Served in a copper mug, the Moscow Mule is a very popular cocktail. The main ingredients in the drink are ginger beer, a non-alcoholic beverage, and vodka. Ginger beer is also a common soda alternative – a carbonated beverage made with ginger extract. It’s similar to ginger ale, but a bit different.
Yes, ginger beer is gluten free. It is important to always check for a gluten-free label, as additives or contaminants may contain gluten. The best gluten free ginger beers are Reed’s Ginger Beer, Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer, Crabbies Ginger Beer, and Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer. The healthiest gluten free ginger beer is Zevia Mixer Ginger Beer.
Let’s touch on the history of ginger beer, how it’s made, how it’s used, and its potential health benefits. Then we’ll touch on several brands, including the popular Gosling’s.
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Ginger Beer History
Ginger beer has been around a long time. Ancient China and India used ginger to spice up drinks 2500 years ago. In the 18th century, some Englishmen started brewing ginger beer. Today, it is a trendy drink alone or mixed into cocktails. Due to excise taxes on traded goods, most ginger beers were limited to a 2% alcohol content from the start.
Is Ginger Beer Healthy?
Ginger is a top herb for digestion that can help with indigestion and nausea. It has anti-cancer and inflammation-reducing properties. Not many studies have been done about the benefits of ginger beer in particular, but if you consume a beer with natural ginger, you are receiving some of its benefits.
Ginger Beer Ingredients
Historically, ginger beer was produced by the natural fermentation of ginger spice, yeast, and sugar. Today, ginger beers are not brewed but manufactured. There may be natural ginger or the ginger flavor may be achieved by combining other ingredients, including “Natural Flavors.”
Some other ingredients in ginger beer you may be unfamiliar with are:
- Quillaia Bark Extract is taken from the bark of the Quillaia tree. It gives the beverage its foaminess.
- Gum Acacia is a food stabilizer, texturizer, and emulsifier yielding from the acacia tree sap.
- Ester Gum is also used as an emulsifier and stabilizer.
- Acesulfame Potassium is a manufactured, zero-calorie sugar substitute. It is 200 times sweeter than sugar.
- Natural Flavors could be a multitude of additives derived from a spice, fruit, fruit juice, vegetable, vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf, plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation products. The origins are not disclosed on the packaging.
What is the Difference Between Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer?
The main difference is that traditional ginger beer is brewed, and ginger ale is not. Ginger ale is carbonated water and ginger juice. Ginger beer goes through a fermentation process. This does result in trace amounts of alcohol (most commercial brands do not exceed 0.5%).
Ginger Beer Cocktails
Ginger beer can be enjoyed out of the can or bottle or mixed in these popular cocktails:
- Moscow Mule – Add vodka and lime juice to a glass. Add ice and top with ginger beer.
- Dark ‘n Stormy – mix ginger beer and dark rum. Pour over ice and add a splash of lime juice.
- Anejo Highball – mix ginger beer with bitters, orange curacao, aged rum, and lime juice. Serve over ice.
Is Gosling’s Ginger Beer Gluten-Free?
Goslings are one of the oldest names in ginger beer. James Gosling set sail from England in 1806 to bring wine and spirits to America. After 91 days at sea, they landed in Bermuda. They opened a store in 1824 and started making rum in 1857. Somewhere along the line, they started making ginger beer to mix with the rum. It’s now the #1 sold ginger beer in the United States.
Described as citrusy and spicy with flavors of lime peel, crystallized ginger, meringue, and turmeric, it’s a signature ingredient in Dark’ n Stormy cocktails and mule drinks.
While there are no apparent ingredients containing gluten, Gosling makes no claims gluten-free and is not listed on gluten-free sites.
Here are the two Gosling Ginger Beer varieties:
Gosling’s Stormy Ginger Beer
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Gum Acacia
- Ester Gum
Nutrition Facts (per can – 355ml):
- 190 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 10mg Sodium
- 48g Carbohydrates (48g Sugar)
- 0g Protein
Gosling’s Diet Ginger Beer
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Potassium Benzoate
- Gum Acacia
- Sucralose
- Ester Gum
- Acesulfame Potassium
Nutrition Facts (per can – 355ml):
- 0 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 0mg Sodium
- 0g Carbohydrates (0g Sugar)
- 0g Protein
Gluten-Free Ginger Beers
Being a purist who looks for the most natural ingredients, I’m going to divide the rest of these ginger beers into ones that use natural ginger and other flavors to simulate the ginger flavoring.
Cock ‘n Bull Ginger Beer
Cock ‘n Bull is gluten-free, made with all-natural ingredients, including real sugar, ginger root extract, and a burst of cherry flavor.
Varieties:
- Original
- Diet
- Cherry
Ingredients in Cock ‘n Bull Cherry Ginger Beer:
- Carbonated Water
- Sugar
- Citric Acid
- Caramel Color
- Natural Flavors
- Sodium Benzoate
Nutrition Facts (per 12 oz):
- 140 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 40mg Sodium
- 35g Carbohydrates (35g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Zevia Mixer Ginger Beer
Gluten-free, non-GMO, and keto-friendly, this ginger beer mixer checks off all the boxes!
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Stevia Leaf Extract
Nutrition Facts (per 1 can – 222ml):
- 0 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 0g Carbohydrates
- 0g Protein
Old Jamaica Ginger Beer
Made with authentic Jamaican root ginger, Old Jamaica is gluten-free. They also make an Original and Rhubarb Ginger Ale.
Varieties:
- Regular
- Extra Fiery
- Light
Ingredients in Old Jamaica Original Ginger Beer:
- Filtered Carbonated Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Citric Acid
- Natural & Artificial Flavors
- Sodium Benzoate
- Caffeine
- Sodium Citrate
- Caramel Color
- Gum Arabic
- Glycerol Ester of Wood Rosin
Nutrition Facts (8 fl oz):
- 100 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 20mg Sodium
- 27g Carbohydrates (27g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Crabbie’s Ginger Beer
This is the only alcoholic ginger beer on the list. It’s 4.8% alcohol by volume and comes in Original and Raspberry Flavors. It has a gluten-free label prominently displayed on the bottleneck.
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Pure Cane Sugar
- 100% Fresh Ginger
- Citric Acid
Nutrition Facts (per 12 fl oz):
- 160 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 0mg Sodium
- 40g Carbohydrates (37g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
- 6% Daily Value of Vitamin C
- 10% Daily Value of Iron
Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer
OU Kosher, Gluten-Free, and Vegan.
Flavors:
- Classic
- Extra Spicy
- Earl Grey
- Mango
- Lemon-Lime
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Pure Cane Sugar
- Ginger
- Organic Ginger Extract
- Citric Acid
Nutrition Facts (per 12 oz):
- 120 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 0mg Sodium
- 31g Carbohydrates (29g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Barritt’s Original Ginger Beer
Barritt’s has been making ginger beer since 1874. Available in regular or sugar-free flavors.
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- National & Artificial Ginger Flavoring
- Citric Acid
- Neutral Cloud
- Sodium Benzoate
- Extract of Quillaia Bark
- Caramel Color
Nutrition Facts (per can – 355ml):
- 200 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 40mg Sodium
- 49g Carbohydrates (49g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Fever-Tree Premium Ginger Beer
Gluten-free and uses three types of ginger from Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and India.
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Spring Water
- Sugar
- Ginger Root
- Natural Ginger Flavors
- Tartaric Acid
- Ascorbic Acid
Nutrition Facts (per 200ml):
- 80 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 0mg Sodium
- 20g Carbohydrates (18g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Reed’s Ginger Beer
All-natural, zero sugar, non-GMO, Reed’s uses organic Peruvian Ginger. According to the company, all Reed’s Ginger Beers are gluten-free.
Varieties:
- Original
- Original Extra (2 times fresh ginger root)
- Zero Sugar Extra
- Strongest (3 times fresh ginger root)
Ingredients:
- Sparkling Filtered Water
- Honey
- Pineapple Juice from Concentrate
- Pressed Organic Ginger Root
- Lemon and Lime Juices from Concentrate
- Spices
Nutrition Facts (per 355ml bottle):
- 140 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 10mg Sodium
- 34g Carbohydrates (34g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Stoli Ginger Beer
The Moscow Mule was invented by the Russian’s to entice more consumers to their vodka market. Stoli is the premiere Russian vodka. It is gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Filtered Water
- Pure Cane Sugar
- Natural Ginger Extract
- Natural Flavors
- Potassium Sorbate
- Citric Acid
- Sodium Benzoate
- Salt
Nutrition Facts (per 6 oz):
- 70 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 0mg Cholesterol
- 20mg Sodium
- 18g Carbohydrates (18g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Regatta Light Ginger Beer
All-Natural ingredients, non-GMO
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Organic Blue Agave
- Ginger Extracts and Other Natural Flavors
- Citric Acid
- Quillaia Bark Extract
- Caramel Color
- Gum Arabic
- Ester Gum
Nutrition Facts (per 1 can):
- 21 Calories
- 0g Fat
- 6mg Sodium
- 2g Carbohydrates (5.2g Sugars)
- 0g Protein
Hollows & Fentimans Ginger Beer
It is made in England using all-natural ingredients and is certified gluten-free.
Ingredients:
- Carbonated Water
- Fermented Ginger Root Extract
- Water
- Glucose Syrup
- Ginger Root
- Pear Juice Concentrate
- Yeast
- Sugar
- Glucose Syrup
- Pear Juice Concentrate
- Natural flavorings
- Ginger
- Lemon
- Capsicum
- Cream of Tartar
- Citric Acid
- Herbal Infusion
Nutrition Facts (per 100g):
- 39 Calories
- 0g Protein
- 9g Carbohydrates (7.8g Sugars)
- 0g Fat
- Less than .01g Sodium
Related Questions
Are Ginger Beers Good for Acid Reflux?
Ginger is excellent for digestion. Ginger beer with real ginger will settle your stomach and offer inflammatory properties as well.
Does Ginger Beer contain alcohol?
From the fermenting process, ginger beer has about ½ percent alcohol. One ginger beer mentioned, Crabbies has 4.8% alcohol.
Is Ginger Beer Vegan?
Most appear to be vegan by looking at the ingredients list. Others add honey for sweetness. Then, of course, you need to consider the source of natural flavors. Check for the vegan label to be sure.