Ginger ale, often relegated to the role of a generic product, possesses a unique charm that distinguishes it from other sodas. Its blend of carbonated refreshment and a warm, spicy kick makes it a versatile beverage. Whether you're seeking a remedy for an upset stomach, a mixer for cocktails, or a refreshing drink on a hot day, ginger ale has become a staple in many households.
However, not all ginger ales are created equal. The market offers a wide range of options, each with its own distinct personality. Some brands boast the bold flavors of fresh ginger and cane sugar, while others opt for more subdued profiles with high-fructose corn syrup and delicate ginger hints. More complex varieties are perfect for sipping solo, while milder ones shine as mixers for cocktails or mocktails.
This comprehensive guide explores the best ginger ales available, evaluating them based on flavor, ingredients, and overall experience.
Understanding Ginger Ale
Ginger ale is a carbonated beverage flavored with ginger. While ginger beer undergoes brewing and fermentation, ginger ale is simply a carbonated drink made from water and ginger flavoring. This distinction results in ginger beer having a stronger ginger flavor compared to the milder ginger ale.
Top Ginger Ale Brands: A Detailed Comparison
1. Vernors Ginger Ale: The Detroit Original
Vernors, the pride of Detroit, claims to be the "original" ginger soda and the oldest surviving American brand of ginger ale. First crafted in 1862 by pharmacist James Vernor, this soda offers a unique vanilla and spice-heavy formula while still delivering the standard flavor notes expected from ginger ale.
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The first thing you notice about Vernors is its heavy carbonation, which tingles the nose and palate with a spicy sensation. It has a unique vanilla and spice-heavy formula, yet it still delivers all the standard flavor notes you want from ginger ale. Vernors also has so much vanilla in it that it almost tastes like spicy ginger ale mixed with cream soda. It seems to have more caramel in it than other brands as well, which gives it a dark color and a rich flavor. We thought we could detect some molasses notes and just a hint of bitterness too. With all the vanilla and caramel, it sounds like Vernors might be too sweet, but the robust ginger and spice presence helps balance out the sugar.
Vernors is sweeter than some of the drier ales, making it an excellent choice for a sippable dessert like a ginger ale float with vanilla ice cream.
2. Boylan Ginger Ale: The Gold Standard
Boylan Ginger Ale stands out as a gold standard, threading the needle by tasting like a unique craft soda without introducing too many distracting flavors.
As with Whole Foods' ginger ale, the real sugar makes Boylan's extra delicious. We also picked up vanilla and caramel again, though not as much as we detected in the 365 offering. In addition to that, this product contains lemon and lime oil, which adds a citrusy kick that makes it taste a little like a cross between Sprite and ginger ale. It sounds like there's a lot going on, and there is, but the flavors are blended expertly, with each component working to support the ginger. It is on the sweeter side, but other than that, this is just about a perfect ginger ale.
This ginger ale hits that sweet spot of being bold instead of overwhelming. It is made with real ginger and cane sugar instead of high-fructose corn syrup, avoiding the overly-cloying sweetness found in many of the more mainstream options. These details elevate Boylan to the top of the list.
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3. Seagram's Ginger Ale: The Dry Option
While another brand holds the right to call itself by the name "dry," Seagram's is the true dry ginger ale, at least of the brands that are widely available in grocery stores. Of the mass-market ginger ale brands, Seagram's is by far the spiciest, with the little bubbles delivering sneeze-inducing ginger heat to our nostrils. The ginger flavor is multi-dimensional, with floral notes adding complexity to the bite. It's also balanced out with a nice hit of citrusy acidity.
Seagram's is Coca-Cola's entrant into the ginger ale wars (curiously, both Canada Dry and Schweppes are owned by Keurig Dr. Pepper). It's carbonated with tiny bubbles that give it a crisp, Champagne-like mouthfeel. It has slightly less sugar than Canada Dry, giving it a slightly less syrupy texture and less overt sweetness.
4. Whole Foods 365 Ginger Ale: A Pleasant Surprise
Back in the day we would have thought that the store-brand ginger ale from a supermarket we associate with exorbitant prices and hippie-ish products would be an afterthought. Maybe if we were doing a kombucha ranking we'd have higher expectations, but soda seemed a little outside of the Whole Foods wheelhouse. However, the wide range of standard products that carry the 365 label have proved to be reliable, and that is the case here. And that cane sugar is part of the reason this soda is so good. Unlike the corn syrup-sweetened sodas we tried, 365 ginger ale didn't leave a sticky residue on our teeth. But it's not just the crisp, clean mouthfeel - this soda also has a great flavor and aroma. It smells gingery, with a sharp undertone that's almost boozy. The taste is multi-faceted, with a strong ginger presence that's complemented by just enough caramel and vanilla to add interest without overpowering the main ingredient.
5. Reed's Ginger Ale: The Ginger Powerhouse
You might be more familiar with Reed's ginger beer, but the company also makes ginger ale. Reed's ginger ale is noticeably cloudy, indicating the presence of actual ginger juice. It smells like candied ginger and tastes like sweetened fresh ginger. Some ginger ales succeed by blending the root with other complementary flavors, but this one goes all-in on giving you the strongest, purest ginger taste possible with nothing else getting in the way. The only thing that docks a few points from Reed's score is that it may be a little too gingery. After all, the point of ginger ale is that it's a little milder and less spicy than ginger beer.
Reed’s tastes like a craft ginger ale. It’s extremely crisp and has lots of ginger flavor; way more than other ginger ales. It actively fizzes on your tongue, but doesn’t burn going down like ginger beer. It lingers on your palate in a really nice way.
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6. Q Mixers Ginger Ale: The Spicy Contender
Q Mixers Ginger Ale stands out as a slightly less sweet alternative to the traditional ginger ales out there. This is because it's sweetened with organic agave as opposed to sugar or high-fructose corn syrup. It's also made with real ginger, which appears as the fourth listed ingredient.
In addition to ginger, Q Mixers incorporates a range of other spices, like coriander, cardamom, chili pepper, orange, and rose oil. However, they don't particularly stand out in the final flavor profile, which leans more toward the clean, crisp qualities of ginger.
Q Ginger Ale is our manifesto. Not too sweet. Q's ginger ale is almost clear in color. It's not as sweet as most other drinks. There's a lot of spice and it sits on your tongue for a while after you take a sip. Q gets that spice from chili.
7. Canada Dry Ginger Ale: The Quintessential Choice
Canada Dry is the quintessential ginger ale. When you drink it, you get a crisp and sweet flavor profile with only a hint of real ginger flavor. For many, this mildness is part of its charm, though it might feel underwhelming to anyone seeking a more robust ginger experience.
Canada Dry does everything Schweppes does, but just a little bit better. Like Schweppes, it's a brand with a long history: It was launched in 1904 as a drier alternative to sweet ginger ales. This is the brand we saw on the most store shelves when we were shopping for this list, and we can see why: It's a robust, high-quality version of the classic, archetypal ginger ale flavor profile. It has significantly more ginger flavor than Schweppes and manages to taste sharp without being spicy. It's also nice and bubbly, delivering the champagne-like experience you want from ginger ale. Ultimately, unless you were tasting Schweppes and Canada Dry back-to-back like we did, you'd be unlikely to notice much difference between these two popular supermarket brands. In this taste test, however, Canada Dry squeaks out a victory.
8. Schweppes Ginger Ale: The Mild Classic
Schweppes Ginger Ale has earned its place as a classic for generations, offering a smooth and approachable flavor that's perfect for those who prefer a milder ginger ale. Unlike brands that pack a strong punch of real ginger, Schweppes uses natural ginger flavoring to deliver a more subdued profile.
Now we've reached a real heavy-hitter in the ginger ale game. Unlike most of the previous entries on this list, which offer novel interpretations of the ginger ale formula, Schweppes tastes like the ginger ale of your childhood. In fact, there's a good chance it was the ginger ale of your childhood - and your grandpa's too. Schweppes has been making beverages since 1783 when Jacob Schweppe was a pioneer in the emerging carbonated water industry. The best thing about Schweppes is the carbonation. It's filled with a ton of tiny bubbles that tickle your tongue without aggressively shooting up your nose. The taste is simple but satisfying. There's just enough ginger to let you know this is ginger ale, and not an ounce more. If you're sensitive to ginger heat, this would probably be the best ginger ale for you. The mild ginger kick is balanced by a little bit of citrusy sourness from citric acid.
9. Fever-Tree Ginger Ale: The Earthy Mixer
Fever-Tree ginger ale has a potent aroma that reminds us of freshly-mowed hay. It's a savory rather than sweet smell, and this savoriness extends to the flavor of the drink. It has a strange mineral tang that almost tastes like clay. It's identifiably a gingery flavor, but it's unlike the standard ginger you'd find in most ginger ales.
This product is flavored with three types of ginger, including one from the Ivory Coast that Fever-Tree says tastes a little bit like lemongrass. We'd guess that these unusual ginger varieties are responsible for the eccentric flavor of Fever-Tree's ginger ale. It's a memorable beverage, and we like the cute mini-bottles it's packaged in.
10. Arizona's Own Ginger Ale: The Mesquite Twist
This is the last of the left-field options on this list. Like Sprecher, Arizona's Own sodas are made by a brewery; per the label on the bottle, this ginger ale is produced by Tempe, Arizona's Big Head Brewing Company. In this case, the secret ingredient is mesquite. While you might think of mesquite mostly as a wood used to smoke barbecue, the tree also produces a bean that can be eaten. The addition of mesquite completely transforms this soda: It brings an intense, molassesy sweetness and an undercurrent of smokiness that's unlike anything else we've ever tried. It also gives the ginger ale an intensely smoky aroma. This is really more like mesquite soda with a hint of ginger rather than ginger ale flavored with mesquite. If you want to try something totally new in the world of soda, we'd heartily recommend Arizona's Own ginger ale.
11. Sprecher Ginger Ale: The Herbal Brew
We know Sprecher mostly as a maker of craft sodas, but the company is also the longest-standing craft brewery in Milwaukee. Sprecher's unique twist is that it fire-brews its drinks and uses raw Wisconsin honey to flavor its sodas. Given Sprecher's expert touch at crafting other soda flavors, we thought its ginger ale would rank higher on this list, but after tasting it, we feel like this soda isn't for everyone. It's certainly more distinctive and complex than the average ginger ale; the drink has an overwhelming herbal character that's reminiscent of evergreen trees. It's an interesting taste, but it's also fairly bitter. The bitter piney taste dominates this soda to the extent that the ginger becomes a backup singer in its chorus of flavors. We also noticed an almost smokey, woody note that is probably a product of the fire-brewing process. Overall, it was a thought-provoking drinking experience, but we wouldn't choose this ginger ale to quaff for refreshment on a hot day.
12. Q Mixers Ginger Ale: Aromatic and Balanced
Q Mixers occupies a similar niche to Fever-Tree. The company's mission is to create superior cocktail mixers, including tonic water, ginger beer, and, of course, ginger ale. The brand's ginger ale has several virtues to recommend it. For one, it's sweetened with agave nectar, which could appeal to people who are avoiding refined sugar and high fructose corn syrup. It also contains somewhat less sugar than standard ginger ale. Its complex, multi-faceted flavor is a product of ginger mixed with rose oil, orange oil, coriander, cardamom, and chili peppers. This combination gives the drink a taste and smell that's reminiscent of Indian or Thai food. The overall flavor profile is spicy and not overwhelmingly sweet.
13. Zia Ginger Ale: The New Mexican Fusion
Zia is a craft beverage company based out of New Mexico. Its sodas lean heavily on New Mexican ingredients like nopales, piñon, and yucca. This soda is filled with unexpected flavors. On the palate, it first registers like lemon-lime candy. The lemon and lime juice combined with the natural cane sugar in the recipe makes it taste very sweet. Then after that, you get the mildly bitter, smoky savoriness that's typical of New Mexican red chiles. More than ginger ale, this drink reminded us of a chile-infused craft cocktail. It would probably pair well with tequila or mescal.
14. Zevia Ginger Ale: The Zero-Sugar Option
This is the first zero-sugar ginger ale on this list. In fact, Zevia only makes zero-calorie beverages. Zevia ginger ale pours clear, not golden like most ginger ales, because of its lack of caramel color. It has a short ingredient list, with only ginger extract as a flavoring. This results in a pleasantly straightforward, clean ginger flavor. The only thing we don't love about Zevia is the stevia. As with other stevia-sweetened products we've sampled, Zevia somehow tastes both way sweeter than sugar-sweetened sodas and not sweet at all. Some sips were cotton-candy sweet, while others reminded us of a ginger-flavored seltzer. Stevia also has a slightly bitter aftertaste.
15. Virgil's Zero Sugar Ginger Ale: A Balanced Diet Choice
Virgil's is another craft soda company that avoids using ingredients like high fructose corn syrup and aspartame that many people may want to limit in their diets. Interestingly, while the company makes both full-sugar and zero-sugar sodas, its ginger ale is only available in diet form. Although this ginger ale contains stevia, it avoids the slightly strange sweetener taste of Zevia, possibly because the stevia is balanced with another sweetener, erythritol. The ginger flavor comes courtesy of pressed ginger root, and you can tell - Virgil's Zero has a strong fresh ginger taste. Thankfully, the freshness of the ginger doesn't make this soda too spicy. It's quite well-balanced between ginger heat and sweetness. The ginger juice has an herbaceous, almost grassy note that makes Virgil's super refreshing and chuggable.
16. Bruce Cost Ginger Ale: Unapologetically Bold
Bruce Cost Ginger Ale is a standout for its unapologetically bold ginger flavor. With sediment visible in the bottle, this soda screams authenticity, thanks to its use of fresh ginger and organic cane sugar. What you end up getting is a strong ginger bite balanced by an almost honey-like sweetness. That being said, this is a ginger ale for those who truly love the spice, as it leaves a lasting impression on the taste buds. Bruce Cost's ingredient list is refreshingly short, with just carbonated water, organic cane sugar, 100% fresh ginger, and citric acid. So, if you're a health-conscious consumer who still likes to enjoy a ginger ale soda from time to time, this version hits all the marks. You'll have to pay a pretty penny for a four-pack and at least a few bucks for a single bottle of Bruce Cost, and you likely won't find it on most supermarket shelves.
17. Olipop Ginger Ale: The Gut-Friendly Option
Olipop Ginger Ale is a version that wholly stands out on its own. To start out, it offers strong lime and ginger flavors with a notably lighter carbonation. It's also sweetened with stevia instead of sugar, which gives it a distinct "diet soda" taste. A standout feature of Olipop as a brand - and something that truly helps it stand out - is its focus on gut health, using ingredients like prebiotics from sources such as chicory root inulin, Jerusalem artichoke inulin, and nopal cactus extract. These are complemented by the 14% of real juice in the mix, from lime, apple, quince, and lemon juice concentrates. Despite the healthy and uncommon ingredients that many ginger ale connoisseurs will find alluring, if you're not a fan of the stevia flavor, Olipop might not be for you.