The Top 10 Ginger Beers in 2022

Considerations When Purchasing Ginger Beer

Ginger is an ancient spice that was utilized as a tonic by various cultures, including the Ancient Chinese and Indians. Ginger is mentioned in ancient Chinese, Sanskrit, Greek, Roman, and Arabic manuscripts for medicinal purposes.

The Romans introduced ginger to the globe from Southeast Asia in the first century. With the collapse of the Roman Empire in 410, the Middle East took control of the ginger trade. This monopoly, along with the shortage of ginger and increased demand, caused the price to skyrocket. Ginger was most likely transported to Africa and the Caribbean in the 15th century, where it was later grown.

Ginger is not a native plant; it has been cultivated for thousands of years and thrives in warmer regions. India is remains the primary producer of ginger, accounting for 34% of the 3.3 million tons produced in 2016. China, Nigeria, and Indonesia are other major producers.

Ginger beer was originally created as a fermented alcoholic beverage using ginger, water, sugar, and the starting culture known as ginger beer plant (GBP) or bees wine. This plant was made up of a fungus, yeast Saccharomyces florentinus, and the bacteria Lactobacillus hilgardii. They form clumps and enable ginger beer to ferment. Ginger Beer Factory is difficult to find anymore, most likely because it was lost during WWII rationing. Several ginger beer recipes now use brewers yeast for the Ginger Beer Plant.

Ginger beer first appeared in England in the mid-18th century and was later transported to the United States and other countries in earthenware bottles. Other spices were added to the ginger beer throughout time, and its alcohol concentration was regulated to 2% by excise restrictions by 1855.

While ginger beer was still manufactured at this time, its popularity declined. Yet, owing to cocktails like the Dark and Stormy and the Moscow Mule, ginger beer is once again a popular beverage.

What Is the Difference Between Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale?

Ginger beer is created before fermentation has finished. This imparts a distinct ginger and spicy taste, as well as carbonation. Most ginger beers are now classified as non-alcoholic since they fulfill the FDA’s standard of less than 0.5% alcohol concentration.

If the ginger beer is murky or unfiltered, shake or invert the bottle or can before pouring.

Ginger ale is often sweeter, with a little ginger taste. Ales are often flavored with carbonated water, ginger essence, and other ingredients. Vernors Ginger Ale, which was probably originated in Ireland in the mid-nineteenth century, was the first soda brewed in the United States in 1866. James Vernor sold it for 30 years in his Michigan medicine shop before opening a factory to produce it on a wider scale. The current ginger ale emerged in 1907, when the Canadian John McLaughlin produced Canada Dry.

In actuality, the distinction between ginger beer and ginger ale is no longer as clear. A variety of producers brew both ginger beer and ginger ales, and some soda makers may add more ginger flavoring to their ginger ale, such as essence, to make it stronger.

Ginger’s Health Advantages

Ginger is a flowering plant that is related to cardamom and turmeric. It is the root or rhizome of ginger, often known as ginger, that is used as a spice. Gingerol is the primary chemical in ginger that provides health advantages. Iron, vitamins B6 and C, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, folate, niacin, and riboflavin are also found in ginger.

Ginger may aid with nausea and is a common home treatment for motion sickness. It has also been found in studies to ease the nausea symptoms of morning sickness during pregnancy, however it has no effect on the amount of vomiting. Individuals who suffer from persistent indigestion may benefit from ginger as it might help speed up stomach emptying.

Ginger may possibly have some advantages for our musculoskeletal system. A study of 247 persons with knee osteoarthritis who took ginger extract required less pain medication because they felt less discomfort. Ginger may also aid with muscular soreness, particularly after exercise.

A tiny research found that a ginger powder supplement might lower the risk of heart disease by lowering a marker for oxidized lipoproteins, which is a key risk factor for heart disease. Ginger may also help lower excessive levels of bad cholesterol (LDL), which relates to the risk of heart disease.

Ginger is safe.

Ginger is on the FDA’s Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) list, which means that it is safe and has minimal negative effects when ingested in appropriate amounts. Ginger consumption might cause moderate side effects such as heartburn, stomach pain, and gas in some individuals.

People with gallstone disease should exercise caution while consuming ginger since it might increase bile flow in the body. While research is still being conducted to determine which pharmaceuticals ginger interacts with, there is considerable consensus that it may interact with anticoagulants and alter their activity in the body.

While studies in pregnancy have shown no harm in consuming ginger, and it may be effective in alleviating nausea symptoms, if you are pregnant, you should see your health care practitioner before using ginger.

Conclusion

Whether you prefer an occasional Moscow Mule or a bottle of cool ginger beer in the evening, we hope you enjoyed our in-depth essay about ginger beer. Ginger has long been recognized to enhance health, and scientists have been able to corroborate some of what these ancient cultures understood.

We also hope that our evaluations of some of the greatest ginger beer (as well as a few ginger ales) may assist you in making the ideal option for your glass. There is a ginger beer to fit every taste and budget, whether you want something robust and spicy, something sweet, or something low in sugar or calories.