| Type | Soft drink |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | United States, Canada |
| Introduced | 1851 |
| Color | Gold |
| Flavor | Ginger |
| Variants | Golden ginger ale and dry ginger ale |
Ginger ale is a carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. Dr. Thomas Cantrell, an American apothecary and surgeon, claimed to have invented ginger ale and marketed it with beverage manufacturer Grattan and Company. Grattan embossed the slogan "The Original Makers of Ginger Ale" on its bottles.[1] Ginger ale was considered the most popular soft drink in the United States between 1860 and 1930.[1]
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Ginger Ale has a storied history in the United States. Ginger ales come in two varieties: "golden" and "dry". 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 nonalcoholic versions of ginger beer. Many believe golden ginger ale is a form of ginger beer brought into North America by migrants from Eastern Europe, 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, as a mixer for alcoholic beverages, 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 such as Canada.
Brands available in North America include Canada Dry, Bull's Head, Canfield's, Hansen Natural, Vernors, Seagram's, Seaman's (acquired by PepsiCo and now discontinued), Schweppes, Sussex, Buffalo Rock, Boylan Bottling Company, Polar Beverages, Ale-8-One, Blenheim, Foxon Park, Sprecher, Vally, Market Basket/Chelmsford, Red Rock, Reed's Ginger Brew, Thomas Kemper, Blaze (produced by Pipeline Brands), Chek (River of Dreams), Shasta, and Northern Neck.
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.[2]
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.[3] Most commercial ginger ales made in the United States are made with high fructose corn syrup to reduce manufacturing cost.
Ginger ale, as with other ginger products, is often used as a home remedy to alleviate indigestion or motion sickness or to relieve 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.
It is popular in mixed drinks, especially in nonalcoholic ones, and punch, and it is sometimes used as a nonalcoholic substitute for champagne, since the beverages resemble each other in appearance. The Texas Rangers use ginger ale to celebrate playoff accomplishments on the field, in respect for teammates Josh Hamilton (whose struggles with substance abuse are well known) and C.J. Wilson (an adherent of the straight edge movement); off the field (and after Hamilton and Wilson depart the premises) the team then holds a traditional champagne celebration.
Ginger ale can be mixed with most hard liquors, beers and wines in many mixed drinks, and is said to mix well with everything. In Jamaica, a common way to consume ginger ale is mixed with Red Stripe beer; this is called a Shandy Graft.[4]
Dry ginger ale is also sold with a mint flavoring added. Some mint ginger ale brands have an artificial green color added, while others are clear. Recently, Canada Dry has introduced a line of ginger ale mixed with green tea.
Some manufacturers have produced fruit-flavored ginger ales, including raspberry, cranberry and grape versions.
Ginger beer, a similar soft drink, typically has a stronger flavor of ginger, and is less carbonated and less sweet. Homemade ginger beer may contain alcohol.
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