The Best Ginger Beer For Mocktails – What’s the best brand of ginger beer? We put six popular brands to the test to find the best one!
Mocktails shine when you use the right mixers. A high-quality ginger beer can transform a simple drink into something lively, layered, and refreshingly complex. We recently tasted six widely available ginger beers to determine which works best in mocktails, focusing on balance, spiciness, sweetness, and carbonation.
The results ranged from boldly spicy to sweet and mellow. Below you’ll find a concise guide to what ginger beer is, how it differs from ginger ale, and our tasting notes on each brand so you can choose the best option for your mocktails.
Our Ginger Beer Taste Test, At A Glance:
- Ginger Beer Vs. Ginger Ale
- Fever Tree Ginger Beer
- Q Ginger Beer
- Favorite Day Ginger Beer
- Reed’s Extra Strong Ginger Beer
- Bundaberg Ginger Beer
- Betty Buzz Ginger Beer
- FAQ: The Best Ginger Beer
What Is Ginger Beer?
Originally, ginger beer was a fermented beverage made from ginger, water, sugar, and a starter culture, which produced natural carbonation. Historic versions sometimes contained alcohol, but modern ginger beer is typically non-alcoholic and designed as either a standalone drink or a mixer. It’s commonly used in drinks like Moscow Mules and Dark & Stormies.
Ginger Beer VS. Ginger Ale
People often confuse ginger beer and ginger ale, but they differ in taste and production:
- Ginger ale is basically a ginger-flavored soda: sweeter, lighter, and usually more carbonated with a milder ginger profile.
- Ginger beer is generally more ginger-forward and spicier. It may be brewed or fermented and focuses on ginger flavor, making it a preferred mixer when you want a bolder taste.
Both are fine on their own or as mixers. Below are our tasting notes and recommendations for each ginger beer we sampled.
Fever Tree Ginger Beer
- SCORE: 9.5/10
- FLAVOR NOTES: Fizzy, nuanced, subtly sweet
- TOTAL SUGAR: 18 grams per 200 ml
Fever Tree is often considered the gold standard. It blends multiple ginger varieties to create a warm, layered spice with balanced sweetness and lively carbonation. The ginger is bold without overpowering other ingredients, making it our top pick for mocktails where you want clarity and complexity.
More flavors to try: Fever Tree also makes lighter and fruit-flavored ginger beers.
Q Mixers Ginger Beer
- SCORE: 8/10
- FLAVOR NOTES: The spiciest and fizziest in the group; peppery bite with citrus undertones
- TOTAL SUGAR: 18 grams per 200 ml
Q Mixers delivers a sharp, peppery ginger flavor that can catch you off guard. It contains ginger and chili extracts, giving it a pronounced heat that some drinkers love in a Moscow Mule-style mocktail. If you want extra punch and intensity, Q is a strong choice. It’s also naturally sweetened with agave.
More flavors to try: Q offers flavored and diet ginger beers for different preferences.
Favorite Day Ginger Beer
- SCORE: 8/10
- FLAVOR NOTES: Crowd-pleasing — sweet, fizzy, moderate ginger
- TOTAL SUGAR: 25 grams per 200 ml
Favorite Day is Target’s store brand and proved to be a crowd favorite. It tastes like a stronger ginger ale with good fizz and a pleasing balance that works well on its own or in mixed drinks. It’s accessible, affordable, and consistent.
Other options: Favorite Day offers a zero-calorie ginger beer and a Hibiscus Ginger Beer that adds color and floral notes to mocktails.
Reed’s Extra Ginger Ginger Beer
- SCORE: 9/10
- FLAVOR NOTES: Sweet, fizzy, balanced with citrus and pineapple hints
- TOTAL SUGAR: 18.6 grams per 200 ml
Reed’s uses real ginger and leans into a Jamaican-style profile with added honey, pineapple, and citrus for warmth and depth. The “Extra” variety is medium-strength in Reed’s lineup—bright and versatile in mocktails, pairing especially well with lime and mint.
More choices: Reed’s also produces milder and stronger versions, plus a honey-sweetened premium option and a diet version.
Bundaberg Ginger Beer
- SCORE: 7/10
- FLAVOR NOTES: Very sweet, mild ginger — reminiscent of root beer
- TOTAL SUGAR: 21.3 grams per 200 ml
Bundaberg is brewed with yeast, reflecting traditional ginger beer methods. It tastes notably sweet with less pronounced ginger heat, which may suit those who prefer milder, dessert-like mixers. If you want strong ginger spice, this one may feel too gentle.
Note: Bundaberg includes preservatives and offers a diet version sweetened with a mix of cane sugar and artificial sweeteners.
Betty Buzz Ginger Beer
- SCORE: 6/10
- FLAVOR NOTES: Mild, lemon-lime forward, lightly sweet
- TOTAL SUGAR: 11.3 grams per 200 ml
Betty Buzz emphasizes real ingredients and lower calories. While the ingredient list is appealing, this ginger beer leans more toward a lemon-lime soda than a ginger-forward beer. It mixes well but won’t deliver the spicy ginger punch some mocktails need.
Other mixers: Betty Buzz’s other offerings, such as sparkling grapefruit and Meyer lemon soda, are worth exploring for lighter mocktails.
FAQ: The Best Ginger Beer
Which brands use real ginger? Bundaberg, Fever Tree, Reed’s, and Betty Buzz use real ginger or ginger juice in their recipes.
Best for a Moscow Mule (or mocktail)? Fever Tree for a balanced, nuanced mule; Q Mixers if you prefer an extra-spicy, bold version.
Sweetest option? Bundaberg tastes the sweetest, though Favorite Day lists slightly more sugar per 200 ml.
Spiciest option? Q Mixers—its ginger and chili extracts create a strong, peppery bite.
WE ♥
More Mocktail Recipes To Try:
- Moscow Mule Mocktail
- Sweet Sunrise Mocktail (Virgin Sunrise)
- Easy Non-Alcoholic Sangria
- Classic Shirley Temple
- Mint Limeade (Virgin Mojitos)