# Ginger beer
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Tags:** beer
**Created:** [February 22, 2016, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835 "2016-02-22T21:22:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2016, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/21 "2016-02-24T17:01:42Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Didn’t they call it ginger beer?
Nope. [Vernor’s ginger ale](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernors)
> [@](#):
>
> Vernors is a ginger flavored soft drink and the oldest surviving ginger ale brand in the United States
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### Author:  [@araminty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/araminty)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/22 "2016-02-24T17:18:37Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> I want to make some ginger ale using the wife’s Sodastream. (Thanks for the name, **Chronos**.) So I’ll need to make a syrup that will not be fermented. And I want it **HOT**. Any suggestions/recipes?
I made some ginger pepper syrup using [this Saveur recipe](http://www.saveur.com/article/recipes/ginger-syrup) last year, it was good, but I think if I made it again, I’d use more ginger.
Lots of the Aussie ginger beers are made in coastal Queensland, as the climate is favourable for ginger cultivation, as well as sugar cane. Both the Buderim and Bundaberg factories have tours open to the public, and Buderim, in particular, has a LOT of cool ginger things in the factory store that are harder to find out in the wide world. Drop by if you’re ever in the neighbourhood!
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### Author:  [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2016, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/23 "2016-02-24T17:39:43Z")
Not a ginger beer but a “Gingeroo” from the Old New Orleans Rum Distillery was mighty tasty. Bits of ginger can bee seen in cloudy (once gently shaken) beverage. IIRC its made with alcohol that hasn’t yet become rum. Highly recommended, as it a tour of the place itself.
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### Author:  [@shorin-ryu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shorin-ryu)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2016, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/24 "2016-02-24T18:26:34Z")
If you candy ginger, a side product is ginger syrup. I have mixed it with fizzy water and it was good, but not real hot. But I bet if you thinned and reboiled the syrup with fresh ginger you could increase the gingeriness some. Could be a tasty experiment, anyways!
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### Author:  [@swampspruce](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampspruce)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2016, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/25 "2016-02-24T18:45:47Z")
> [@Spoons](#):
>
> Anybody remember Vernor’s Ginger Soda? A little more “full” than typical ginger beers.
>
> I miss ginger beer. Haven’t seen it for years at the supermarket. Now, thanks to this thread, I want some.
Ask and Ye shall receive. [Vernor’s Store](http://www.thevernorsstore.com/Vernors-pl-10.aspx). If you have friends or relatives in Ontario they can buy it locally as well. My Dad buys it for my sister and I occasionally. The shipping is murder but you gots to feed the addiction.
I tried Fentimen’s and was underwhelmed. D & G is pretty tasty, but [Grace](http://www.thirstydudes.com/review/grace-island-soda-ginger-beer-1874http://) is my all time favourite, although hard to get for some reason.
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### Author:  [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/26 "2016-02-25T03:00:59Z")
Does anyone else miss Faygo Brau? It was Faygo’s ginger beer back in the late 60s. I have some Goya in the frig, but that stuff costs $1 for a 12 oz. bottle. This country needs a good, hot, reasonably priced ginger beer again!
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### Author:  [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/27 "2016-02-25T03:19:41Z")
$1 a bottle is high? Golly.
I just had my first Moscow Mule and was thinking of looking for some Ginger Beer, so thanks for all the names. Anyone want to recommend one specifically for a Moscow Mule? (Plus I get to buy some mugs; bonus!)
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### Author:  [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/28 "2016-02-25T03:27:43Z")
> [@swampspruce](#):
>
> Ask and Ye shall receive. [Vernor’s Store](http://www.thevernorsstore.com/Vernors-pl-10.aspx). If you have friends or relatives in Ontario they can buy it locally as well. My Dad buys it for my sister and I occasionally. The shipping is murder but you gots to feed the addiction.
Ahhh, thank you!
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### Author:  [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/29 "2016-02-25T04:08:06Z")
> [@kayT](#):
>
> $1 a bottle is high? Golly.
Well, store-brand ginger ales sell for $2.50 a twelve-pack. I really have found very few store brands of ginger ale that I didn’t like. Ginger beer is just stronger ginger ale, basically- I figure some brand could sell it for a ginger ale price.
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### Author:  [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/30 "2016-02-25T04:41:11Z")
> [@Hampshire](#):
>
> This massive soda shop near the Twin cities, [Blue Sun](http://bluesunsodashop.com/sodas/) carries over 70 varieties of ginger beer.
> Looks like I need to make a trip over and put together a case.
> Any must-haves besides the AJ Stephans?
Hampshire, you are my hero for posting this. I will head there this weekend.
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### Author:  [@Anamorphic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anamorphic)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/31 "2016-02-25T06:17:21Z")
I love a good Dark ‘n’ Stormy, and Bundaberg is definitely good.
I also like [Gosling’s Ginger Beer](http://www.goslingsrum.com/our-products/stormy-ginger-beer/). You can mix it with a nice rye to make a “Ryan Gosling”. Yuk yuk.
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### Author:  [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/32 "2016-02-25T16:03:36Z")
> [@Spoons](#):
>
> Anybody remember Vernor’s Ginger Soda? A little more “full” than typical ginger beers.
Sure, it’s one of my favorites. It was best when it was sweetened with stevia. At some point in the 80’s or 90’s they switched to HFCS for the sweetening. A sad day IMHO
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### Author:  [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2016, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/33 "2016-02-25T16:24:50Z")
> [@somepumpkin](#):
>
> Just had a Crabbies while I waited for my Mexican Lasagna take-out last night. But that’s not really what you were talking about.
>
> We’ve a great ginger beer in the Hispanic section of the local grocery. It’s from Goya and it helps make a yummy Dark-n-Stormy.
>
> Were you thinking [Blenheim](https://www.google.com/search?q=blenheim&biw=1253&bih=563&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwi9grjMqYzLAhXCeCYKHTIOAKQQ_AUIBygC&dpr=1#tbm=isch&q=blenheim+ginger+ale)? I just learned (well, was told in the bar) that they have different colored caps to denote _hotness_. Hmmmmm?
I love me some Crabbies and a good dark n’ stormy too. And you need ginger beer for Moscow Mules.
Some bars don’t carry it, though.
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### Author:  [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2016, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/34 "2016-02-27T09:43:37Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> It’s really good, but I find it’s pretty intense: You pretty much need to set aside about three hours to drink it, or it’s overwhelming.
I picked up a bottle of Bundeburg first in a burrito chain in Belfast that stocked it along with some Mexican beverages (with actual sugar!), the filling effect of both together was not conducive to an afternoon of work in the office.
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### Author:  [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2016, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/35 "2016-02-27T11:31:56Z")
I’m not much of a fan of ginger beer, it gets a bit overactive for my liking, but Bundaberg have recently branched out into [new flavours](https://15ace9da33234c8009e1-c36b621a4e9f69e1eca0349eb68643a7.ssl.cf4.rackcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/BBD-441-Homepage-Carousel_Range_Aus-1.jpg) that I’ve really enjoyed over this summer.
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### Author:  [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2016, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/36 "2016-02-27T12:30:00Z")
> [@Anamorphic](#):
>
> I also like [Gosling’s Ginger Beer](http://www.goslingsrum.com/our-products/stormy-ginger-beer/).
I was beginning to think I was alone in liking it!
It used to be that Vernors wasn’t sold outside Michigan. In the mid-late '70s I was living in Iowa; one of the women at work went to Michigan every summer to visit her grandchildren, and she’d bring me a couple of sixpacks. I was very surprised in find it in a store in Virginia in '84. Now I can get it in the Super WalMart about 20 minutes away from here.
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### Author:  [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2016, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/37 "2016-02-27T14:11:36Z")
I’m not a fan of Crabbies at all, and Metropolitan Market carries a hard Ginger Beer I like. Hollows & Fentimans, unfortunately MM is the only place I’ve found it.
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### Author:  [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2016, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/38 "2016-02-27T16:29:50Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> I’m a fan of [Barritts](http://www.barrittsgingerbeer.bm/).
I just picked some up to try because I’m always looking for different brands.
It was expensive and very weak.
I’m not sure if I’m thinking this through correctly but I expect ginger beer to have a bite to it. I’d rank any of the name brand ginger ales above Barritts for intensity. I’d buy a 2 liter bottle of Seagrams Ginger Ale and save myself $6.
I use to drink Fentimens which is from the UK but wanted a little more bite to it. It had a lot of nice subtle qualities to it that make it worth trying. Fentimems is an interesting company. Can’t say I’m a huge fan of their Dandelion and Burdock soda but they have an interesting selection of drinks.
I’m still going with Cock & Bull for consumption as a stand alone drink. I’ve found some stronger brands that may work as mixers but I’ve never ordered such a drink at a bar. The only time I ordered a Moscow Mule the waitress came back and wanted to make sure I knew how expensive it was. It was too late in the evening to mortgage my house so I got a craft beer instead.
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2016, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/39 "2016-02-27T17:29:44Z")
Vernors has always been available in Ohio and Pennsylvania going back to at least my childhood in the 80s, and the adults at the time seemed to consider it an old familiar beverage even then. It’s good, but I wouldn’t put it remotely in the same category as something like Bundeberg.
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### Author:  [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)
#### Post date: [February 27, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ginger-beer/746835/40 "2016-02-27T17:57:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#):
>
> Vernors has always been available in Ohio and Pennsylvania going back to at least my childhood in the 80s, and the adults at the time seemed to consider it an old familiar beverage even then. It’s good, but I wouldn’t put it remotely in the same category as something like Bundeberg.
Vernor’s ginger ale was noted for its unique color & taste among ginger **ales**. Originally much of that uniqueness (besides using more ginger and sugar than competitors) was attributed to its being aged in oak barrels. In later times the color and taste were achieved artificially (and still are).
Vernor’s was not considered a ginger **beer** by most aficionados.
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