Smooth and Spicy, These Are the 10 Best Ginger Ale Brands, Ranked
Ginger seems to be having a moment. The classic staple of spice racks has now worked its way into other areas of the supermarket, popping up in everything from vegan jerky to dark chocolate. But when it comes to the most popular ginger products that you’ll find in almost every home, ginger ale has been the reigning champ for a long time. You have many choices when it comes to this zingy soda, so to give you a head start, we ranked the best ginger ale brands.
Health Benefits of Ginger
Ginger is commonly considered a superfood, thanks to the long list of wide-ranging health benefits. Experts say it can help treat symptoms of everything from depression to inflammation. It is also very good at keeping nausea at bay, making it a go-to for those battling morning sickness, the flu or other queasiness-inducing ailments.
Related: Drinking Ginger Tea Comes with Major Health Benefits
The Difference Between Ginger Beer and Ginger Ale
While ginger ale is undoubtedly the most well-known ginger-based beverage, you may have also heard about ginger beer. What’s the difference? While both are made from some of the same ingredients, they each have some specific elements that make them different.
Ginger ale tends to taste sweeter and milder than ginger beer, but is typically more carbonated, making it seem more like soda and other soft drinks.
Ginger beer is made by fermenting several ingredients – primarily ginger and sugar – with a yeast component. While it tends to be stronger and spicier than ginger ale, there are lots of customized recipes with a host of ingredients added, so you can find many varieties of ginger beer with their own distinct taste. While ginger beer traditionally contains alcohol, many of today’s varieties are nonalcoholic.
Now that you're clear on what you'll be sipping, let's move on to the ranking!
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Best Ginger Ale Brands
10. OLIPOP Ginger Ale
The main reason this OLIPOP offering isn’t higher on our list is because, frankly, it’s still a bit of a mystery. The flavor was just released in late August, so not many people have had a chance to check it out and share feedback yet. But based on the popularity of other OLIPOP varieties, expectations are high for this latest addition to their lineup.
Related: All 14 OLIPOP Soda Flavors, Ranked
9. Blenheim Ginger Ale
Based in South Carolina, Blenheim Ginger Ale Company is a tradition in the South going back more than 100 years, but thanks to online availability has now caught the attention of ginger lovers across the U.S. (and beyond). They're known for their original spicy “hot” ginger ale, but also offer a milder version, along with a diet option.
8. Maine Root Ginger Brew
Maine Root prides itself on using organic ingredients sourced in an ethical way. This is another good option for those who like their ginger ale on the spicy side.
7. Q Ginger Ale
Made by Q Mixers, this ginger ale is billed as a great cocktail mixer, but with its balanced flavors and refreshing taste, fans say it’s a great stand-alone soda. The brand also has a variety of ginger beers.
6. Wegmans Ginger Ale
This all-natural ginger ale from Wegmans has a light and subtle taste that’s gingery without being overpowering. If you like this, you may also want to check out Wegmans Ginger Sparkling Water, which has zero calories and no artificial colors or flavors.
5. 365 by Whole Foods Market Ginger Ale
This offering from the 365 by Whole Foods Market line delivers the combination of quality and value you expect from that brand. It has a short list of easy-to-understand ingredients and contains no high fructose corn syrup.
Related: We Ranked 15 SodaStream Syrup Flavors from Worst to Best
4. Schweppes Ginger Ale
One of the pioneers—and enduring leaders—among national ginger ale brands, Schweppes has earned legions of loyal fans and many rave reviews, leading to its Amazon’s Choice designation. If you want to mix things up, try any of the brand’s other varieties, including raspberry, white peach or dry grape.
3. Vernors Ginger Soda
Vernors is another beloved, nostalgic brand and is a fan favorite in the Midwest. Originally sold primarily in Michigan, it has gradually caught on around the rest of the country. The brand is now part of the Keurig Dr Pepper umbrella of products, but it was one of the nation’s oldest soft drinks, according to the Detroit Historical Society. It can be hard to find unless you buy it online (where it tends to be pricey) but the drink’s many passionate fans say it’s well worth the cost.
2. Canada Dry Ginger Ale
Another of the giants in the ginger ale category, Canada Dry is known for its beloved, classic taste. Many of us still associate the brand with comforting memories of our mothers or grandmothers bringing us a cold glass of Canada Dry when we were home sick from school. While the original variety is still king, they also have an array of other varieties, including a Bold version and a Ginger Ale & Lemonade blend.
1. Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Ale
It’s easy to understand why Fever-Tree nabbed the top spot once you give it a sip. The individual bottles (which is part of the charm) are a top-seller have more than 7,500 Amazon reviews with an average of 4.7, so we're not alone in our passion for this product. The drink, which is also a favorite of bartenders, is made using oils from three different kinds of ginger, one from the Ivory Coast, one from Nigeria and one from Cochin, India. The ginger flavor is complex and perfectly balanced. This ginger ale is great sipped straight or used as a mixer for your favorite cocktail. It's particularly good with bourbon or rum.
Next up, check out our rankings of the 40 best Monster drink flavors of all time.
