Ginger Beer

Ginger beer was born in England in the 18th century and has since been one of the most popular drinks.

Technically, ginger beer cannot be classified as beer: while the production of classic beer involves the fermentation of a malted grain (typically barley or wheat) to transform starch into sugar, for ginger beer fermentation occurs, through leavening microorganisms, ginger root and sugar, typically molasses or brown sugar to which water and lemon juice are then added. At the end of the 19th century, some very low alcohol drinks were called "small beers". At the time they drank, others for the pleasant taste also because they were more "safe" than water, which was often contaminated.

While ginger beers are typically non-alcoholic today, before the mid-19th century, ginger beer was up to 11% alcohol by volume. But with the Excise Act of 1855, the British Parliament imposed export taxes on drinks with an alcoholic strength of over 2%. Since then, most ginger beer brewers have reduced the alcohol content in their products (by reducing the fermentation time) in order to keep them accessible. For this reason it has become a very popular drink among children.

However, the history of ginger beer is linked to the cultural and economic importance of its two main ingredients: ginger and sugar cane. As for the first, it is one of the oldest spices ever recorded, dating back more than 5000 years, long considered a toning and healing root. Originally used by Indians and Chinese, ginger was first "discovered" in Southeast Asia and then brought to the attention of the world by the Roman Empire in the first century AD. With the discovery of the New World, the French and English Caribbean colonies become the largest sugar cane producers in the world.

If today we find this drink in typical glass bottles, at one time, the preparation of the ginger beer required the use of particularly robust terracotta containers sealed with a special glaze, invented in England and known as the "Bristol glaze", which kept the pressure inside the container. And so it was sold and marketed.

Even today this drink is used for the creation of many cocktails, one of which, the most famous, is the Moscow Mule .