Love and Olive Oil
11 Best Ginger Beers

11 Best Ginger Beers

11 Best Ginger Beer Brands (from a self-described ginger beer fanatic)

I’ve become somewhat of a connoisseur of ginger beer. As I’m not huge fan of beer/wine/cocktails, but still want something a bit more exciting to drink than just water, ginger beer is my jam. It is not only delicious, but also great for digestion too, a fact that my sometimes-squirrelly stomach much appreciates.

Not all ginger beers are created equal, as I’ve discovered over the years. Not only that, but ginger beer and ginger ale seem to be drawing farther and farther apart. Warning: if you’re expecting syrupy sweet soda, you will not find that here. I’ll be honest, most ginger ales shouldn’t even be allowed to be labeled ginger; they’re basically just sugar, carbonated water, and caramel color (blech). If you’ve never had a true ginger beer before, you might find it shockingly spicy (yes, ginger is inherently spicy, with its own unique kind of burning heat) and less carbonated than typical soda. Sip it slowly, and enjoy the warm, effervescent sensation that fills your mouth and belly.

I have a few main characteristics that I look for in a good ginger beer:

1. I like it spicy. Essentially, it should burn a little going down, and leave a pleasant tingly sensation on your lips.

2. I like it just a little bit sweet. While the sweetness level of these ginger beers varies greatly, in general they are much less sweet and syrupy than ginger ale.

3. I like it fresh. The best ginger beer should taste like freshly juiced ginger.

4. I like it untainted. The ginger beers with added fruit juices, spices, or other flavors are typically not my favorite (with a few notable exceptions). The best ginger beers, in my opinion, contain little more than fresh ginger, spring water, and natural cane sugar, with maybe a dash of citrus juice or citric acid for zest.

5. I like it cloudy. I noticed a pretty common thread among my favorite ginger beers in that they are very pale yellow and cloudy, some almost chalky. Crystal clear, caramel colored beverages usually fall under my description of ginger ale, and thus, subpar (in my opinion).

11 Best Ginger Beer Brands (from a self-described ginger beer fanatic)

These ginger beers come from around the world, from Bermuda to England to Australia to Maine, each with its own unique characteristics and flavors. My notes on each ginger beer are below.

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The UltimateRachel’s Ginger Beer. If you live in Seattle, color me jealous. This locally made brew is the single best ginger beer I’ve ever had in MY LIFE. It tastes like freshly squeezed ginger, with just enough sweetness and tartness to balance the spice. They offer growlers (of ginger beer! I die.) as well as a number of specialty and seasonal flavors. You CAN order it online but it’s definitely a splurge. If I could get my hands on this more easily I’d never drink anything else (seriously).

That said, if you aren’t in Seattle you’ll need other options. Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. :)

The Go-ToFever Tree Ginger Beer. If I had to pick my absolute favorite ginger beer, this would be it: my tried and true, my go-to, and the winner of the title “Lindsay’s All-Time Favorite” ginger beer. I also love the small 6.8 ounce bottles, which are the perfect size to enjoy (12 oz is often more than I want in one sitting). Note that Fever Tree also has a ginger ale, which is sweeter and not as spicy as the ginger beer version.

Most RefreshingRegatta Ginger Beer. One of my newer discoveries, this one is lightly carbonated, fresh and zesty with plenty of gingery bite but no painful burn afterwords. It’s got an interesting cloudy appearance and almost chalky texture (in a good way), made by blending Caribbean & African ginger in traditional stone crocks. You can also find this guy in adorable little mini cans.

The NaturalMaine Root Ginger Brew. A bit different, there are some interesting flavors and spices in this one other than ginger. Maine Root Ginger Brew is made with all organic ingredients, including pure evaporated cane juice. It’s got a nice tingly after-burn that you’ll feel on your lips, in an enjoyable sort of way.

The SweetestBruce Cost Ginger Ale. The only one in the lineup that calls itself ale instead of beer, but it’s got more in common with the other ginger beers than not. At the same time, it’s noticeably sweeter than most of the others, with a fruity, almost tropical, candy-like sweetness. If you ever come across the Bruce Cost Passionfruit Ginger Ale, it’s definitely worth trying. I stumbled upon it once in NYC, and it was nothing short of amazing. Alas, I have yet to find it again, despite my pestering of all the local stores that carry the original variety. I mean, talk about my worlds colliding: passion fruit meets ginger beer.

The FreshestSpindrift Ginger Beer. My newest discovery, this one has a delightful hint of fresh lemon juice to accent the spicy ginger, producing a very fresh and zesty tasting ginger beer. Another one you can’t buy online (yet), but I found it locally at the Turnip Truck.

Most VersatileBundaberg Ginger Beer. A classic, you can’t go wrong with Bundaberg. A perfect balance of sweetness and spice, and clearly made with lots of fresh ginger. It’s one of the most enjoyable ginger beers to drink straight, but also makes a great base for mixed cocktails.

The OriginalBarritts Bermuda Stone Ginger Beer. Pleasantly sweet with just a hint of spice, this ginger beer was designed to be mixed with rum and thus is a bit more laid back than other, spicier varieties. Barritts comes in both cans and bottles (they’re filled with the same stuff but the cans are much less expensive).

The HipsterGosling’s Ginger Beer. You can’t go wrong with Gosling’s, which was designed to be mixed with Gosling’s rum for the ultimate Dark & Stormy. I call this one the “hipster” ginger beer, as it’s the brand that all of hip local eateries seem to stock. It’s on the sweeter side with just a hint of spice. (Tip for ordering ginger beer in restaurants: you’ll rarely see plain ginger beer on a restaurant drink menu. Instead, scan the cocktail menu: if they have a ginger beer cocktail like a Moscow Mule or Dark & Stormy, you know they’ve got ginger beer on hand).

The SpiciestGoya Jamaican-Style Ginger Beer. By far the spiciest of the lot, this one burns on the backend not unlike straight whiskey, a heat that builds as you continue to drink it. Whatever you do, don’t drink it too fast, the last thing you want is this going up into your sinuses. Ouch. This one is definitely not as fresh-tasting as some of the others. I am not a huge fan of Jamaican-style ginger beers (too much spice and not enough ginger), but this one is an exception.

The MildestParker’s Ginger Beer. Perhaps the least spicy of the lot, I’d call this one a “beginner’s ginger beer” as it’s just barely tingly on your tongue. If you’re not a huge fan of spice but still want to enjoy some ginger flavor, this one is a great option. It has a good amount of sediment that settles to the bottom, which is how you know it’s made from fresh ginger. This one doesn’t seem to be available on Amazon (gasp!) but I always see it at Whole Foods.

Most UniqueFentimans Ginger Beer. This one goes slightly against my ‘untainted’ rule, being that it is “botanically brewed” with added herbals and flavorings and fermented ginger which give this ginger beer a very unique flavor. I think it’d be amazing with gin as it has some of the same herbal/floral notes. It’s pricy, but it’s worth it!

11 Best Ginger Beer Brands (from a self-described ginger beer fanatic)

Granted, just because it is called ginger beer doesn’t mean it’s good. In fact I’ve had some pretty bad ginger beers in my quest to try them all. Cock ‘n Bull, Reed’s, Saranac (although their Root Beer is AMAZING), GuS, Trader Joe’s, Stoli… meh. Not my favorites. No offense to any of these brands, that’s just my personal taste, and I know I have very specific opinions about my ginger beer.

I find my ginger beer at World Market (Bruce Cost, Bundaberg, Fever Tree, and Fentiman’s), Whole Foods (Parker’s and Maine Root), Kroger (Fever Tree – in the British section), Publix (Goya – in the Latin Foods section), and locally in Nashville at the Turnip Truck (Spindrift and Bruce Cost), Midtown (Gosling’s, Regatta, Bundaberg, and Fevertree), and Craft Brewed (Bundaberg, Fentiman’s, Fever Tree, and Barritt’s). Wherever you happen to live, shop around at your local liquor stores, health/specialty food stores, and independent grocery stores… chances are you’ll find at least a few different varieties of ginger beer. The majority of the brands I’ve listed above are also available online, although usually only in case quantities.

I’m sure there are other amazing ginger beers out there that I have yet to find, especially as craft sodas become more and more prevalent and Moscow Mules seem to be the ‘hip’ cocktail of the moment, and that this list will continue to grow. Do you love ginger beer as much as I do, and if so, what is your favorite brand?

11 Best Ginger Beer Brands (from a self-described ginger beer fanatic)

And if you’re up for a challenge… did you know you can make your own ginger beer? I’ve done it a few ways, both naturally fermented with champagne yeast (the old fashioned method), as well as from a fresh ginger concentrate mixed with club soda (the quicker method). This works with any old grocery store ginger, or if you can get your hands on fresh baby ginger… you’re in for a real treat. :)

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143 Comments

  1. Barritt’s in can=fructose
    Barritt’s in bottle=sugar

  2. Bundaberg’s can be found occasionally a Meijer stores as well as Gossling’s.

    Just bought some Barritt’s and it is by far the worst tasting Ginger beer I have ever tried, and I have drank it for close to 30 yrs. One not listed that is by far the best (IMO) Northwood’s. Hard to obtain but great.

  3. We just returned from Aus. & NZ. Found an amazing one right off.

    Stoke ginger beer. Its last ingredient was a touch of cinnamon but you hardly knew it, only that something
    special was just tasted. Wish they’d come our way – USA. Lots of Bundaberg which was
    great & readily available in US. A few other local brands we couldn’t go wrong with.

  4. I am a huge Ginger beer fanatic and while I love Maine Root Ginger beer my absolute favorite is Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale, Lots of ginger just a bit sweet, nice heat!! It’s produced in Birmingham, Alabama and can be ordered and shipped anywhere.

    • Buffalo Rock ginger ale is what actually turned me on to ginger beer. I first had it at a pub in downtown Birmingham, AL when my daughter was competing at the historic Alabama Theatre just a couple of years ago! I was in LOVE. I was at the time nursing an almost 2 year old and enjoyed being able to sip a yummy yet caffeine free drink that was also non alcoholic. Right away after my first taste I felt as if I had been deceived by any other beverage calling itself ginger ale. ??

  5. We found the Bruce Coast Passion fruit here in California! We would be happy to send you some.

  6. My Bed, Bath, and Beyond carries quite a few ginger beers, including the Bruce Cost Passion Fruit! I grabbed a bottle but haven’t tried it yet. Thank for all the info!

  7. There is a ginger beer i purchased in Australia called Gingerbeard which was dark cloudy & spicey produced the thickest head when poured,I highly recommend as well as a brew called Lick Pier

  8. Love the reeds brand of ginger beer but the best if you can find it is the ginger people ‘s brand of lemon ginger beer..spicy but perfect!!

  9. I’m very surprised to not see Blenheim’s Hot Ginger Beer on your list. That’s a huge omission given the fact it would probably meet the criteria for being a high quality, excellent ginger brew. 

  10. I’ve just discovered ginger beer after being a huge ginger fan for years.  How have I missed this wonderful drink?  Thank you for a fantastic post.

  11. I LOVE ginger beer and recently found what I consider the best while visiting in Florida.
    Royal Jamaican Alcoholic Ginger Beer
    Hope you can experience it!

  12. My amazing wife got me a case of the Bruce Cost Passion Fruit for Valentine’s Day (it’s available on Amazon, but it is expensive!), and I have to say, it didn’t have enough passion fruit flavor for me. I thought it was barely noticeable. 

    Regatta has to be my favorite!

  13. I had high hopes for this post when I read:

    “Warning: if you’re expecting syrupy sweet soda, you will not find that here. I’ll be honest, most ginger ales shouldn’t even be allowed to be labeled ginger; they’re basically just sugar, carbonated water, and caramel color (blech).”

    …then I saw you include Gosling’s and Barritt’s, neither of which contain any ginger, but rather corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup. Why? 

  14. How in the WORLD did you miss REED’S Ginger brews?? Talk about the VERY BEST INGREDIANTS – and by virtue of that – the VERY BEST TASTE! Premium sweetened with honey and 18gram of REAL GINGER, no GMO’s, never syrups or concentrates, Orignal with cane sugar 18g real ginger and REED’S EXTRA with 24g real ginger and is the #1 selling ginger beer in Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and all the natural markets who know quality! I suggest you compare ALL OF THESE to REED’S and you will find, one that stands out over the crowd. Cheers!

    • It’s briefly mentioned above in the list of ginger beers that I don’t particularly like. That’s not saying it’s a bad ginger beer, I just don’t personally enjoy it and find it too fruity for my preferences. But to each her own! :)

  15. One more vote for Blenheim, the “hot” one!

  16. How about Ginger Geople’s Ginger Beer?  I think it is the best i have had so far.  I wanted to like Fever Tree beer as well, but I think it could use a bit more of something… although I do like it, perhaps half and half with Bundeberg or Stoli would make me like it better.  On their own, Bundeberg and Outrageous are also premium.   Looking forward to trying Maine Root, Goya, and Fentiman’s sometime…. I like to feel a refreshing ginger kick still lingering about a half hour later.

  17. Blenheim. End of article

    • agreed. As a collector/taster of Ginger beers myself, when I came across Blenheim, I thought I died and gone to heaven. Absolutely wonderful. the HOT version.
      I was actually at “south of the border” in SC when I first discovered it, not knowing it is brewed locally there. Now back home up north, I am in sticker shock and am trolling all my friends driving to FL to stop and pick me up a case. or two.

  18. Ahhh! I love this post – I am a ginger beer girl myself. My personal favorite is Goose Island Spicy Ginger – just the right amount of heat and full of real ginger flavor. I will have to tray a few of the others you listed out for comparison. 

  19. Yes!!! I got so excited when I saw this post and noticed you ranked Fever Tree #1.  I haven’t even tried all of the ones you’ve listed (quite impressive, I must say), but I’d put money on the fact that it’s the all around best.  It’s delicious, plus it’s cured multiple stomachaches. Cheers & happy holidays! :)

  20. i’m OBSESSED with main root’s ginger beer. OBSESSED i tell you! i love it. and i hate reed’s. sorry.

  21. You totally got me hooked while we were in Nashville!!  I keep your “favorite” in my fridge at all times, yay!!  Love!!

  22. I’m so glad you posted this! My husband has fallen in love with a modified version of Moscow Mule so we buy a lot of ginger beer. Will give the Fever Tree a try. Thanks!

  23. Fever Tree is my all-time favorite as well. Customers in my bar always love it just as much as I do. It has that perfect spicy- sweet balance!

  24. What a fabulously fun post! And passionfruit ginger ale? Oh my!!

  25. After reading this I happened to find the Bruce Cost Passionfruit ginger ale and it totally lives up to the hype. Holy cow is this amazing! Now I want to try all the flavors. It was the last pack at my store, but if you’re ever in Wisconsin for some reason, Woodman’s carries all the Bruce Cost ginger ales. 

  26. Well, you know how much I love ginger, so I absolutely LOVE that you did all of this *tough* research so now I don’t have to. This will be my ginger bible ;-)

  27. I’ve kiiiind of become a Moscow Mule fiend in the past year or so… and a lot of my obsession stems from my love for the spicy, sweet quality of the ginger beers mixed in! If you’re looking for an alcoholic ginger beer, Crabbies does the trick!

  28. One I didn’t see on your list is cock and bull.
    Have you tried it?  I love making Moscow Mules with it.  Can’t find any good ginger beer where I live….????

    • I have tried it and I’ll be honest that it wasn’t my favorite. I’m hard to please, haha! :)

    • Cock and Bull Ginger Beer ….. the BEST to put in your Moscow Mules!
      I’ve tried so many other ginger beers…. they don’t come close to flavor.. 

    • Actually, he did mention Cock’n’Bull in the paragraph telling about the ones he didn’t like. (And just a clue to all: never google Cock’n’Bull or you are in for a rude surprise… I did that one time because I was trying to find a local store that still carries it).

  29. I love a good ginger beer also.  Thanks for this list.  You should try the ginger people ginger beer.   It’s the closest I’ve had to homemade!  

  30. This is such an amazing list! My husband and I don’t drink, and we try to find every possible ginger beer we can – like you, whenever we see a new one, we snag it! His favorite so far is Maine Root, and we both love Bundaberg so much that it was our signature drink at our wedding. I just read through this list with him – we’ve never tried the Goya or the Spindrift, but we’re going on a hunt to find them now! Thanks for the awesome list!

  31. I love your selection of ginger beers. I myself am partial to Fever Tree and Maine Root and try to get my hands on them whenever I can.

  32. I love ginger beer! Have you tried the Lewis Osterweis ginger beer from Schlafly? It’s named after my boyfriend (lol) and his great grandpa but in all seriousness, it’s one of the best ginger beers I’ve ever had. Let me know how you like it if you get to try it!

  33. This is an amazing post!! I’ve become a Moscow Mule fanatic over the past year–and Fever Tree is my absolute favorite ginger beer! I need to try more!!! 

  34. Excellent post. You broke down gingerism quite well, but I still don’t think those on the outside really know what it’s like to be a gingerite. 

    You may wish to try Phillips Brewing ginger beer (phillipsbeer.com/Beers/ginger-beer). It’s spicy and not sweet. A true beer (5%abv) with personality. Relatively transparent, but cloudiness is not a huge deal for me. 

  35. Great list thanks but you MUST try Blenheim, the one with the red (hot) cap.

    • I agree re Blenheims. Usually only found in South Carolina. Very very hot, like Goya, but the heat is much better distributed throughout the drinking process. A very good product. Sorry Lindsay, but I also love the Cock & Bull that you mentioned as a “no-like”. D&G is also a favorite; similar to Cock & Bull…. thank you for a great article…

    • love ginger beer with my bourbon, but don’t care for mild and or sweet, ruins the taste. Got to have some kick or why bother ruining my bourbon. My go-to has been Llanllyr Source Fiery ginger beer. I would go even spicier if I can fine one.

  36. I live ginger beers as well! Have you tried the ginger people ginger beer? Very good. Nice spice! 

  37. I’m a total ginger beer fiend, too! I’d rather have it than a cocktail any day! And I, too, have a squirrel-y stomach. Maybe that’s why we’re so drawn to it! Thanks for giving me a few new brands to try! I’ve been seeing the Fever Tree, but haven’t bought it yet. I’ll buy it today :)
    Don’t hate me, but I love Reed’s. Not their ginger ale, their ginger beer one. It’s spicy, and I love that it’s sweetened with pineapple juice instead of sugar. But I can understand how you just want plain ginger beer. I hope this doesn’t take away my ginger beer cred ;)

    xo
    tina

    • I think Reed’s is one of those love it or hate it things. I’m not a pineapple fan and so that’s all I taste. I get the spice, but not much fresh ginger flavor which is what I love. :) But it’s totally a legit ginger beer. I mean, not like you said Canada Dry or something. :)

  38. I have recently become aware of ginger beer, but have never had it because I’m usually drinking real beer (our hobby is finding good craft beer) and because I had to quit drinking soft drinks, and so got out of the habit, when I was diagnosed with asthma.  I do love the ginger flavor, though, and would probably enjoy trying ginger beer.

    One that you didn’t mention, that might be worth trying, is the ginger beer from Appalachian Brewing Co. in Harrisburg, PA.  Since their craft beers are all excellent and their food is likewise excellent, it follows that they would probably apply their same standards to brewing ginger beer.  Just a thought…

  39. Love love Ginger Beer.
    My favorite right now and actually for the last year or two is the Reed’s Ginger Beer.
    So good.
    I have tried the Trader Joe version of Ginger Brew and well one of the things that I did not like is that there is a smell to it that just pushed me off.
    I need my ginger brew to be strong. Love ginger is all I can say.
    I have tried a few others just do not remember their names. I always look to see if the label expresses how much actual ginger is in the item.

    • Yeah the Trader Joe’s was not my favorite, which totally bummed me out since I love all their other ginger stuff. Plus, adorable bottles. Oh well!

  40. Oh, one other thing:  if you can get your hands on Old Tyme Ginger Beer, it’s awesome.  Very spicy and just a little sweet.

  41. LOVE this post.  I am always on the hunt for a ginger beer that meets all your specifications!  We are especially loyal to Barritt’s, since my husband’s very first Dark & Stormy was in Bermuda :).  But ya know what?  I was recently at a store and chose another brand over Fever Tree because the bottle was prettier.  So dumb.  Now I know to go back!

  42. I love this post, Lindsay! I am always hunting for better ginger beers. I don’t mind Reed’s, which seems to be the norm around these parts, but I lovelovelove Bundaberg. You’re right, it is very versatile and totally delicious to drink in cocktails or straight from the bottle. You are making me crave a dark & stormy… at 10:42 a.m.! 

  43. LOVE that you reviewed ginger beers. Saving this and will happily be referencing it, soon and often I’m sure.

  44. We get Bundaberg in California. We serve it in the restaurant I work at. I haven’t seen it in stores, so don’t know if it’s found retail. It can be pretty strong, so one of my co-workers makes a non-alchohol “cocktail” by mixing with bubbly mineral water and a few drops of Angostura bitters. Hope this doesn’t offend the purists.

    • I actually love the idea of a ginger mocktail! May have to give that a try. :) There’s a place here locally that does a ginger tonic with fresh ginger, lime, and tonic water that is amazing!

  45. This is amazing! I fell head over heels for ginger beer when I was in Uganda last year. Stoney was a revelation and I drank as much of it as I could because it is sadly not available in the US. (Unless something has changed since then.) I haven’t come across anything comparable since but I also haven’t tried very hard because I’ve never had any of the ones you listed here. I can’t wait to try these!

  46. Yesssss!  BEST POST EVER!!!

    I’m going to have to track down a few of these over the weekend for taste-testing.  I so love that you did this review.  Cheers!  :)

  47. My husband only drinks D & G Ginger beer.  It’s from Jamaica (where he’s from) and it’s really spicy

  48. Crabbies is my fave!!!  But that you’ll have to find at a place like Craft Brewed!  And a 4 pack is gonna run you close to $10. :) 

    • That’s the boozy one, right? I’ll admit I have not tried it, but may have to at your recommendation!

    • I don’t think it is that boozy!  It tastes like the most awesome Ginger Ale!  It says it’s best to serve over ice!  Oh…it’s sooooo gooooooood!!!!

    • Crabbies is very worth it. It is starting to appear more and more in larger supermarkets or specialty food stores. And it isn’t that boozey. I don’t really drink (1 or 2 a year) so thus a light weight and having one of these has minimal impact. I haven’t tried the orange ginger beer one yet, but the store down the street has them!

    • Crabbie’s just tastes pretty much like a standard ginger beer. I like it, but i prefer my ginger beer non-alcoholic, usually.

  49. We visited Seattle this summer, I found a little place in Pike’s Market that specializes in Ginger Beer on tap, any flavor you can imagine, it was wonderful.  I had the original and my daughter got one with blueberry.  I ended up having half of hers as she didn’t like the burn after half of it.  I think the name was Rachel’s Ginger Beer,  and definitely was made fresh.

    I also tried a Washington made brand Americana and loved it as well, my daughter also loved the Root Beer,.

    Much to my husbands chagrin we have sort of started a local tasting thing, wherever we visit, we try the local root beer, popcorn and hot dogs (who knew almost every state has a unique hot dog variety).  Of course we pointed out he tries the local beer brews and that quieted him.  Our picks just require more planning or research.

    • WHAT. I daresay a trip to Seattle is in order, if only just to visit that place! Sounds like heaven!

    • What!  I just might have to get in the car and drive up to Seattle for Ginger Beer on tap!  Thanks for sharing.   And Thank you Lindsay for such a great post.   It’s apparent that I am not the only one in love with Ginger Beer.

    • It is Rachel’s and it is delicious!!!!! The “Xtra” has double ginger and is my go to for simple sipping

  50. Ah Bundaberg, how I miss you! I stopped drinking alcohol earlier this year, and I’ve been looking for something to replace it with for the holidays. Too bad they don’t sell my all time favourite in England, but I’ll be enjoying my fill when I get home to Australia.

    Thanks for the list, I’ll have to try some of the spicy ones if I come across them here.

    O.

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