Ginger ale
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ginger ale is a soft drink flavored with ginger. Brands in North America include Canada Dry, Vernors, Seagram's, Schweppes, Sussex, Buffalo Rock, Ale-8-One, Blenheim Ginger Ale, and Reed's. It is popular in mixed drinks.
Often used as a home remedy for upset stomachs, ginger ale also contains high levels of sugar, which can cause an osmotic charge that can affect the bowels more than the desired effect of the ginger. It is sometimes used as a non-alcoholic substitute for champagne, since both beverages resemble each other in appearance. Ginger ale is also used to prevent or alleviate motion sickness.
Ginger content is often listed on labels in a general natural aroma or natural flavoring statement, to preserve secrecy of the complex proprietary mix of spices, fruit and other flavors used.
Ginger ales come in two varieties: golden ginger ale and dry ginger ale. Golden ginger ale, dark colored and strong flavored, is the older style. Dry ginger ale was developed during Prohibition when ginger ale was used as a mixer for alcoholic beverages and the strong flavor of golden ginger ale was undesirable. Dry ginger ale quickly surpassed golden ginger ale in popularity, and today golden ginger ale is an uncommon and usually regional drink. Vernors and Blenheim are examples of golden ginger ale, while Canada Dry and Schweppes are major brands of dry ginger ale.
Dry ginger ale is also sold with a mint flavoring added. Popular brands of mint ginger ale include Cott and Tom Tucker Southern Style. Some mint ginger ale brands have an artificial green color added, while others are clear in color.
Ginger beer, a similar drink, is typically much more strongly ginger-flavored, less carbonated and less sweet.
Vernors is a strongly flavored golden ginger ale aged for four years in oak barrels before bottling. It was the first U.S. soft drink, originating in 1866, although it was modeled on imported Irish ginger beers. In Detroit, Michigan, a drink made with vanilla ice cream and Vernors ginger ale is called a Boston cooler. The name is not taken from Boston, Massachusetts, where this combination is unknown, but from an establishment on Boston Boulevard in Detroit where it is said to have been invented.
Some manufacturers have produced fruit-flavored ginger ales, including raspberry and grape flavored versions of Schweppes.
A quick, in a pinch, bartender's recipe for fake ginger ale combines 1 part Cola and 3 parts lemon-lime soda; however, this has no ginger at all.
