Ginger beer and ginger ale, as their names suggest, are flavored with the same ingredient, but these two fizzy ginger beverages can be quite different. One is spicier, and one is sweeter, but both are refreshing when enjoyed by themselves and both pair well with a variety of flavors for tasty mixed drinks or innovative cocktails. While it's possible to brew your own ginger beer or mix your own ginger ale at home, there are also lots of variations to choose from among the existing brands, both artisanal and mainstream, for each.
If you don't already have a favorite go-to ginger ale or ginger beer, we can give you some insight with a ranking of the and — but the two beverages are different enough that, if you like the flavor of ginger, it might be worth keeping both on hand for all your home-mixing needs. What is ginger beer? Ginger beer, despite its name, has nothing to do with beer except that, like beer, it's produced through a brewing process (albeit a much simpler one). Originating in England, this sweet elixir with a bit of kick, , was part of a trend of beverages brewed from roots and barks around the 1700s.
These were known as "small beers," due to their lower alcohol content. Then, as now, ginger beer recipes take a few key ingredients, including grated ginger and an acidic compound, which are fermented together to produce a spicy brew. Once it's ready to consume, ginger beer gets bottled and refrigerated, so as to stop the fermentation process early.
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