Ginger ale
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| Type | Soda pop |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland[1] |
| Introduced | 1851 |
| Colour | Gold |
| Flavour | Ginger |
| Variants | Golden ginger ale and dry ginger ale |
Ginger ale is a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. Dr. Cantrell of Belfast, Ireland claimed to invent ginger ale and market it with beverage manufacturer Grattan & Company. Grattan embossed the slogan "The Original Makers of Ginger Ale" on it's bottles.[2] Ginger Ale was considered the most popular soft drink in the United States between 1860 and 1930.[2]
History
Ginger ales come in two varieties: golden ginger ale and dry ginger ale. Golden ginger ale is dark colored, generally sweet to taste, with a strong ginger spice flavor. It is the older style and there is little or no difference between this and non-alcoholic versions of ginger beer. Many believe golden ginger ale is a form of ginger beer brought into North America by migrants from Eastern Europe,[citation needed] where it had been known for centuries. Golden ginger ale, like ginger beer, is mainly consumed as a soda type drink in its own right.
Dry ginger ale (paler, and with much less of the ginger "kick") became popular in the United States during the Prohibition era when it was used as a mixer for alcoholic beverages as 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. By contrast, dry ginger ale is produced on a vast scale for national and international consumers.
Vernors, Blenheim, A-Treat, Bull's Head, Chelmsford, Buffalo Rock, Sussex and Red Rock are brands of golden ginger ale. Canada Dry, Schweppes and Seagram's are major brands of dry ginger ale. Dry ginger ale is marketed as a mixer for alcoholic beverages and as such is a staple on supermarket shelves, in bars, and on airlines. Ginger ale is less commonly sold through vending machines or soda fountains alongside other carbonated soft drinks but is still popular in some countries like Canada.
Manufacturing
United States of America
Brands available in North America include Canada Dry, Bull's Head, Canfield's, Hansen Natural, Vernors, Seagram's, Seamans, Schweppes, Sussex, Buffalo Rock, Boylan Bottling Company, Polar Beverages, Ale-8-One, Blenheim Ginger Ale, Foxon Park, Sprecher, Vally, Market Basket/Chelmsford, Red Rock, Reed's Ginger Brew, Thomas Kemper, Blaze, Chek (River of Dreams), Shasta, and Northern Neck Ginger Ale.
Vernors is a flavored golden ginger ale aged for three years in oak barrels before bottling. It was the first U.S. soft drink, originating in 1866, although it was modelled 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.
Blenheim is a golden ginger ale made in South Carolina; unlike most other brands, it is available in several degrees of spiciness: Old #3 Hot, #5 Not as Hot, and #9 Diet.[3]
Ingredients
Ginger ale commonly contains ginger, sugar, and carbonated water. Ginger ale can also contain yeast when carbonated with natural fermentation. 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, fruits and other flavors used. Lemon, lime and cane sugar are the most common of ingredients. Pineapple and honey are also occasional ingredients.[citation needed] Most commercial ginger ales made in the United States are made with HFCS - high-fructose corn syrup to save manufacturing cost.
Usage
Ginger ale is used as a home remedy to prevent or alleviate motion sickness, to relieve upset stomachs and to soothe coughs and sore throats. It contains high levels of sugar, which can cause an osmotic shift that can affect the bowels more than the desired effect of the ginger. [citation needed]
It is popular in mixed drinks, especially in non-alcoholic mixed drinks. It is sometimes used as a non-alcoholic substitute for champagne, since the beverages resemble each other in appearance.
Ginger ale is an ingredient in many mixed drinks and can be mixed with most hard liquors, beer and wine. Ginger ale is said to mix well with everything.[4]
Variations
Dry ginger ale is also sold with a mint flavoring added. Popular brands of mint ginger ale include Tom Tucker Southern Style, and Cott (which no longer produces this flavor). Some mint ginger ale brands have an artificial green color added, while others are clear in color. Recently, Canada Dry has come out with a line of ginger ale mixed with green tea.
Some manufacturers have produced fruit-flavored ginger ales, including raspberry, cranberry and grape flavored versions of ginger ale.
Ginger beer is a similar soft drink that typically has a stronger flavor of ginger, and is less carbonated and less sweet. Homemade ginger beer may contain alcohol.
See also
References
External links
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