 Vernors golden ginger ale | |
| Type | Non-alcoholic mixed drink |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Ireland andCanada |
| Region of origin | Northern Ireland andSouthern Ontario,Canada |
| Introduced | 1851 (Golden) and 1904 (Dry) |
| Proof (US) | 0 |
| Colour | Golden |
| Flavour | Ginger |
| Variants | Golden ginger ale and dry ginger ale |
Ginger ale is acarbonated soft drink flavoured withginger. It is consumed on its own or used as amixer, often with spirit-based drinks. There are two main types of ginger ale. The golden style is credited to the Irish doctor Thomas Joseph Cantrell. The dry style (also called the pale style), a paler drink with a much milder ginger flavour, was created by CanadianJohn McLaughlin.
Thomas Joseph Cantrell, an Irishapothecary and surgeon, manufactured the first ginger ale inBelfast, Ireland, in the 1850s. This was the older golden style fermented ginger ale, dark coloured, generally sweet to taste, with a strong ginger spice flavour,[clarification needed] which he marketed through local beverage manufacturer Grattan and Company.[1] Grattan embossed the slogan "The Original Makers of Ginger Ale" on its bottles.[2] Ginger ale is transparent, whereasginger beer, a stronger tasting product, is often cloudy due to the residues of brewing.
Dry ginger ale was created by CanadianJohn J. McLaughlin, a chemist and pharmacist.[3] Having established asoda water bottling plant in 1890, McLaughlin began developing flavour extracts to add to the water in 1904. That year, he introduced "Pale Dry Ginger Ale", the bubbly drink that would be patented in 1907 as "Canada Dry Ginger Ale". A success,Canada Dry products were accepted by appointment to the Vice-Regal Household of theGovernor General of Canada. The dry-style also became popular in the United States during theProhibition era, when it was used as amixer for alcoholic beverages.[4]
Traditional ginger ale isfermented from a microbialstarter culture (yeast or ginger bug),sugar, freshginger root, other flavourings andwater. Ginger bug can be derived from ginger beer plant containingSaccharomyces florentinus andLactobacillus hilgardii or fresh ginger root containingLactobacillus bacteria and wild yeast. Thecarbonation comes from the yeast fermentation as opposed to carbonating the finished product.Ethanol, as a byproduct of fermentation, will be present in the ginger ale but can be controlled by modifying fermentation time.
Commercial ginger ale commonly containscarbonated water, sugar orhigh-fructose corn syrup, and artificial or natural ginger-flavour. Ginger content is often listed on labels in a general "natural aroma" or "natural flavouring" statement, to preserve secrecy of the complex proprietary mix ofspices, fruits and other flavours used;[citation needed] lemon,lime, andcane sugar are the most common ingredients.[citation needed]Pineapple andhoney are also occasionally used.[citation needed]
Traditional ginger ale isfermented usingginger, yeast, water, sugar, and possibly other flavourings. A ginger bug – a slurry of ginger and sugar used to propagate the yeast and bacteria found on the ginger skin – may be used in place of commercial yeast.[5] Sugar is not added simply for sweetness; ginger's low natural sugar content (1.7g sugar/100g) does not contain enough to complete fermentation.[6] As with otherfermented beverages, sugar is fermented by the yeast into ethanol andcarbon dioxide,[7] both retained during brewing in an airtight container.
Rather than ferment their product, most commercial ginger ale bottlers willcarbonate their soda by chilling the water to a low temperature to allow morecarbon dioxide to be dissolved.[8] Then,alkaline compounds such assodium bicarbonate may be added to reduce acidity. Lastly, carbon dioxide is added and slightly over-pressurized to facilitate movement into storage and the filling machine.[8]
Ginger ale is popular both as asoft drink and amixer incocktails andpunch. It is sometimes used by non-drinkers or in the performing arts as anon-alcoholic substitute forchampagne orbeer, since the beverages resemble each other in appearance. Ginger ale is also added to beer to makeshandy.[9]
Ginger ale, as with other ginger products and other non-ginger-flavoured carbonated beverages, have been used as ahome remedy forindigestion[10] ormotion sickness.[11] Some people believe that flat ginger ale is preferred.[12]
Ginger ale is usually acceptable for people on aclear liquid diet.[13] It is generally high in sugar, with commercial varieties containing around 10 g of sugar per 100 ml.[citation needed]
Ginger ale and ginger beer are similar beverages, however, there are clear differences during the process. Ginger beer originated inEngland in the 1800s while ginger ale was founded inIreland approximately 50 years later before it was modernized in 1907 by John McLaughlin.[14] Original ginger beer contains 11% alcohol, but modern ginger beer contains less than 0.5% alcohol while modern ginger ale has absolutely no alcohol content.[15] Ginger beer is brewed with naturalginger,lemon juice, sugar and it is fermented with a ginger beer plant culture (mainlyLactobacillus). The fermentation of theLactobacillus produces a cloudy appearance, stronger-tasting and spicier flavour compared to ginger ale. Other differences between ginger ale and ginger beer are in terms of taste and aroma. Whilst ginger ale is mellow and smells sweet, ginger beer has a spicy whiff and gingery taste.[16]
Dry ginger ale is also sold with amint flavouring added.[where?] Some mint ginger ale brands have an artificial greencolour added, while others are clear. Canada Dry has introduced a line of ginger ale mixed with green tea and one mixed with lemonade.[when?]
Vernors,Blenheim,A-Treat, Bull's Head,Chelmsford,Buffalo Rock,Sussex andRed Rock are brands of golden ginger ale.Canada Dry, andSeagram's, both Canadian companies, andSchweppes, are major brands of dry ginger ale.
American brands includeCanfield's,Hansen Natural,Vernors,Buffalo Rock,Boylan Bottling Company,Polar Beverages,Ale-8-One,Blenheim,Foxon Park,Fitz's,Sprecher,Market Basket/Chelmsford,Red Rock,Reed's Ginger Brew,Chek (River of Dreams),Shasta, and in Canada;Sussex Golden Ginger Ale.
Vernors is a flavoured 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. InDetroit, Michigan, a drink made withvanilla ice cream and Vernors ginger ale is called aBoston cooler.
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