# Poll: Ginger Beer: Nectar of the gods, or vile brew from the outer darkness? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** soda-softdrinks\ **Created:** [August 7, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852 "2011-08-07T19:10:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/41 "2013-04-22T17:39:02Z")
I’m a lifelong teatotaler, and this is my equivalent of strong drink. As a teen I was a “victim of advertisting” of Faygo’s version, Faygobrau. (I don’t think they make it any more.) The ads featured parodies of contemporary beer commercials, and I wanted to try it. I disliked it very much, but was determined to acquire a taste for it. I did. I still like it. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/42 "2013-04-22T18:16:23Z")
> [@davidm](#): > > The stuff tasted like someone took a bottle of ginger ale and added 3 or 4 tablespoons of ground ginger to it. You say this like it’s a bad thing… ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/43 "2013-04-22T18:37:48Z")
Sounds delicious to me! ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/44 "2013-04-22T19:02:35Z")
I love Ginger Ale, the spicier the better. My current favorite is Blenheim’s, which is so hot it makes me cough with every sip. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/45 "2013-04-22T19:22:18Z")
I’m glad I put a pack of Blenheim in the fridge yesterday. In about an hour and a half, I’ll be drinking one. ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/46 "2013-04-22T19:35:12Z")
I like Ginger Beer, it’s a strong ginger ale, I wouldn’t call it nectar of the Gods, but it’s better than regular Ginger Ale. ---
**Author:** ![tomcar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tomcar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomcar)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/47 "2013-04-22T19:42:01Z")
Reed’s is as good as it gets. It’s a little out of my price range right now though. ---
**Author:** ![EMCEE\_98](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5ac83/32.png) [@EMCEE\_98](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EMCEE_98)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/48 "2013-04-22T19:45:14Z")
I can never find these specialty root beers. I’m fairly sure it was IBC that used to offer ginger and birch beer around these parts. Great stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/49 "2013-04-22T19:45:29Z")
My Beloved found a brand that actually has chunks of ginger in it. I couldn’t drink it because lumpy drinks remind me of Orbitz **shudder**. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/50 "2013-04-22T19:57:24Z")
> [@tomcar](#): > > Reed’s is as good as it gets. It’s a little out of my price range right now though. Do you have a Trader Joe’s near you? They sell four-packs for $3.99. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/51 "2013-04-22T20:26:26Z")
Ginger beer… only love it in a Dark and Stormy (as others have mentioned above). I’ve been making and drinking D&S’s for years, and the mexican Goya brand is my preference. It has the perfect blend of sweet and hot for the mixed drink, but would be tough to drink by itself. ---
**Author:** ![AnthonyElite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@AnthonyElite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnthonyElite)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/52 "2013-04-22T20:34:49Z")
I saw this thread title and thought “OH YEAH, GINGER BEER!” How the hell did I forget about this stuff? It’s amazing! The first, and I guess only, times I have it is with Jamaican Jerk Chicken. That is what was served with the Jerk. Anyone else experience it with Jerk chicken? I love Jerk, but as a combo with Ginger Beer, and maybe plantains…wow. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/53 "2013-04-22T23:13:18Z")
I had to vote Mary Ann, because outside of people on the internet talking about it, I’ve never even heard of ginger beer, let alone had it. Ginger ale, sure, root beer, sure, ginger beer, nope. ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/54 "2013-04-23T01:55:12Z")
Nectar of the gods. I pick up a couple of sixes of Gosling’s when I get within reach of Binny’s. If I didn’t severely ration it, I’d be buying weekly. ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/55 "2013-04-23T02:02:04Z")
> [@somepumpkin](#): > > Ginger beer… only love it in a Dark and Stormy (as others have mentioned above). I’ve been making and drinking D&S’s for years, and the mexican Goya brand is my preference. It has the perfect blend of sweet and hot for the mixed drink, but would be tough to drink by itself. Ditto. Don’t care for it by itself, but really like a Dark & Stormy ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/56 "2013-04-23T02:47:28Z")
> [@digs](#): > > If it’s too strong, make Moscow Mules with it: vodka, ginger beer and mint. The “rape your throat” effect is totally absent then. I’m more partial to a Dark & Stormy variant- rum, ginger beer and a goodly dose of lime juice. It takes a lot of the harshness out of the ginger beer, and works really, really well together. I prefer amber rum to darker or lighter ones in this application. ---
**Author:** ![stui\_magpie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stui_magpie/32/11010_2.png) [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/57 "2013-04-23T03:38:27Z")
Good Ginger Beer is definitely nectar of the gods. Very refreshing non alcoholic drink that you can use as a mixer as others have noted. Or, you can get several varieties of Alcoholic ginger beer that are really really nice. if you really want to get down with Ginger, try and locate some Stones Green Ginger wine. tastes something like ginger flavoured cough syrup. It’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/58 "2013-04-23T12:27:38Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > I had to vote Mary Ann, because outside of people on the internet talking about it, I’ve never even heard of ginger beer, let alone had it. Ginger ale, sure, root beer, sure, ginger beer, nope. When I first heard of the Dark n Stormy on this board I set out to find Ginger Beer to give it a shot. I checked all of my regular grocery stores but no luck. Finally checked the liquor store in the mixers section and there it was. Ginger Beer makes a fantastic mixer and the Dark n Stormy makes it worth the search to try it. If you don’t drink there’s another popular drink of equal parts Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale. As for the taste, I like it a lot. I don’t like most soda’s anymore because I think they’re far too sweet. Ginger Beer is tangy and refreshing with a stronger flavor profile than any other sodas I’ve ever tasted. ---
**Author:** ![Latimera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/latimera/32/497_2.png) [@Latimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latimera)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2013, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852/59 "2013-04-23T13:52:16Z")
I have always liked ginger beer, but I wouldn’t call it nectar of the gods. But then I like ginger. I eat the ginger that comes with sushi, and chocolate covered ginger is excellent! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-ginger-beer-nectar-of-the-gods-or-vile-brew-from-the-outer-darkness/591852.md?page=2)