# Why does Vernors Ginger ale tickle one’s nose? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 13, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808 "2005-11-13T02:35:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/1 "2005-11-13T02:35:54Z")
In my case it actually stings a little, if one chances to smell it after pouring it on a glass. I still like the drink, but what stuff does it have that hits your nose? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/2 "2005-11-13T04:56:47Z")
Ginger. Seriously, Vernor’s is a different style of ginger ale, known as “golden ginger ale”; most other ginger ales on the market are “dry ginger ale” (Canada Dry, Schweppes’s, etc). Vernor’s has more natural ginger flavoring, and is sweeter than “dry” ginger ale. [The Vernor’s Ginger Ale story](http://www.sodamuseum.bigstep.com/generic.jhtml?pid=7) Trivia: Vernor’s was the first soda pop sold in the United States, since 1858. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/3 "2005-11-13T05:22:05Z")
And before that, American colonists drank [“shrub”](http://www.slowfoodusa.org/events/terra_delegate_5.html) (derived from the Arabic [“sharaab”](http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/200505/the.world.s.first.soft.drink.htm) and related to “sherbet”) in various flavors; ginger being one. I tried to make a ginger shrub once. It was a lot of work and the results were mixed. Now I just stick to store-bought ginger ales. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/4 "2005-11-13T05:42:21Z")
Thanks **Fear Itself**! ---
**Author:** ![douglips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@douglips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/douglips)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/5 "2005-11-13T19:16:27Z")
> [@The Scrivener](#): > > …the results were mixed. Highball? ---
**Author:** ![ProTem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@ProTem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ProTem)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2005, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/6 "2005-11-13T22:54:07Z")
Actually, Vernors has a higher carbon dioxide gas pressure than Coke. That’s what makes it so bubbly, and why they have to put it into heaver-gauge cans. ---
**Author:** ![Lips\_Obsession](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Lips\_Obsession](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lips_Obsession)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/7 "2005-11-14T00:34:04Z")
> [@ProTem](#): > > Actually, Vernors has a higher carbon dioxide gas pressure than Coke. > That’s what makes it so bubbly, and why they have to put it into heaver-gauge cans. When my brother was going to college, his frat brothers decided to run an experiment to see which soft drink had the highest concentration of CO2. They didn’t do it very scientifically, but what they did was they’d crack the can and immediately put their mouths over the opening and inhale. Only Vernors contained enough CO2 to make them consistently choke. ---
**Author:** ![Lips\_Obsession](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/bbce88/32.png) [@Lips\_Obsession](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lips_Obsession)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2005, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-vernors-ginger-ale-tickle-one-s-nose/330808/8 "2005-11-14T00:39:37Z")
> [@ProTem](#): > > Actually, Vernors has a higher carbon dioxide gas pressure than Coke. > That’s what makes it so bubbly, and why they have to put it into heaver-gauge cans. When my brother was going to college, his frat brothers decided to run an experiment to see which soft drink had the highest concentration of CO2. They didn’t do it very scientifically, but what they did was they’d crack the can and immediately put their mouths over the opening and inhale. Only Vernors contained enough CO2 to make them consistently choke.