From a subtle sweet ginger note to fiery and robust, we taste-tested 6 different samples of store-bought ginger beer to determine which brand is the best one to buy according to different preferences.
The samples tasted are all easily available at grocery stores across South Africa, they all came in 2-litre bottles and none of the samples tasted were sugar-free.
READ: 5 ginger beer based cocktails to try this season
After looking at important aspects including the ginger flavour and sweetness, we were able to identify which ginger beers packed a fiery punch, which are more subtle, and whether the sweetness levels differ between the different samples.
We came to a very interesting conclusion: ginger beer is very taste dependent and the samplers own preferences came into play heavily. The results were close, with two different samples scoring 4/5. Here’s what we deduced.
Woolworths Cool ginger beer-flavoured sparkling drink 4/5
This sample had a strong aromatic ginger flavour. Samplers noted that the sample supplied good spicy notes and with a warm, building burn. The sample wasn’t overly sweet and one sampler noted that the flavour had a nice complexity.
Popz ginger beer-flavoured soft drink 4/5
This one had a good aromatic ginger flavour with a nice sweetness. One sampler noted that they really enjoyed both the sweetness and the ginger flavour. It’s perfect for when you’re craving that characteristic ginger beer flavour, but not one that knocks your socks off or makes you want to cough.
Pick n Pay ginger beer-flavoured soft drink 3.5/5
This sample had a nice sweetness to it, but samplers noted that the robust fiery ginger note wasn’t present. A good one to buy if you’re more partial to a subtle ginger beer!
Stoney ginger beer 3/5
Fiery with a ginger punch – not for the faint of heart or ginger-beer fence-sitters. There were a few mixed reviews from the samplers, one noted that the fiery ginger flavour was too strong for their tastes and made their nose tingle, while another sampler noted that this sample really brought the ginger heat, something they enjoy!
Spar ginger beer-flavoured soft drink 3/5
This sample had a more subtle approach when it came to the ginger flavour characteristic of store-bought ginger beer. One sampler felt the flavour was a bit bland and it left only a very mild ginger aftertaste.
Jive Rocky ginger beer 2.5/5
This sample had a very deep ginger flavour, but was a little artificial tasting, one sampler noted. The sample was less sweet and packed with fiery ginger flavour, but the artificial taste couldn’t be overlooked – the main factor that negatively affected the scoring.
The rules of Food24 Tastes:
– All tasters tasted and scored all samples. Each taster’s preference impacts the individual score they give.
– The samples were tested without packaging and were not easily identifiable.
– The samples were not labelled and were tasted in random order.
– Each sample was rated on sweetness and ginger beer flavour.
– This article is not sponsored in any way, and Food24 was not paid to come to any particular result.
Our taste tests are always unbiased and intended for your entertainment. You may, however, have come to this article through various paid-for advertising.