Trying To Choose Between Ginger Ale And Ginger Beer? Here Are The Differences Between Them
From adding them to a Moscow mule to topping off a simple whisky ginger highball, ginger beers and ginger ales figure prominently in cocktail craft. The two mixers are complete with a bubbly texture, a gingery zing and a sharp flavour – yet one is chosen over the other while blending different drinks. Ginger beer and ginger ale in effect cannot be used interchangeably to blend cocktails. But which one to pick when requires a careful examination of the flavours and textures of each of these mixers.
Origins And Histories
The differences between ginger ale and ginger beer begin right from their origin stories. Ginger ale originated some time in the 19th century and was popularised across Canada and America as a non-alcoholic drink that could be served by itself. It was meant to be a sweet, soft and fresh drink – well-suited to a summer evening.
On the other hand, ginger beer dates back to 18th century England. Here, it was traditionally brewed and fermented and contained miniscule proportions of alcoholic content. Modern renditions of ginger beer are non-alcoholic and are used primarily as mixers in varied cocktails.
Flavour Differences
Not for naught are these two mixers different from each other. Along with their histories, their flavours also carry distinctions which set them apart. Ginger ale is lightly sweet and has a very mild gingery flavour. It tastes like carbonated ginger soda, softer than the sharp notes of the ginger root.
For its part, ginger beer is more robust, it is spicier and with a more pronounced tang and zing. It is closer in taste to ginger juice on account of these heightened gingery notes that resemble a ginger infused syrup or sweetener.
Also Read: Ginger Beer Vs Ginger Ale: Which Is The Best Addition To A Moscow Mule?
Carbonation And Texture
One of the reasons the two are used differently in cocktails is their texture. Ginger ale has a smooth, bubbly, bright texture. This makes it easier to present the drink by itself. Ginger beer contrarily has a cloudier look, and its carbonation lends it a denser effect, slightly heavier because of this textural depth.
This thick texture is one of the reasons that a classic Moscow mule comprising 30 ml of good quality vodka is often topped off with about 45 ml of bubbly, very lightly frothy ginger beer. On the other hand, simple whisky ginger highballs or a dark and stormy rum cocktails are frequently completed with the addition of about 60 ml of ginger ale such as Black And White Ginger ale or any other premium ginger ale of choice. The lighter notes of this mixer make it a drink more conducive to building the overall structure of a cocktail.
In Cocktail Craft
One of the reasons ginger ale is used in certain cocktails is also its sweet flavour profile, which is essential to balance out the more robust notes of rum-based or whisky-forward cocktails.
Where ginger beer triumphs is in its incorporation into cocktails like the Moscow mule or the dark and stormy, which require less of a sweet note but more of the zingier, sharper qualities of the ginger root. This spiciness in the ginger balances out the acidity of lime juice or the sweetness of simple syrup added to cocktails. It also blends well with the sharp, spicy flavours of mint to lend drinks a mix of earthy nuance.
Very simply then, if it is a sweet, soda-like cocktail blend that you are mixing for your guests, a good quality ginger ale becomes a suitable alternative that enables the other flavours of the cocktail to shine through even as it laces the drink with lightly spicy flavours.
For its part, a premium ginger beer comes in handy when the flavours of ginger need to come through, with its spiciness and zesty undertone becoming pronounced notes in the blend. So, next time you are blending drinks, explore how these mixers might interact differently with your preferred base spirit and your flavour accents to choose one over the other.
Drink Responsibly. This communication is for audiences above the age of 25.
