Ginger Beer vs Ginger Ale

Ginger beer vs ginger ale: what’s the difference between these bubbly drinks? When to use one or the other? Here’s what you need to know.

Ginger beer vs ginger ale: what’s the difference? They’re both bubbly drinks made with ginger, but there’s a significant difference between the two. Which should you use in a Moscow mule, and which goes in a Shirley Temple or Pimm’s Cup? Here’s what you need to know!

Ginger beer vs ginger ale: what’s the difference?

Ginger beer and ginger ale are both bubbly ginger drinks, but they taste different and are used in different ways. Here’s a breakdown:

• Ginger beer is very bubbly with a strong ginger flavor, with a spicy finish. It’s brewed and fermented. Years ago it was an alcoholic beer, but today’s ginger beer is non-alcoholic.
• Ginger ale has a mild, mellow flavor and is sweeter than ginger beer. It’s essentially a ginger flavored soft drink and is also non-alcoholic.

Ginger beer vs ginger ale: when to use them?

Both ginger beer and ginger ale can be sipped on their own, but both are also popular cocktail mixers! These non-alcoholic mixers add a lovely bubbly effervescence to drinks. While they both bring a ginger flavor, there are some major differences.

• Ginger beer adds a strong, spicy ginger finish to cocktails. It’s popularly used in the Moscow mule and the Dark and Stormy. Don’t substitute ginger ale for ginger beer in these cocktails: the ginger beer flavor makes the drink!
• Ginger ale is much milder, and is a nice cocktail mixer when you want bubbles and sweetness. Try it in cocktails and mocktails where you want the flavors to meld together, like a Pimm’s Cup or Shirley Temple. Many of the cocktails that call for ginger ale as a mixer also work with ginger beer, depending on your flavor preferences.

Popular ginger beer and ginger ale cocktails

Which famous cocktails use ginger beer or ginger ale? Here are a few to try:

Popular Ginger Beer Cocktails

Try these ginger beer cocktails when you’ve got a few bottles. What are the best ginger beer brands? We like Q Ginger Beer and Fever Tree.

• Classic Moscow Mule: Vodka, ginger beer and lime in a copper mug is as classic as you get! You can also use it in the following variations:
• Dark and Stormy Dark rum, ginger beer and lime
• Kentucky Mule Bourbon, ginger beer, and lime
• Mexican Mule Tequila, ginger beer and lime
• Gin Gin Mule Gin, ginger beer, lime, mint, simple syrup
• Irish Mule Irish whiskey, ginger beer and lime

Popular Ginger Ale Cocktails

Most of these ginger ale cocktails also work with ginger beer. (Just don’t swap the other way around!)

• Whiskey Highball Whiskey and soda water or ginger ale
• Shandy Beer and ginger ale, ginger beer or sparkling lemonade
• Pimm’s Cup Pimm’s No. 1, ginger ale or ginger beer, lemon
• Transfusion Concord grape juice, vodka, lime, ginger ale
• Shirley Temple Lime juice, grenadine, ginger ale or ginger beer

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