Justine Sterling
As a child, I loved ginger beer—I loved the spice, how it tickled my nose. I loved drinking it out of a bottle and pretending it was beer (this was the ‘90s, we were allowed to pretend things like that). And now, I still love ginger beer. It’s probably my favorite soft drink. It’s complex and sweet and spicy and good with all manner of alcohol—mezcal, whiskey, gin, vodka, you name it.
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I also like how ginger beer is historical. Many of the original sodas are…less than delicious, imo. Spruce beer sounds like something delicious that Robin Hood would have sipped, but it’s not suited to modern palates. Ginger beer has staying power, and that’s proven by the sheer amount of ginger beer brands and variations that are on the market.
So, what is the best ginger beer? To answer that worthy question, I tasted the top-selling and top-ranked ginger beers on the market over the course of three taste tests.
What we want in the best ginger beer:
- Bite and spice. Ginger beer is not ginger ale. It should be spicy. (Wondering what’s the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale? We can help.)
- Real ginger flavor. Ginger beer should taste like ginger. Fresh ginger.
- Sweet, sweet sugar. You gotta have a good amount of sugar to balance out that spicy ginger.
- Fine, little bubbles. Spritzy little bubbles help create the illusion of acidity and balance out the sweet and spicy flavors.
- Good on their own or with booze. The best ginger beer can do double duty. It’s enjoyable to drink and also good mixed with spirits for cocktails like Moscow Mules and Dark and Stormys.
Here are the best ginger beers, whether you’re looking for the best diet ginger beer, the best Moscow Mule ginger beer, and more.
Best Ginger Beer, Ranked
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- Owen’s Craft Mixers Ginger Beer + Lime
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On its own, this ginger beer is a bit too limey. But that makes it the best ginger beer for Moscow Mule making. And, to be fair to Owen’s, it’s not sold as a stand-alone sipper. It’s sold as a mixer. The carbonation level is high, the gingery burn is present, and it’s not too sweet, but the citrusy backbone makes this the clear winner for best Moscow Mule mixer. Of course, if you find yourself adding a squeeze of lime to ginger beer normally, you also might like to gulp this bottle down on its own.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart
- Summit Ginger Beer
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Aldi’s seasonal ginger brew is extremely spiced and herbal. With its perfumed aroma and carbonated sting, it’s not for everyone. But sometimes that’s what I want out of a ginger beer—I want a slow sipper, something I have to approach with caution. Summit is the best ginger beer for that specific scenario. Plus, mixed with gin it becomes a beautifully botanical cocktail. Garnish it with an edible flower. You have a bunch of those just lying around, right?
Credit: Ryan Martin / Aldi
- Cock ‘n Bull Diet Ginger Beer
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Diet ginger beer often falls flat—there’s something about the combination of sugar substitutes and spicy ginger that ends up tasting like dishwater to me. Cock ‘n Bull has somehow actually made a really good diet ginger beer. In fact, I tasted regular Cock ‘n Bull and I actually liked the diet version better. It smells like super fresh ginger and while the flavor is certainly sweet (thanks to the sucralose) it’s balanced out by a powerful kick of ginger flavor. It’s spicy enough to clear out your sinuses a bit, and I love that. This is the best diet ginger beer I’ve had—make sure you get it in bottles, it tastes even better that way.
Credit: Liv Averett / Total Wine
- Saranac Ginger Beer
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When I was pregnant, this was one of my go-to drinks to pull out when everyone else was drinking beer. But it’s more than just the best ginger beer to hold and pretend you’re drinking real beer. It’s a good, easy-going ginger beer that’s a step above ginger ale in real ginger flavor and spice. It’s not powerful enough to mix with a spirit to make a cocktail, but on its own the tingly bubbles and zippy sweetness are enough to keep you coming back sip after sip.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Cutwater Ginger Beer
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Cutwater makes spirits, really good canned cocktails, as well as a line of mixers. You can straight-up stock your bar with Cutwater products, and you would be very happy with the outcome. Their ginger beer is made with cane sugar (points!) and has lots of nose-tickling carbonation. The sweetness shows up upon first sip but then it finishes dry—it’s balanced and can handle a sweeter bourbon or rum. Cutwater set out to make the best ginger beer to mix with their spirits and they did a dang good job.
Credit: Liv Averett / Reserve Bar
- Q Mixers Ginger Beer
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This is a sophisticated ginger beer. It’s much drier than the others on offer with a long lasting spice and lots of small, fine bubbles. This is the Champagne of the ginger beer world. If you’re averse to sugar, this could be the best ginger beer you’ve ever had. But you should also pick up a few cans if you’re a big Whiskey Ginger fan. It will play the perfect supporting role to any whiskey you choose, allowing the spirit to shine while still adding a fizz factor and complementary ginger flavor. Personally, though, I’d go with an Irish whiskey like a classic Jameson or, if you want to get fancy, a fruity-floral Japanese whisky like a Hibiki. But, heck, even if you only have the moonshine your cousin makes, using this ginger beer will result in a pretty decent drink.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Fentimans Ginger Beer
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While this ginger beer finishes with a gentle ginger burn, you mostly get brown sugar, floral and botanical notes, and unique aromatics. Sporked managing editor Gwynedd Stuart called it “unreal.” It’s an apothecary’s ginger beer, and the best ginger beer if you’re skittish around too much ginger but still want something that tastes like it came from the earth.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Bundaberg Ginger Beer
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It might be the color of the label, but we all sensed some orange aromas in this ginger beer from Down Under. It’s full-bodied and rounded with a light ginger flavor. Try it in a Moscow Mule with muddled berries or as a stand-in for ginger ale in a Pimm’s Cup. Or just drink it on its own. It’s as refreshing and friendly as a Sydney native (or, at least, the Sydney natives I’ve seen on TV). Plus, it has a fun pull-tab-style cap. Bundaberg, Australian for the best (ginger) beer.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Amazon
- Betty Buzz Ginger Beer
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If you’re looking for something to drink with dinner that isn’t alcoholic, isn’t super sweet, and isn’t water, then Betty Buzz is the best ginger beer for you. It’s very dry with extremely small bubbles and a nice touch of spice. It practically tastes like a mocktail on its own—and a sophisticated one at that. Though, it would also be good with some non-alcoholic whiskey mixed in to make an N/A Ginger Buck. It’s also only 70 calories a serving, which is a fraction of our number one pick’s calorie count—if that’s something you care about. The packaging also adds to the appeal. The petite, curvaceous bottle looks like something you’d get at a craft bar covered in blond wood where they grow their own garnishes.
Credit: Liv Averett / Reserve Bar
- Q Mixers Hibiscus Ginger Beer
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This hibiscus ginger beer is one of my favorite finds of 2026. It tastes like straight Christmas—not in a craft store way, in a deliciously fruity yet spiced way. It’s rich and complex, with notes of cooked fruit and floral, tart hibiscus, plus a heavy ginger base. It’s not super sweet, either. I wrote in my notes that this is “delish.” It’s so good I turned into Rachael Ray circa 2001. And while it is super tasty on its own, it is crafted to be a mixer. I tried it with mezcal and, once again, delish.
Credit: Liv Averett / Amazon
- Reed’s Extra Craft Ginger Beer
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I am a big fan of the full lineup of Reed’s ginger beers, but their “Extra” level brew is a particularly friendly, easy-drinking offering. It’s delightfully honeyed with lots of rich flavors and subtle burn on the finish, just enough to let you know there is real ginger in there. And you can’t deny the appeal of the packaging. It’s the best ginger beer to sip while you kick back on island time.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Target
- Goslings Ginger Beer
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With its fine bubbles, good ginger spice (without being spicy), and extreme drinkability, this old-school classic is a standby for a reason. Not only is it good for chugging straight from the can, but it’s also the best ginger beer for Dark and Stormy purposes. Technically, it’s the only ginger beer you can legally use in a Dark and Stormy (or Dark N’ Stormy if you want to be official about it) since the company trademarked the drink’s name; make the cocktail with anything else and you have to call it a Rum and Ginger. But after making a product like this, they deserve to be as litigious as they are. It has just the right amount of sugar and bite to blend with rum and make a perfectly balanced cocktail.
Credit: Ryan Martin / Walmart
- Barritt’s Ginger Beer
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After the first few sips of this Bermudian ginger beer, we all unanimously decided this is, for sure, the best ginger beer. It’s just so vibrant. It’s not simply sweet (though it is just the right amount of sweet). And it’s not just spicy (though it certainly has a bite). It tastes like real, actual ginger! And if you pour the pleasingly retro can into a glass, you’ll notice the brew is cloudy—you can see the ginger juice in the mix. It’s a treat to drink on its own but it’s also great for cocktails. Pair it with a dark rum or a spicy rye.
Credit: Liv Averett / Walmart
Best Ginger Beer for a Moscow Mule
Best Herbaceous Ginger Beer
Best Diet Ginger Beer
Best Soda Style Ginger Beer
Best Everyday Mixer
Best Ginger Beer for Whiskey Gingers
Best Mild Ginger Beer
Best Ginger Beer for Fruity Cocktails
Best Ginger Beer to Pair with Food
Best Flavored Ginger Beer
Best Ginger Beer for Sipping on Its Own
Best Ginger Beer for a Dark and Stormy
Best of the Best
Other ginger beers we tried:
Maine Root Ginger Brew, Regatta, Kroger, Stolichnaya, Zevia, Trader Joe’s, Devil’s Foot Ginger Beer, Devil’s Foot Ginger Beer Ghost, Cock ‘n Bull
Jessica Block
Ariana Losch
Danny Palumbo
