What Type of Ginger Beer Best Suits You?
A GINGER BEER PRIMER
If you’ve read up on the history of the Moscow Mule, you’ll know that the original version created by Grandma Sophie, Jack Morgan and John Martin in 1941 was made using Cock ‘n Bull’s own house-made ginger beer. While the Cock ‘n Bull brand of ginger beer is still available today, there are now countless other options available with a wide variety of flavor profiles.
Just like a particular brand of vodka will have an influence on the subtle tastes of your mule, so will the type of ginger beer you use. Changing this one ingredient can take your mule from sweet to spicy to downright boozy.
Here, we’ve rounded up our eight favorite brands of ginger beer on the market today, so read on to see which one’s right for you!
OUR FAVORITE BRANDS: FROM A TO Z
Bundaberg Ginger Beer
This brand is a classic. Brewed in Australia, Bundaberg is perhaps most well-known for its iconic stubby bottles and tear-off metal lids. This ginger beer is spicy yet sweet, and adds just the right amount of carbonation to any mule.
Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer
The “original” Moscow Mule ginger beer, when combined with Smirnoff vodka and a squeeze of lime in a Moscow Copper Co. mug, you’ll have a truly authentic mule on your hands. Just don’t go looking for the drinking establishment itself, as sadly it was shuttered in 1987.
Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer
With tons of spicy fresh ginger flavor, notes of citrus and a warming finish, Crabbie’s would be a welcome addition to any mule. It’s also one of the few ginger beers that boasts actual alcohol content, which means you’d even be forgiven if you decided to forego the vodka.
Fentimans Botanically Brewed Ginger Beer
Hailing from the UK, Fentimans has gained a cult following among mixologists due to its incredibly flavorful ginger beer brewed with botanicals and herbs. With both alcoholic and nonalcoholic versions available, Fentimans is a fantastic choice for those who like their mules on the more full-flavored side.
Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
A brand as elegant as it is exceptional. Fever-Tree is made using two types of ginger, giving it a multi-dimensional citrusy yet earthy flavor. It’s spicy without being overly peppery, with fresh pieces of ginger floating through every bottle.
Q Drinks Ginger Beer
An artisanal style of ginger beer, the Q Drinks brand boasts deliberately lower sugar and carbonation levels than most of its competitors. These lower sugar levels and fewer bubbles mean less sweet and more spice with every sip.
Seabold Ginger Beer
Seabold places fresh ginger flavor front and center, which shines through even more with the beer’s light carbonation and beautiful golden color. Handcrafted in Los Angeles, each small batch is individually numbered and sells out quickly. If you’re lucky enough to spot this brand at your local farmer’s market or juice store, be sure to grab some up!
Stoli Ginger Beer
The vodka powerhouse’s line of ginger beer has a well-balanced spicy-sweetness with a healthy hit of carbonation for those who enjoy their mules on the fizzier side. Although not as spicy as some of the other brands, it’s good to know that this beer’s sweetness comes only from pure cane sugar and no corn syrup, so you know you’re only drinking the best with your Moscow Mule in hand.
As you can see, there are plenty of ginger beer options on the market today, so we encourage you to give a few of these a try and see which option tastes best to you. You may be surprised at what you find!
