Ginger beer is a fantastic non-alcoholic alternative that can be enjoyed on its own or mixed into cocktails. Its distinct ginger flavor adds a unique kick to any drink. Reed's Ginger Beer has emerged as a popular choice for ginger beer enthusiasts, offering a range of options to suit different preferences. This article explores the Reed's product line, including the Zero Sugar Extra, and compares it to other ginger beer brands on the market.
What is Ginger Beer?
Ginger beer is a non-alcoholic soda made from fermented ginger root. Despite its name, it does not contain any beer. It has a strong ginger flavor, which can be spicy depending on the brand and recipe. The sweetness of ginger beer balances the spice, making it a refreshing and flavorful drink.
Reed's Ginger Beer: An Overview
Reed's Ginger Beer offers an impressive product line-up, each with its unique characteristics. The brand prides itself on using real ginger and an authentic Jamaican-style recipe to create a refreshing and invigorating experience. Crafted in small batches since 1987, Reed’s revived a centuries-old recipe for craft ginger beer. They drew inspiration from early traditions that pre-dated mass production and brewed their first batches in a kitchen in Venice Beach.
Authentic Jamaican-Style Recipe
Reed's uses a simple formula that includes all-natural ingredients. The recipe features a blend of fresh ginger, pineapple juice, lemon juice, lime juice, honey, and spices, resulting in a balanced and flavorful ginger beer.
Real Ginger
Reed’s is packed with real, fresh ginger, known around the world for its health benefits and stimulating properties. Ginger is one of those very rare things that feels good and is somehow good for you. That’s why Reed’s decided to create the ultimate ginger experience. After years of searching, they discovered that the Jamaican tradition held the secret to making a downright delicious ginger beer.
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Reed's Product Line-Up
Reed's offers several tiers of spiciness, clearly labeled on the bottle: Original, Extra, and Strongest. They also have a Zero Sugar option and a Premium version with pineapple and honey flavors.
- Original: A balanced ginger beer with a moderate level of spice and sweetness.
- Extra: A spicier version of the original, providing a more intense ginger flavor.
- Strongest: The spiciest option, delivering a powerful ginger kick.
- Zero Sugar Extra: A no-calorie reformulation of Reed’s Extra Ginger Beer that makes some notable compromises to achieve zero calories.
Reed’s Zero Sugar Extra: A Detailed Look
Reed’s Zero Sugar Extra is a no-calorie version of Reed's Extra Ginger Beer. To achieve zero calories, Reed’s replaces its usual sweeteners-cane sugar, pineapple, and honey-with a blend of erythritol, stevia leaf extract, and monk fruit extract. Mixing other sweeteners with stevia is a smart move because it allows for the desired sweetness while reducing stevia’s trademark bitter and metallic aftertaste. To reintroduce some of Reed’s original personality, the brand adds a few natural flavors, including honey, pineapple, and lemon and lime. But because the flavor comes from “natural flavors” rather than the underlying ingredients themselves, the drink simply doesn’t taste like Reed’s Extra despite sharing the “Extra” title.
Transparency in Ingredients
Unlike some other brands, Reed's Zero Sugar Extra provides detailed information about its ingredients, including each natural flavor. This transparency builds trust with consumers, as they know exactly what they are drinking.
How Reed's Compares to Other Ginger Beers
Many ginger beer brands are available, each with unique characteristics. Here's how Reed's compares to some popular options:
- Fentiman's: A spicier ginger beer with complex herbal, botanical, and juniper notes.
- Zevia: A zero-sugar soda brand that offers a ginger beer with a sugary flavor, but it may taste like a diet soda to some.
- Fever-Tree: A light, mild, and sippable ginger beer with a lovely balance of ginger and sugar.
- Maine Root: An intensely flavored ginger beer that is not for those sensitive to ginger spice.
- Bundaberg: An Australian ginger beer that is a good baseline option with a delicious flavor.
- Barritt's: A budget-friendly option with a lighter ginger flavor, but it may be too sweet for some palates.
- Powell & Mahoney: A perfectly balanced ginger beer with a small zing of ginger flavor, making it an excellent cocktail mixer.
- Gosling's: A balanced, peppery, and zippy ginger beer designed to be paired with Gosling's spiced rum for a Dark and Stormy cocktail.
How to Enjoy Ginger Beer
Ginger beer is a versatile drink that can be enjoyed in various ways. It's delicious on its own with a squeeze of lime or mixed into cocktails. Here are a few ideas:
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- Moscow Mule: A classic cocktail made with ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice.
- Dark and Stormy: A cocktail made with ginger beer and dark rum.
- Ginger Beer Mocktail: Mix ginger beer with other non-alcoholic ingredients like fruit juices, herbs, and sparkling water for a refreshing mocktail.
Reed’s Ginger Beer Non-Alcoholic Moscow Mule Recipe
- 6 oz. Reed’s Strongest Ginger Beer
- 2 oz.
- Squeeze a lime into a copper mug (or Collins glass).
- Add simple syrup and sparkling water.
- Fill mug half-way with ice, then pour in Reed’s Strongest Ginger Beer.
- Top off with a lime wedge.
The Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is known for its numerous health benefits, including:
- Reducing nausea and motion sickness
- Aiding digestion
- Reducing inflammation
- Boosting the immune system
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