Ginger beer is a popular mixer for cocktails and a refreshing drink on its own. But with so many brands on the market, it can be tough to choose the best one. This article provides a comprehensive review of Fever-Tree ginger beer, comparing it to other popular brands and exploring the nuances of flavor, ingredients, and overall quality.
What is Ginger Beer?
Ginger beer is a non-alcoholic beverage made with ginger, water, and sugar that are fermented with yeast and then carbonated. It has a strong ginger flavor and a spicy kick that distinguishes it from ginger ale, which is a sweeter, more syrupy soda. Ginger beer often contains real ginger and less sugar compared to ginger ale. Some ginger beers may contain a small amount of alcohol due to the fermentation process, but these are clearly labeled.
Why a Ginger Beer Taste Test?
A ginger beer taste test can help you discover your favorite brand based on your personal preferences for taste, spiciness, sugar content, and fizziness. During pregnancy, ginger can help with morning sickness, so finding a ginger beer that you enjoy can be a lifesaver.
Fever-Tree Ginger Beer: A Detailed Look
Fever-Tree is a well-known brand of ginger beer, often found behind bars. It is known for its light, mild, and sippable flavor, making it enjoyable on its own or as a mixer. The balance of ginger and sugar is well-maintained, with neither overpowering the other. Fever-Tree uses three different types of ginger to create layers of flavor that are zingy, fresh, and slightly spicy.
Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer
In a blind taste test conducted by The Guardian, Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer scored an 8/10. Reviewers praised its "very clear distilled ginger flavor" and its ability to "clear the sinus, but in a good way." The ginger beer was also commended for its spiciness. However, some reviewers found it to be too sweet, and the peppery ginger kick was said to peter out quickly.
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Other Fever-Tree Mixers
Fever-Tree offers a range of citrus mixers, including lemon, grapefruit, and lime, but these have been ranked lower due to weak or confusing flavors. However, the Margarita Mix stands out, landing at number five in the rankings. It is tangy, bursting with lime, and perfectly sweet-tart, making it a great pairing for tequila or mezcal, or even vodka or seltzer for a non-alcoholic version. The Elderflower Tonic Water is another successful flavor from Fever-Tree, ranking number one.
Fever-Tree Blood Orange Ginger Beer: A Miss
The Blood Orange Ginger Beer was a disappointment, lacking in orange flavor and having a sharply gingery taste with an unpleasant aftertaste. The two aspects clashed instead of enhancing each other.
Comparing Fever-Tree to Other Ginger Beer Brands
Here's a comparison of Fever-Tree to other popular ginger beer brands, based on various taste tests and reviews:
- Q Ginger Beer: This brand was a favorite in a blind taste test, praised for its perfect blend of spicy and sweet, designed specifically for mixing.
- Regatta: Tied for first place in a taste test, Regatta has a light ginger beer flavor that is not overpowering. It is sweet but not too sweet, making it easy to drink.
- Bundaberg: This Australian ginger beer is a popular choice, known for being a good baseline ginger beer that pairs well with most spirits. However, some find it to be too sweet and lacking in spice.
- Reed's: Reed's offers different levels of spiciness, from Original to Extra to Strongest. The taste is balanced between gingery and sweet, with the spice level increasing with each version.
- Fentiman's: This brand is on the spicier side, with a complex flavor and herbal, botanical, and juniper notes.
- Maine Root: Made with organic sugar cane from Brazil, Maine Root has the most intense ginger beer flavor of the bunch.
- Barritt's: A budget option made in Bermuda with cane sugar, Barritt's has a lighter ginger flavor. However, it can be slightly too sweet and overbearing.
- Gosling's: Designed to make the perfect Dark and Stormy when paired with Gosling's brand of spiced rum, this ginger beer is balanced, peppery, and zippy.
- Powell & Mahoney Craft Cocktail Mixers: This ginger beer is perfectly balanced with a small zing of ginger flavor, making it an excellent cocktail mixer.
- Capi Spicy Ginger Beer: This ginger beer scored highly with reviewers for its ginger level, spice-sweetness balance, and strong fizz.
- Kirks Olde Stoney Ginger Beer: A cheaper option that is arguably not a ginger beer, with a vague ginger flavor and perfume-y, vanilla-y, and citrusy notes.
- Strangelove Hot Ginger Beer: An aggressive ginger beer with a strong fizz and bitter aftertaste, described as "overly spicy but unbalanced."
- Strangelove Double Ginger Beer: Heavily spiced but with less sweetness, some reviewers described it as medicinal or like "drinking a bath bomb."
- Bobby Ginger Beer: Described as "unremarkable" and "not really trying to do anything," this ginger beer is a forgettable sensory experience.
- Burrandy Ginger Beer: An imitator of Bundaberg, with a low-ginger, high-sweet profile.
- Daylesford and Hepburn Mineral Springs Co Organic Brewed Ginger Beer: Reviewers described the aroma as being like petrichor or flyspray.
- Zevia: A zero-sugar ginger beer sweetened with stevia, with a fake aftertaste that is not for everyone.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Ginger Beer
When choosing a ginger beer, consider the following factors:
- Taste: Do you prefer a spicy, sweet, or balanced flavor?
- Sugar Content: Are you looking for a low-sugar or zero-sugar option?
- Ingredients: Do you prefer real ginger and minimal ingredients?
- Carbonation: Do you like a strong fizz or a smoother texture?
- Intended Use: Will you be drinking it on its own or using it as a mixer?
The Importance of Ingredients
When selecting a ginger beer, it's important to pay attention to the ingredients. Look for brands that use real ginger and avoid artificial flavors and excessive sugar. Some individuals may be sensitive to citric acid, which is commonly used in ginger beer. Tartaric acid, which occurs naturally in grapes and other fruits, is a potential alternative.
Read also: Is Fever-Tree the Best Tonic?
Ginger Beer for Migraines and Pregnancy
Ginger has been shown to help abort migraine attacks and alleviate nausea during pregnancy. When choosing a ginger beer for these purposes, opt for brands with limited ingredients and sugar.
How to Enjoy Ginger Beer
Ginger beer can be enjoyed in a variety of ways:
- On its own: Sip it straight from the bottle or pour it over ice with a squeeze of lime.
- As a mixer: Use it in cocktails like Moscow Mules, Dark and Stormys, or other mixed drinks.
- In mocktails: Combine it with other non-alcoholic ingredients for a refreshing and flavorful mocktail.
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