What Actually Is Ginger Beer?

Exploring the roots, the real difference, and how to make it at home

Ask someone what ginger beer is, and you’ll get a surprising variety of answers – some think it’s just a fizzy soft drink, others assume it’s alcoholic, and a few reckon it’s basically a spicier version of ginger ale.

But the truth is, ginger beer has a fascinating history, and if you’re brewing it yourself, it’s so much more than just a fizzy drink in a bottle.

🌿 A Drink with History

Ginger beer traces its roots back to 18th-century England, where it was originally brewed as a lightly alcoholic beverage using fermented ginger, sugar, water, and sometimes lemon or other spices. The process relied on natural fermentation – often using a "ginger bug" (a mix of ginger, sugar, and wild yeast) – to create a bubbly, zesty drink with a low alcohol content.

As the drink spread across the British Empire, including to places like the Caribbean and New Zealand, it evolved. Each region brought its own spin – some versions got hotter and spicier, others sweeter or drier.

By the 20th century, commercial manufacturers began creating non-alcoholic, carbonated versions – what most supermarkets sell today – but in doing so, much of the traditional brewing method (and flavour complexity) was lost.

Fortunately, homebrewers and craft producers around the world are bringing that tradition back – and with a quality kit and a bit of time, you can do it too.

🔬 What Exactly Is It, Then?

At its core, ginger beer is a fermented drink made from real ginger, sugar, and water. Depending on how you brew it, it can be:

• Non-alcoholic (less than 0.5% ABV)

• Lightly alcoholic (2–4% ABV)

• Dry or sweet, depending on how much sugar is left after fermentation

• Mild or fiery, depending on how much real ginger (and sometimes chilli) you add

Unlike ginger ale – which is just flavoured, carbonated water – ginger beer has depth. It’s cloudy, complex, and naturally fizzy from fermentation, not forced carbonation.

You can drink it on its own over ice, pair it with food, or mix it into cocktails like a classic Dark ’n Stormy or a Moscow Mule.

🛠️ How Is Ginger Beer Made?

There are a few ways to make ginger beer, depending on how hands-on you want to get.

1. Traditional Method (DIY, from scratch)

This involves creating a ginger bug – a wild ferment of grated ginger, sugar, and water – which is then used as a starter to ferment a larger batch. It’s more involved, but gives you full control over flavour and fermentation.

2. Modern Kit Method (easier, reliable results)

Most homebrewers these days prefer to use a pre-prepared ginger beer kit. These include all the essential ingredients and often a sachet of brewing yeast. Just mix, ferment, and bottle.

🍻 The Basic Brewing Process

Here’s a simplified version of what brewing ginger beer at home looks like using a kit:

1. Sanitise everything – this is crucial for good fermentation.

2. Dissolve your kit (like Morgan’s or Black Rock) in water with 1kg of dextrose or sugar.

3. Add yeast and let it ferment for 5–7 days at around 20°C.

4. Bottle your brew with a small amount of priming sugar to create carbonation.

5. Condition the bottles for another 5–7 days at room temperature.

6. Chill, crack it open, and enjoy a fizzy, gingery delight made by your own hands.

You can stop fermentation early for a lower alcohol content or let it run its course for a more grown-up kick.

🧃 What About Sweetness?

If you want a sweeter ginger beer but also want it fizzy and fermented, you’ll need to use a non-fermentable sugar like lactose. Regular sugar will just get eaten up by the yeast. Most brewers add around 30–50g of lactose per litre, depending on taste.

🧴 Brews and Ques Ginger Beer Kit Range

To help you get started, we stock a range of high-quality kits for different brewing preferences:

Which Ginger Beer Kit To Choose?

There are several very good Ginger Beer making kits on the Market;

• Mad Millie Ginger Beer Kit – A beginner-friendly kit with natural ingredients, perfect for those who want an authentic, old-fashioned ginger beer experience.
• Morgans Ginger Beer Kit – Designed for homebrewers who love full-bodied flavour with a hint of sweetness. Great for those wanting a classic, easy-to-brew option.
• Southern Tap Ginger Beer Kit (NEW!) – A low-carb, dry-style ginger beer kit, perfect for those who enjoy a crisp, refreshing drink with less sugar but full flavour.
• View Our Cider, Ginger Beer and Honey Mead Collection - Each kit comes with its own unique twist, but all are designed to get you fermenting with confidence – even if you’ve never brewed anything before.

Brewing ginger beer at home gives you total control over the flavour, strength, and sweetness. You’re not just popping open a can – you’re creating a drink that reflects your taste, your time, and your touch.

It’s budget-friendly, rewarding, and honestly just good fun – especially when shared with mates at a BBQ.