Getting that Kick in your Drink!
The drink with a Kick – The reason the Moscow Mule has the “Mule” in its name. It started all in the 40s then John G. Martin and Rudolph Kunett sat down in a small L.A. bar and met John A. „Jack“ Morgan. That was he who had probably one of the first ginger beers in his basement made. The 3 of them had, after a couple of drinks, the idea to throw the ginger beer and vodka in a glass. It didn’t disappoint! After putting it in copper mug a couple of weeks later the famous Moscow Mule was born.
Every one of us knows how different Vodkas can be in taste, the same goes for Ginger Beers. Since those two ingredients are the heart of the drink, choosing different brands will change the taste of a Moscow Mule more or less quite drastically. Sweetness and Spiciness are the key characteristics of a Ginger Beer. With that said Ginger Beer brands mix those two flavors in a variety of ratios and sometimes even add some extra ones. But not only flavors make the difference also the level of carbonation which makes the experience fizzy!
Enough with that long introduction! We will review and give you our honest opinion regarding these 7 delicious Ginger Beers. Let’s start with our top pics. We will go from A-Z.
In case you can’t be bothered to read through the article here is a summary of our most favorite ones.
Bundaberg Ginger Beer
This is a classic. The Bundaberg Ginger Beer is made in Australia, the land of Kangaroos, beaches and great Ginger Beer. You can easily spot that brand due to its stubby bottle with tear-off lids. When it comes to flavor it is a great balance between sweet and spicy. Not too much of both and enough to get that really great Moscow Mule experience. Basically it is a safe bet. With this one you can’t go wrong. The carbonation is on an average side, so if you like it a bit more fuzzy other brand might be a better choice.
- Imported from Australia
- Best By Date Reads As: DAY/MONTH/YEAR On All Australian & British Food Products
Cock-N-Bull Ginger Beer
This is a no-brainer. The Cock-N-Bull Ginger Beer named after the bar there Moscow Mule was first mixed up and drank, this Ginger Beer can be called “The Original”. Combined with Smirnoff Vodka you can sip your Moscow Mule and let your imagination bring you back to the 40s at the table with John G. Martin, Rudolph Kunett and John A. „Jack“ Morgan. This one is another example of a well-rounded, not too sweet and not too spicy Ginger Beer which creates a great balance with vodka and lime juice. It has a little more carbonation than Bundaberg and is therefor a great choice if you like your drink fuzzier.
Fever-Tree Ginger Beer
This premium Fever-Tree Ginger Beer is brought to us from the UK and it doesn’t disappoint! It brings along a fiery yet distinct ginger taste without being overly sweet. This is achieved by combining 3 different ginger sorts in a bottle. Ginger from Cochin (India) provides the more earthy note. The green ginger from the Ivory Coast brings some freshness and lemongrass flavor along. And to top it off ginger from Nigeria makes the Fever-Tree ginger beer deep and intense tasting. So there you have it folks, this one is more on the spicy side of the spectrum and brings some nice level of carbonation with it. Enjoy!
Old Jamaica Ginger Beer
First appearing in 1988 on the market the Old Jamaica Ginger Beer is one is another UK original. This time ginger from Jamaica is used. And you can taste the playfulness in this blend. You can expect a clear ginger taste and a sweeter experience than other brands. Opinions about the taste of this one vary quite a lot. We would recommend you trying it first in a small batch before buying a whole case. The sweetness of this Ginger Beer might be too sweet for some folks.
Q Ginger Beer – Diet
This one combines 2 main factors in one can. High carbonation and low sugar levels. More of a new-comer, the Q Ginger Beer made his debut a couple of years ago. It says to be simply a mixer and only shows its whole potential in a Mule or other mixed drinks. It is not very great to be consumed on its own. But boy it is great with vodka! It has less sweetness and more spiciness and carbonation than other brands. We recommend here the diet version since the taste to the non-diet version doesn’t differ at all and it has fewer calories…perfect than you want to keep that flat stomach!
Royalty Ginger Beer – Diet
This is another diet version for Ginger Beers. Sweeter that your average ginger beer and has quite little carbonation. It has a very peppery smell to it but doesn’t have that strong ginger kick when you drink it. The Royalty Ginger Beer is perfect for anybody who doesn’t like it very spicy and rather sweet. Also, great if you are taking a closer attention on your calorie intake.
Shrub & Co Spicy Ginger Beer
A rather new company in ginger beer market. The Shrub & Co Spicy Ginger Beer is probably the mots mellow choice when it comes to taste and spiciness. It doesn’t have that ginger “burn” and some people describe it as “weak”. If you like the vodka and lime juice to have a more prominent role in your Moscow Mule this one is great choice.
- THOUGHTFULLY CRAFTED & ALCHOHOL FREE Simple ingredients, no additives, no artificial or natural...
- BALANCED AND BRIGHT FLAVOR - Made from California-grown organic blood oranges, this elegant shrub...
So basically that sums it up. If we forgot any great ones let us know, and we will put them on the list. Also check out our ultimate collection of Moscow Mule variations. Also, we highly recommend to check out the original Moscow Mule recipe. And in case you’re looking for some fun time to spend your time with your friends while enjoying your Mule give our Drinking Games a look!
Cheers guys!
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