Ginger Beer vs. Ginger Ale: How Do They Compare?

Ginger beer is a spicy, fizzy beverage made by fermenting ginger, sugar, and, occasionally citrus juice, in water. The fermentation process involves the use of dry yeast or a starter culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) known as the ginger beer plant, or “ginger bug,” which is similar to a sourdough starter and the cultures used to make kombucha. Fresh ginger, grated to a fine pulp, lends the drink a potent, gingery heat.

Ginger beer originated in eighteenth-century England when its alcohol content of around 11 percent qualified it as an actual beer. Alcoholic ginger beers are less common in the modern era, though some are still made using a similar fermentation process (though with a much lower ABV). In contrast, others get their soft bubbles from forced carbonation rather than yeast. Many people use ginger beer in both mocktails and traditional mixed drinks like Moscow Mules, dark and stormy, or whiskey highballs.

Ginger ale is a naturally or artificially flavored and sweetened ginger soft drink, with a less spicy ginger flavor than ginger beer. This carbonated beverage is made of a combination of ginger root, molasses, water, and salt then fermented with whey. Like ginger beer, ginger ale can be consumed on its own, or mixed with alcoholic beverages to create cocktails.

You can often substitute ginger ale for traditional ginger beer and vice versa despite their differences in taste. However, there are a few marked differences that separate these two non-alcoholic drinks.

• Production: Ginger beer is made by fermenting fresh ginger and sugar, while ginger ale is either fermented with whey or made by mixing soda water or club soda with artificial or real ginger syrup.
• Flavor: Ginger beer has a stronger flavor, smell, and spice than ginger ale, which tends to taste more syrupy.
• Alcohol content: Ginger ale is completely alcohol-free, while ginger beer contains around 0.5 percent alcohol by volume (though this is low enough to technically still be considered non-alcoholic).
• Brewing storage: Ginger ale can be stored in glass bottles during the brewing process, but commercial ginger beers cannot. The gas pressure during the fermentation process would cause the bottle to explode.

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