Ginger Beer

Ginger Beers

I’ve been on a quest to try every non-alcoholic ginger beer out there to decide on which is the best. I have used a very scientific process which involved me drinking a variety of ginger beers and then deciding if I liked it or not.

For reference this is a list of the ginger beers in the picture above (and ales or derivatives) from left to right

I did a taste panel where I had 5 different people all taste the same ginger beers and rate it on a 1-5 scale based on Heat, Flavour, and Desire. This is the chart with the averaged results. As most weren’t typical ginger beer drinkers you can see the chart is skewed to favour the most sugary soda-like drinks as opposed to a typical spicy rooty ginger drink.

Taste Panel

My Top 5:

  1. Maine Root
  2. President’s Choice
  3. Reading Draft
  4. Cock’n Bull
  5. Bundaberg

with honourable mentions for Kroger and Rachel’s Ginger Beer. You can see my individual reviews of each ginger beer below if you want more detail on nutrition, ingredients, and taste.

A. Bedford’s:

Bedfords Ginger Beer

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 160
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 35mg
  • Total Carb: 41g
  • Sugars: 41g
  • Protein: 0

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Pure Cane Sugar
  • Citric Acid
  • Natural Ginger Flavor
  • Brewed Ginger Root
  • Sodium Benzoate (A Preservative)

Trademark: NORTHWEST SODA WORKS, Port Angeles, WA

Produced and Distributed: ORCA BEVERAGE, INC. Mukilteo, WA

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 2/5
  • Overall: 3/5

This ginger beer is quite sugary and is definitely more of a soda than a brew. As it uses real ginger you can taste a bit of spice though it is not overly spicy. It’s not a terrible soda, but nothing incredibly special either.

B. Trader Joe’s:

Trader Joe's

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 140
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 10mg
  • Total Carb: 36g
  • Sugars: 35g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Water
  • Sugar
  • Ginger Juice
  • Lime Juice Concentrate
  • Lemon Juice Concentrate
  • Natural Ginger Ale Flavor
  • Natural Flavors
  • Ginger Extract

Distributed and Sold: Trader Joe’s, Monrovia, CA

Ginger Particles: YES (just a tad cloudy)

Review:

  • Spiciness: 2/5
  • Overall: 3/5

This ginger beer has some lemon and lime and as a result tastes a bit like a ginger beer with a sprite base. It’s one of the cheaper ginger beers and is a little closer to the line of a brew than a soda, but still tastes sweeter and a bit fruitier than some of the other ginger beers. It’s not my top pick but it isn’t bad.

C. Bruce Cost:

Bruce Cost Ginger Ale

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 160
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Total Carb: 40g
  • Sugars: 37g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Pure Cane Sugar
  • Fresh Ginger
  • Citric Acid

Distributed: BCGA CONCEPT CORP, Brooklyn, NY

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 3/5

This is one of the few ginger ales I’ve seen that has actual fresh ginger. Bruce cost also makes a variety of ales with different fruits such as pomegranate. Since they use fresh ginger (and quite a bit of it at that) this is one of the more rooty ones if you’re into that. It has enough sugar to still be sweet but you’ll definitely feel the spice as well, it provides a nice balance.

D. Bottoms Up:

Bottoms Up

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 140
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 10mg
  • Total Carb: 37g
  • Sugars: 34g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Cane Sugar
  • Ginger Juice (4%)
  • Citric Acid

Distributed: THE GINGER PEOPLE GROUP, Marina, CA

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 2/5

This ginger beer has a bit of a floor cleaner taste to me. Some people like that but I’m not particularly a fan. It has an ok amount of ginger but I just can’t get behind the taste on it.

E. Reading Draft:

Reading Draft

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 180
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 30mg
  • Total Carb: 44g
  • Sugars: 44g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Triple Filtered Carbonated Water
  • Pure Cane Sugar
  • Citric Acid
  • Natural Ginger Emulsion and Flavor
  • Sodium Benzoate (Preserves Freshness)
  • Caramel

Brewed and Bottled: Reading Draft Birch Beer, Inc., Reading, PA

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 4/5

This ginger beer tastes sweet but has a bit of spice. It has a rooty but sweet subtle root taste as opposed to a bitter root taste. It tastes like a forest to me. It’s definitely in my top 5 ginger beers and will buy it if I see it on the shelf

F. Cock’n Bull:

Cock'n Bull

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 160
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 30mg
  • Total Carb: 40g
  • Sugars: 40g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Real Sugar
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Benzoate (to preserve freshness)
  • Natural Flavor
  • Caramel Color

Bottled under authority of: Cock’n Bull LTD. Div. C-B Beverage Corporation, Columbus, OH

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 4/5

This ginger beer has a good taste with some spice. It’s in my top 5 even though it isn’t as gingery (the ingredients don’t even list ginger, unless it’s bucketed under “natural flavor”), it makes up for it in flavor.

G. Rachel’s Ginger Beer:

Rachel's Ginger Beer

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 90
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 10mg
  • Potassium 165 mg
  • Total Carb: 24g
  • Sugars: 17g
  • Protein: 1g

Ingredients:

  • Water
  • Lemon
  • Ginger
  • Organic Sugar

Brewed and Bottled: RGB Soda LLC., Seattle, WA

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 4/5

This isn’t really in the same realm as the other ginger beers as it’s really more of a ginger lemonade. It is quite good though as it uses fresh ingredients and has a good amount of ginger that settles at the bottom.

H. Reeds:

Reeds

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 130
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 5mg
  • Total Carb: 33g
  • Sugars: 33g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Sparkling Filtered Water - Sweetened By:
    • Raw Sugar Cane
    • Pineapple Juice From Concentrate
    • Honey
  • Fresh Ginger Root
  • Lemon Juice From Concentrate
  • Lime Juice From Concentrate
  • Spices

By: Reed’s Inc., L.A., CA

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 1/5

I’m going to be honest. I hate this ginger beer. The pineapple juice is a travesty that ruins the whole thing. It probably wouldn’t be bad if it had a different base. It’s a real shame because this is one of the ones stocked everywhere, whereas all of my favourite ones are nowhere to be found other than obscure specialty soda shops or halfway across the world.

I. Fentimans:

Fentimans

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 110
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 25mg
  • Total Carb: 25g
  • Sugars: 21g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Fermented Ginger Root Extract (water, glucose syrup, ginger root, pear juice concentrate, yeast)
  • Beet Sugar
  • Glucose Sugar
  • Pear Juice Concentrate
  • Flavorings (ginger, lemon, capsicum)
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Citric Acid
  • Herbal Infusions (speedwell, juniper, yarrow)

Manufactured for: Fentimans North America, Inc. Burnaby, Canada

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 2/5
  • Overall: 2/5

This ginger beer is labeled as botanically brewed and you can definitely taste a yeasty flowery taste. The capsicum adds to the spice but for the ginger beer its the wrong kind of spice (the kind that burns your tongue rather than your throat) It’s an ok brew but I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it.

J. Fever Tree:

Fever Tree

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 90
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Total Carb: 20g
  • Sugars: 18g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Spring Water
  • Cane Sugar
  • Ginger Root
  • Natural Flavors
  • Tartaric Acid (from natural plant sources)
  • Ascorbic Acid

Distributed: Brands of Britain LLC, San Ramon, CA

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 3/5

It’s spicy but a little more on the bitter side. This is really meant as more of a mixer.

K. Q:

Q

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 80
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Total Carb: 19g
  • Sugars: 18g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Organic Agave
  • Citric Acid
  • Ginger Extract
  • Extracts of Chili Pepper
  • Coriander
  • Cardamom
  • Lime
  • Orange

Distributed: Q Drinks, Brooklyn, NY

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 3/5

It’s similar to Fever Tree but a bit different due to the chili extracts. It’s still better as a mixer than on it’s own in my opinion.

L. Blenheim:

Blenheim

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 170
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Total Carb: 41g
  • Sugars: 41g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Sucrose
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Benzoate (Preservative)
  • Natural Flavoring
  • Caramel Color
  • Real Ginger

Brewed and Bottled: Blenheim Bottlers, Blenheim, SC

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 3/5

This is technically a ginger ale but it’s one of the few that has actual ginger in the ingredients instead of just citric acid. It has a bit of a stale aftertaste but it tastes alright for a soda.

M. Anchor:

Anchor

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 170
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 40mg
  • Total Carb: 43g
  • Sugars: 43g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Cane Sugar
  • Natural Flavors
  • Artificial Flavors
  • Caramel Color
  • Phosphoric Acid
  • Sodium Benzoate (A Preservative)
  • Ginger

Bottled: Orca Beverage Soda Works, Mukilteo, WA

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 2/5
  • Overall: 3/5

This is just a root beer with a hint of ginger so it can’t really be compared to the other ginger beers, but as far as root beers go, it’s not bad.

N. Thomas Kemper:

Thomas Kemper

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 150
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 45mg
  • Total Carb: 36g
  • Sugars: 35g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Cane Sugar
  • Honey
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Benzoate (For Freshness)
  • Natural Flavor
  • Caramel Color

Bottled: THOMAS KEMPER SODA CO., Portland, OR

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 3/5

This is a ginger ale, standard soda rather than a brew but has a nice flavor.

O. Bawls:

Bawls

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 130
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 30mg
  • Total Carb: 33g
  • Sugars: 31g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Natural Flavor
  • Artificial Flavor
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Benzoate (As a Preservative)
  • Caffeine
  • Guarana Extract

Manufactured for: BAWLS, Twinsburg, OH

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 2/5
  • Overall: 2/5

This is an energy drink with a hint of ginger and can’t be compared to ginger beers. It also tastes like a circus peanut (the orange ones, not the actual peanuts). People generally drink these for caffeine content rather than taste.

P. Diet Bundaberg:

Diet Bundaberg

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 25
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 42mg
  • Total Carb: 6g
  • Sugars: 5g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Ginger Root
  • Cane Sugar
  • Flavor
  • Citric Acid
  • Malic Acid
  • Preservatives
    • Potassium Sorbate
    • Sodium Benzoate
  • Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid)
  • Yeast
  • Aspartame
  • Stabilizer (Sugar Gum)
  • Acesulfame
  • Potassium
  • Sucralose
  • Contains Phenylalanine

BUNDABERG BREWED DRINKS PTY LTD, Australia

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 2/5

It’s good as far as diet sodas go. But I don’t like diet, may as well drink lemon water instead of something masquerading as tasty and falling flat.

Q. Bundaberg:

Bundaberg

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 170
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 41mg
  • Total Carb: 40g
  • Sugars: 40g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Cane Sugar
  • Ginger Root
  • Natural Flavors
  • Citric Acid
  • Yeast
  • Preservatives
    • Potassium Sorbate
    • Sodium Benzoate
  • Antioxidant (Ascorbic Acid)

BUNDABERG BREWED DRINKS PTY LTD, Australia

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 4/5

This ginger beer is more of a soda but it is very good. Quite sugary and sweet but you can still feel a some ginger. Bundaberg also has a variety of other sodas that are equally good.

R. Blue Sky:

Blue Sky

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 130
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 0mg
  • Total Carb: 32g
  • Sugars: 31g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Filtered Water
  • Invert Cane Sugar
  • Citric Acid
  • Natural Flavors
  • Caramel Color

Manufactured For: BLUE SKY BEVERAGE, Tustin, GA

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 2/5
  • Overall: 2/5

Run of the mill ginger ale.

S. Powell And Mahoney:

Powell and Mahoney

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 140
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 10mg
  • Total Carb: 35g
  • Sugars: 33g
  • Protein: 0g
  • Potassium: 120mg

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Cane Sugar
  • Natural Flavor
  • Citric Acid
  • Ascorbic Acid
  • Ginger Extract
  • Capsicum Extract

Distributed By: POWELL AND MAHONEY, Salem, MA

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 4/5
  • Overall: 1/5

Why don’t you just pour mace in my ginger beer and call it good. I like spice probably more than most people but this ginger beer is a travesty. It burns in all the wrong places (namely your tongue and eventually your bum) where any proper ginger beer should have a horseradishy throat burn, not a carolina reaper tongue burn.

T. Hot Lips:

Hot Lips

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 141
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 2mg
  • Total Carb: 36g
  • Sugars: 36g
  • Protein: <1g

Ingredients:

  • Sparkling Water
  • Organic Ginger
  • Cane Sugar
  • Lemon Juice

Distributed By: HOTLIPS SODA, Portland, OR

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 2/5

Tastes like pina colada to me, one of the few ginger ales with real ginger.

U. Kroger:

Kroger

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 165
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 35mg
  • Total Carb: 42g
  • Sugars: 42g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup
  • Natural Flavor
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Benzoate (Preservative)
  • Caramel Color
  • Gum Acacia

Distributed By: The Kroger Co. Cincinnati, OH

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 3/5
  • Overall: 4/5

Even though this is mass produced at the local grocery store and super cheap, for what it is it provides a nice burn with a decent flavor. Much closer to a soda than a brew with the high fructose corn syrup but the taste and after taste aren’t bad at all.

V. President’s Choice:

Presiden't Choice

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories:
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 25mg
  • Total Carb: 30g
  • Sugars: 30g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Water
  • Sugar/ Glucose-Fructose
  • Natural Flavour
  • Citric Acid
  • Sodium Benzoate
  • Caramel Colour
  • Gum Arabic.

Distributed By: President’s Choice (Loblaw Companies Limited), Canada

Ginger Particles: NO

Review:

  • Spiciness: 4/5
  • Overall: 5/5

I would go to Canada just for this ginger beer. It has a very nice burn along with a great flavour. It’s also probably the cheapest of all the ginger beers as it comes in a 2 litre bottle. I can’t recommend this ginger beer enough and wish it were distributed worldwide.

W. Maine Root:

Maine Root

Nutrition Facts:

  • Calories: 165
  • Fat: 0
  • Sodium: 35mg
  • Total Carb: 40g
  • Sugars: 40g
  • Protein: 0g

Ingredients:

  • Carbonated Pure Water
  • Fair Trade Certified Organic Cane Sugar
  • Spices

Distributed By: MAINE ROOT, Portland, ME

Ginger Particles: YES

Review:

  • Spiciness: 4/5
  • Overall: 5/5

This is hands down the best ginger beer ever made. It has a very strong spice that without fail makes me sneeze every time I drink a bottle. It has an equally decent flavour. They use all pure ingredients which helps. It used to be prolific but now I cannot locate it anywhere. If you can get your hands on it, you won’t regret it.