Introduction
The Ginger is a non-alcoholic drink, a carbonated “Soft drinks”, sugar-free made from ginger root, a spice particularly refreshing with a lot of benefits.
This soft-drink is generally golden in colour (Gold type), with a very intense flavor but also dry dry, or Pale-dry, which is much lighter in color and has a neutral flavor. The there is also the Ginger Ale flavored with fruit, honey, mint or berries.
In Italy the consumption of Ginger drinks is not large at all, and it is used almost exclusively in the cocktail bars, for aperitif or long drink, but quite rarely. Among the most known cocktail where Italians use drink the Ginger Ale ass an ingredient there is the famous Moscow Mule and the non-alcoholic drink Shirley Temple.
In recent years, even in Italy the sell of Ginger is increasing with the return of some fashioned soft drinks like Cedrata and Chinotto, that people used to drink in the past, like in the 30s and 40s of the last century.
Anyway, several Italian companies that produce soft drinks they have the Ginger in their production, like Paoletti and his “Spuma Bionda”.
Normally, with the ginger, it is added cinnamon, and pepper, but many of the recipes are kept secret.
History of Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer
Ginger Beer seems to have been made in England as a medicinal drink for the first time in the XIX century. Its use was reserved sailors during the navigation, but when the Ginger arrived in the US, there was very successful thanks to a doctor patents and a strong advertising campaign known for the slogan “The originals makers of Ginger Ale” used by American investors to make profit on this production, using an English recipe.
Even today there is a discussion about the Ginger Ale was born before Ginger Beer, to claim, by Americans, the merit to have invent the Ginger Ale, which is widespread worldwide with respect to the older brother. We won’t take part to this discussion, and here we make only narrative.
During the American Prohibition of alcohol, the Ginger Ale became very famous because was used to hide the smell and the colour of the alcohol in the long drinks. In those years, several American Ginger factories like Vernos, Canada Dry, Seagram’s, Blenheim and Schweppes, grew exponentially.
Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer differences
Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer are similar, both free of alcohol and flavored with ginger, but are produced in two different countries, at least as origins. Ginger Ale has been produced for the first time in the United States, while the Ginger Beer was English and more ancient.
The name “Beer” is due to the similarity with the production of beer, because the ingredients, which are ginger, brown sugar, water and lemon, are fermented naturally. That means the Ginger Beer could have a very small alcohol content. In this case you can find a mention on the bottle label.
The natural fermentation instead, it is very rare for the Ginger Ale, with is added of carbon dioxide. The two methods of production differ as well as the taste.
