Lashing of ginger beer! We taste-test five of the best on the Irish market right now
Our drinks expert delves into the history of ginger beers and ales, and tries out some of the well-known brands
This week's comparative tasting of alcoholic ginger beer was inspired in part by the rebranding roll-out of Kinnegar's Jackrabbit ginger beer, with its new label and pre-summer marketing push. I enjoyed it on draught one evening in a pub served with a dash of bitters for extra spicing, but was curious to try it straight up and side by side with some other examples from both Ireland and England.
I also wanted to take a little deep dive into the history of ginger beer to get my head around it. Like many Irish people, I suspect, I didn't have a firm grasp on what this beverage was, beyond vaguely associating it with England. (I was sad to learn that Enid Blyton's Famous Five never were served lashings of ginger beer, or at least not in her original stories.) So what's ginger beer got to do with beer? Is it even alcoholic in its natural traditional state? And in its non-alcoholic form, what's the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale?
All five of today's ginger beers were wildly different from one another in everything but their alcohol content (4pc ABV). They ranged in colour from translucent to cloudy, pale lemon through to rich amber, and in character from distinctly sour to dark, sweet spice notes.
The history itself is a little cloudy too. Most accounts agree that ginger beer was developed commercially in 18th-century England. As a brewed drink based on naturally fermented fresh ginger and sugar, it contained small quantities of alcohol of at least 2-3pc ABV.
However, a fascinating article from the USA's Federation of Historical Bottle Collectors claims that the alcohol content could be up to 11pc ABV. This alcohol acted as a preservative for the export of English ginger beer to the colonies and Americas, traditionally in glazed, corked and wired ceramic containers that kept the natural carbonation intact too. A combination of excise duty in the UK and Prohibition in the USA saw ginger beer evolve into a largely non-alcoholic beverage — to such a degree that today's UK examples are labelled 'alcoholic ginger beer'.
Of course, there are also excellent non-alcoholic ginger beers out there, and some very good ginger ales, which are lighter in style and based on ginger extract rather than fermented root ginger. (Fever-Tree produce both styles.) As a mixer, use ginger ale in a Jameson & Ginger, where the lighter, sweeter, softer style helps to foreground the whiskey; use (alcohol-free) ginger beer in a Moscow Mule, where the vodka and fresh lime can handle the robust spice of this ginger-forward option. Adding Angostura bitters to either style will help to ramp up the warm spices.
Pick of the week
Hopfully 'Ollie' Ginger Beer, Waterford 4pc, €3.90-4.40 (440ml can)
If you like sour beers or refreshing sodas that lean to the sharper side, this could be the taste of your summer: cloudy and pale lemon in colour, with spicy aromas of dried ginger lifting fruity undertones, it is super tangy, clean and refreshing — and very moreish — with distinctive ginger juice tang on its well-balanced finish. Look out too for their limited-edition yuzu ginger beer for elevated sharpness and a more fragrant citrus character. Pair with creamy curries. Selected independents, Craft Central, thecru.ie
Kinnegar Jackrabbit Premium Ginger Beer, Donegal 4pc, €3.99 (50cl bottle)
This lager-coloured, naturally carbonated, unfiltered ginger beer is brewed with yeast and barley as well as ginger, raw cane sugar and pear; evoking ginger snap biscuits and rhubarb and ginger jam, it is full-bodied and soft-edged with a warming ginger finish. Go fried fish and chips. Molloy's, SuperValu, O'Briens and independents nationwide
Zingibeer Irish Ginger Beer, Dublin 4pc, €3.75-4.50 (50cl bottle)
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This former home brewers' lockdown project from father and daughter Kevin and Rachel Byrne fast became an award-winning success. Brewed from fresh Malaysian ginger and lemon zest, it is pale, clean, dry and not unlike a hard seltzer. Try with steamed mussels. Molloy's, Tesco, Spar, Eurospar, Fresh, O'Briens, Joyce's, Carry Out and independents (see zingibeer.ie)
Hollows & Fentimans All Natural Alcoholic Ginger Beer, Yorkshire 4pc, €4.30-5.75 (50cl bottle)
'Botanically brewed since 1905', from a recipe secured in lieu of an unpaid loan; featuring ginger root, water, sugar, pear juice, yeast and a 14-day process. Bold and sweet, like crystallised ginger and honey lozenges; try over ice with a chicken pie. Molloy's, Dunnes Stores, Martins, McHughs and other independents
Crabbie's Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer, UK 4pc, €3.10-3.60 (50cl bottle)
The darkest in colour and flavour, and spiciest in ginger heat, with no ingredients on the label but a promise of 'exotic spices' and 'real ginger' that has been 'steeped for six weeks', this has cola-like notes with sweet spices and sticky gingerbread character. Try with a rich beef stew. Molloy's, Tesco, Dunnes and selected independents; diceys.com
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