The best ginger ale is always there for you when you need it. Childhood sick days wouldn’t have been the same without The Price Is Right, Lipton Noodle Soup from the packet, and a green two liter bottle of ginger ale by your side. Then you grow up and ginger ale goes from being a comforting remedy for tummy troubles to being a good mixer with whiskey and, ultimately, ginger beer’s more subdued sibling. Ginger beer takes risks, while ginger ale is safe. Sometimes safe is good, just like wagering $1 on Contestants’ Row when you know everyone overbid on the dinette set.
But what is the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale? Apparently, ginger beer used to actually be brewed and fermented, but that largely isn’t the case anymore. Now the difference comes down to taste. They’re both ginger-flavored carbonated bevs, but ginger beer brings major bite while ginger ale takes ‘er easy on your taste buds. We kept that in mind as we set out to find the best tasting ginger ale brand over the course of two separate taste tests. Yes, ginger ale should have good ginger flavor, but it shouldn’t burn as much as a ginger beer. From the best diet ginger ale to one that’s sweetened with honey, this is the best ginger ale.
- Reed’s Real Ginger Ale Zero
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Reed’s makes good ginger ale. I’ll admit their zero sugar ginger ale isn’t as good as their full sugar ginger ale, but they do make the best diet ginger ale we tasted. If you typically drink diet soda, the artificial sweetener taste probably won’t bother you. Honestly, it didn’t bother us all that much (obviously, since it’s on the list). One taste tester thought it needed more sweetness, but I really liked the crisp, clean flavor.
Credit: Liv Averett / Instacart
- Dr. Brown’s Extra Dry Ginger Ale
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If you generally think soda is too sweet—maybe you even gravitate toward seltzers and sparkling waters— this is the best ginger ale for you. It’s really refreshing, has just a whisper of sweetness, and still tastes like ginger ale. I always associate Dr. Brown’s with eating at a deli and this is the perfect ginger ale to eat with a corned beef sandwich and potato salad. It’ll cut the fat and make you burp.
Credit: Liv Averett / Soda Pop Shop
- Canada Dry Ginger Ale
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We tried this classic alongside both Schweppes and a few store-brand ginger ales similarly packaged in green plastic bottles, and Canada Dry came out on top. No, it doesn’t have big ginger flavor like some other sodas on the list, but the flavor it does have is just so pleasant and familiar. One taste tester liked that Canada Dry had better fizz than Schweppes, too. Sometimes classics are classics for a reason. And Canada Dry is still one of the best ginger ale brands
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- Vernors Ginger Soda
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Vernors claims to be the “original” ginger soda and the oldest surviving American brand of ginger ale. Indeed, this Detroit-born soda feels like a hell of a blueprint for the rest of the ginger ale world. Upon sipping, everyone instantly noted that this soda runs a little sweeter than some of the dryer ales, but that makes it the best ginger ale for a sippable dessert like a ginger ale float with the best vanilla ice cream. TBH, I’ve never had a ginger ale float, but there’s no way it’s not good, right?
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- Reed’s Real Ginger Ale
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Reed’s tastes like a craft ginger ale. It’s extremely crisp and has lots of ginger flavor; way more than other ginger ales. It actively fizzes on your tongue, but doesn’t burn going down like ginger beer. It lingers on your palate in a really nice way. This is a great ginger ale, and would be the best ginger ale for a Moscow Mule if ginger beer is too spicy for you.
Credit: Liv Averett / Target
- Sprecher Ginger Ale
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Our previous number one, Canada Dry Bold, was discontinued (booo), so Sprecher moves into the top spot. Make no mistake: This is a totally elite ginger ale. It has a good ginger burn (the flames on the label forewarn you) without getting into ginger beer territory, but its best qualities are its subdued sweetness and light fizz (the website describes it as being like a dry sparkling Chardonnay, and that’s pretty spot on). Sprecher is sweetened with honey and that flavor really marries well with the flavor of ginger. These bottles are big, but the sipping experience is so pleasant, we bet you can make it through the whole thing. It’s the best ginger ale you can buy.
Best Diet
Best Dry
Best Classic
Best for a Float
Best Sweet
Best of the Best
