Mostly no. The ginger beer you’ll find at the grocery store, from Bundaberg, Fever-Tree, Reed’s, Gosling’s, Barritt’s, and Q Mixers, is a non-alcoholic soft drink, usually 0% or listed as “non-alcoholic” right on the label. But unlike root beer, ginger beer’s fermented past is closer to the surface, and a small number of genuinely alcoholic versions are still sold today, mostly in the UK.
Ginger beer really was fermented
Traditional ginger beer, dating back to 18th century England, was brewed using a live culture called the “ginger beer plant,” a symbiotic mix of yeast and lactic acid bacteria first formally described by microbiologist H. Marshall Ward in 1892. Left to ferment fully, that culture could push a batch of homemade ginger beer to roughly 11% ABV, in the same range as a strong wine. In practice, most home and commercial batches were pulled far earlier, giving a mildly alcoholic drink closer to 1 to 2% ABV, similar to what you’d get from a ginger bug or homebrewed kombucha today.
Why modern ginger beer isn’t alcoholic
Almost every ginger beer brand sold today has moved away from true fermentation. Fever-Tree, Reed’s, Barritt’s, and Q Mixers make their ginger beer by combining ginger extract, sugar, and carbonated water, the same basic process as ginger ale, just with a spicier, more concentrated ginger flavor and a heavier body. Bundaberg is the interesting middle case: it’s genuinely brewed over 3 days using a real fermentation process, which is why the label calls it “craft brewed,” but the finished product still comes in under 0.5% ABV, the standard threshold most countries use to classify a drink as non-alcoholic.
The exception: real alcoholic ginger beer
Alcoholic ginger beer is a real, established category, just a much smaller one than the soft drink version. Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer, made by John Crabbie & Co in Scotland, is sold at roughly 4.8% ABV in export markets (the UK version was cut from 4.0% to 3.4% ABV in 2024). Old Jamaica Ginger Beer, another UK brand, follows a similar format. These are shelved with beer and cider, sold as alcohol, and legally distinct from the mixer aisle’s Fever-Tree and Bundaberg bottles.
FAQ
Is Bundaberg ginger beer alcoholic?
No. Bundaberg is brewed over 3 days using real fermentation, which is why it’s labeled “craft brewed,” but the finished bottle comes in under 0.5% ABV and is classified as non-alcoholic.
Is Moscow Mule ginger beer alcoholic?
No, on its own. The ginger beer used in a Moscow Mule (commonly Fever-Tree, Reed’s, or Q Mixers) is non-alcoholic; the alcohol in the cocktail comes entirely from the vodka mixed in.
What is the strongest alcoholic ginger beer?
Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer is one of the best known, sold at around 4.8% ABV in export markets and 3.4% to 4.0% ABV in the UK.
Can kids drink ginger beer?
Standard grocery store ginger beer (Bundaberg, Fever-Tree, Reed’s, Gosling’s, Barritt’s, Q Mixers) is non-alcoholic and fine for kids. Always check the label for brands like Crabbie’s or Old Jamaica, which are genuinely alcoholic.
Related Reading
Mixing It Into a Drink
If you want to brew a real fermented batch yourself, see our homebrew ginger beer recipe, or compare it directly against the soft drink alternative in ginger beer vs ginger ale.
