it a try!
sofeasible at 11:44AM on 07/16/09
I love Fentiman's. You should try their Curiosity Cola - that stuff is so addictive. It's bloody expensive though.
masalha at 8:43AM on 07/17/09
Bundaberg is definitely our go-to. Dark, cloudy, just the right amount of spicy.
nightowl at 4:33PM on 07/18/09
In Kenya they have a soda called "Stoney Tangawizi" which is very spicy and floral... I wish I could get it here!
oregonpinot at 5:21PM on 07/18/09
In Kenya they have a soda called "Stoney Tangawizi" which is very spicy and floral... I wish I could get it here!
oregonpinot at 5:22PM on 07/18/09
The best is always home-made. I'm a huge fan of Alton Brown's ginger beer:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/ginger-ale-recipe/index.html
synplastic at 9:06PM on 07/18/09
The only kind I can get here after looking hard is Goya’s. It is pretty gingery, and I will cough if not careful. Sometimes a whiff is enough to make me sneeze. If it were a bit less sweet, I think I wouldn’t mind either.
Zelnox at 11:44PM on 07/18/09
DG Jamaican (the original) and Maine Root Ginger Brew...deep, rich, cloudy, not too sweet and peppery delicious!
foodieholic at 10:42AM on 07/19/09
@OTC617 - I couldn't agree with you more! Maine Root has the best Ginger Brew I have ever tasted! Is it too early for a D&S I wonder?
virgogrrl at 9:22AM on 07/20/09
There was a brand of ginger beer called Old Tyme that was stellar but I haven't seen it in a few years and I believe the company must have gone under. Of the brands that I've been able to find locally (Atlanta), Saranac is my favorite but if I may expand the discussion to include ginger ale, a local brand named Red Rock simply cannot be beat. Very crisp and sharp, I believe there's a hint of cayenne in it. It's best served very cold, which really brings out its crispness.
MMCHJL at 11:05AM on 07/20/09
Natural Brew Outrageous gingerale ..just the right kick
elen55 at 1:18PM on 07/20/09
@all you Maine Root fans, I stumbled upon a bottle this weekend, bought it, and will crack it open with dinner tonight.
@everyone asking about Vernor's. My dad is from Michigan so this was the soda of choice in our house, when we had soda. In my experience, if you don't watch it when you open a can it will give you a coughing fit. It's some powerful stuff, but I wouldn't say it's a true ginger beer.
tressa eaton at 1:46PM on 07/20/09
I like Barritts Bermuda stone ginger beer, which comes in cans. They carry it at my liquor store in Cambridge and we drank it a lot with the rum in St. John's
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_xpH_4P0-1xo/SUVHpzBy5fI/AAAAAAAAAgs/9ziPzPmXFNg/s512/100_0979.JPG
brigittesm at 6:02PM on 07/20/09
Fentimans Ginger Beer is awesome. If you like it you need to try the
Seville Orange Jigger, it could also be described as funky!
hello at 11:51AM on 07/22/09
I'm a big fan of Barritts, which used to be part of the "official" recipe for a Dark 'n' Stormy according to the company that makes Goslings Black Seal Rum (which has apparently trademarked the name "Dark 'n' Stormy" and their version of the recipe).
Barritts is no longer listed as part of the recipe since Goslings now markets their own Goslings brand ginger beer. Haven't tasted it myself but there's a discussion on LTHForum.com from those who have.
ghollander at 2:49PM on 07/22/09
Here in Japan, we had an autumn beer with ginger in it.... that`s lager beer.
Totally refreshing drunkeness!
bobbystokes at 8:01PM on 07/22/09
Hey, if you have gotten over your ginger beer shell shock and decide to do another review, please include Jamaca's Finest Ginger Beer from the Natrona Bottling Company. I think it's far better than those citrus-y, honey, pineapple-y, fruity, too-sweet, brew-y beverages you have tried.
Cheers!
Gibby at 12:19AM on 09/23/09