We tasted 12 ginger beers — the No. 1 pick is a brand you already know
Our 12-brand ginger beer taste test revealed a clear winner with bold ginger heat and just the right touch of sweetness.
Ginger beer is the bottle you buy for one cocktail — and then suddenly can’t live without. It’s spicy, bubbly, and just sweet enough to feel like a treat, equally at home on a serious bar cart or in the fridge for easy sipping.
This punchy beverage was traditionally alcoholic, made by fermenting fresh ginger root with sugar and water to produce a lightly bubbly texture. Modern brands might be fermented or carbonated artificially, but most are nonalcoholic or contain a miniscule amount of alcohol.
Consider ginger beer as ginger ale’s bolder cousin. Ginger ale is usually lighter and softer — more of a classic soda, with a gentler ginger note and an easy-drinking sweetness. In cocktails, that difference shows: Ginger beer brings the bite, while ginger ale keeps things mellow and round.
Behind the bar, ginger beer is the backbone of a great Moscow Mule; it adds a spicy-fresh bite to a Dark ’n Stormy; and it is the quickest way to give a simple highball some snap. It plays nicely with fresh citrus in classic cocktails, but it’s just as good sipped plain over ice with a simple squeeze of lime.
However, ginger beers aren’t all created equal. Some brands skew flat and candy-sweet; others bring real ginger heat, bright acidity, and carbonation that holds up past the first sip. Since mixers matter just as much as spirits, we tasted 12 ginger beers side by side to find the best.
How we selected the ginger beers
We tested 12 popular ginger beers that are widely available at grocery stores, liquor stores, or easily found online. While some brands offer a spicy or extra-gingery version, we selected the most classic ginger beer offering. The ginger beers came in a range of sizes, including 12-ounce cans, larger glass bottles, and small bottles designed for the bar that contained 6 to 8 ounces — an ideal amount for a cocktail or two.
How we tested
Nine Food & Wine editors participated in the ginger beer taste test. All of the ginger beers were sampled one after the other, with no knowledge of the brands. Each ginger beer was chilled in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours in advance of the tasting to ensure it was tasted at the optimal temperature. They were sampled fridge-cold, not over ice, to mitigate the risk of dilution.
We asked our editors to score each ginger beer based on the following criteria: the flavor of the ginger beer (we looked for fresh ginger flavor with balanced sweetness) and the texture of the bubbles (we looked for a bubbly ginger beer that wasn’t overpoweringly carbonated).
Best overall: Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer
There’s a reason why Executive Wine Editor Ray Isle described Fever-Tree’s ginger beer as “Pow! Lotsa ginger!” The cocktail mixer brand uses three types of ginger to build a distinctive bite: Cochin ginger from India for warmth, green ginger from the Ivory Coast for herbal freshness, and Nigerian ginger for depth.
Our editors praised Fever-Tree’s ginger beer for its balanced sweetness that really let the ginger heat shine. “It’s sweet enough to make it pleasant to drink, but you still get the satisfying sting at the end that sits with you,” said Senior Creative Producer Chloe Gebacz.
Fever-Tree also excelled in the texture category, offering just enough effervescence to add lift to the drink without blowing out our palates. Executive Features Editor Kat Kinsman noted that the bubbles are “decently sassy.” Those bubbles would be at home in any cocktail, integrating smoothly and adding some zing.
Most versatile: Franklin & Sons Brewed Ginger Beer
Founded in 1886, England-based Franklin & Sons knows its way around a sparkling mixer. Its ginger beer is made with the addition of two ingredients that lend an unexpected flavor: malted barley extract and lemon juice. The malted barley adds a nutty, bready quality, and the lemon brings some zip and tang.
These additional ingredients contribute to the overall balance of the drink, which our testers praised. “It’s on the sweet end initially, but as you run it around the palate, it leaves a nice fresh ginger burn,” commented Gebacz.
This balanced ginger beer would stand up to rich dark rum, add plenty of personality to vodka, and match whiskey with its oomph.
Most surprising: Betty Buzz Ginger Beer
Founded by actor Blake Lively, Betty Buzz is a comparative newcomer to the mixer scene — a category filled with brands with decades of experience. Our editors loved Betty Buzz’s fresh take on a classic ginger beer. “This is my favorite so far,” said Senior Social Media Editor Alexa Rockwell. “It has a touch of sourness, which would mix well with alcohol, and has a nice balance of flavors.”
Kinsman picked up on the acid, too: “Finally some dimension and tartness!” she said. The ginger beer gets its tangy lift from the addition of citric acid, which tempers some of the sweet heat.
Betty Buzz comes in both convenient 12-ounce cans and decorative glass bottles, which would be a pretty addition to any bar cart.
The full list of contenders, ranked from highest to lowest
- Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer
- Franklin & Sons Brewed Ginger Beer
- Betty Buzz Ginger Beer
- Royalty Ginger Beer
- Ithaca Ginger Beer
- Uncle Waithley’s Ginger Beer
- Belvoir Farm Sparkling Ginger Beer
- Q Mixers Ginger Beer
- Goslings Stormy Ginger Beer
- Reed’s Ginger Beer
- Bundaberg Ginger Beer
- Bruce Cost Ginger Ale
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