How to pour it
a ginger ale in
Using a zester or vegetable peeler, cut a long peel from an unwaxed lemon, making a spiral ten to fifteen centimetres long. Scrape away the white part on the inside, as it is bitter.
Hang the peel in the empty glass, with the end over the rim. This is the garnish that the Horse's Neck owes its name to, and you smell the citrus oil with every sip.
Fill the glass to just below the rim with large ice cubes. If you are making a cocktail, pour the whisky or cognac over the ice. If you are drinking the ginger ale neat, skip this step.
Tilt the glass and top it up along the side with ice-cold ginger ale, so the carbonation stays in the drink. Stir briefly once with a bar spoon and serve immediately.
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The story
Ginger ale and ginger beer sound like family, but they are made differently. Ginger ale is a soft drink: ginger, sugar and water, carbonated with added carbon dioxide and then filtered, which keeps the drink clear and light in colour. Ginger beer was originally fermented with a ginger starter, causing the fizz to develop naturally, and it remains cloudy and much sharper. Behind the bar, that difference matters quite a bit. Ginger ale complements a drink and keeps it approachable, while ginger beer adds a layer of ginger intensity over everything. So a mule made with ginger ale results in a much friendlier, less assertive glass.
The right glass
Ginger ale belongs in a tall glass, because the ice does half the work. A highball glass of forty centilitres or more leaves room for a generous load of cubes and a long lemon peel that runs from the bottom to over the rim. Its tall, straight shape also retains carbonation longer than a wide tumbler. Would you prefer the same drink in a shorter model? Take a look at the tumbler glasses.
Onis Icon Highball Glass 47 cl (6 pieces)
Chef & Sommelier Lima Highball Glass 40 cl (6 pieces)
Both sets together € 61,90.
The right tools
For ginger ale, use a zester beside the glass for the long lemon peel and a bar spoon to give it one quick stir. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you can find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glassware set (our choice 01) + 2 bar tools together € 65,85.
Which splash goes with ginger ale?
Ginger ale is alcohol-free. The well-known combinations come from the whisky world: whisky in the Presbyterian, bourbon or cognac in the Horse's Neck. On each drinks page, you can read the alcohol percentage, what it tastes like, which cocktails it pairs with and which glass you need.
Variations & twists
Whisky with ginger ale is the simplest variation and requires nothing more than two ingredients and ice. The Presbyterian also includes sparkling water alongside ginger ale, making the drink drier. The Horse's Neck revolves around that long lemon peel and is made with cognac or bourbon. Without alcohol, ginger ale with a splash of fresh lime juice and plenty of ice is perfectly good on its own. Want to read more? View all drinks and brands.
Serving tip
Place the bottles at the back of the fridge, because cold soft drinks retain their carbonation better than room-temperature soft drinks. Pour only at the table and top up in two stages. A long peel hanging over the rim works better than a loose slice, because you smell the citrus oil with every sip.
Good to know
What is the difference compared with ginger beer?
Ginger ale is a carbonated, filtered soft drink: clear, light in color and sweet, with little ginger bite. Ginger beer was originally fermented with a ginger starter, remains cloudy and is much sharper. In the same cocktail, ginger ale therefore produces a noticeably softer result.
Does ginger ale contain alcohol?
No. Ginger ale is a soft drink and is not fermented. The name ale dates back to a time when ginger drinks were made with yeast.
Why a long peel and not a slice?
A long peel releases citrus oil without adding juice, so you get the aroma of lemon without making the drink more sour. It is also the classic garnish of the Horse's Neck, which owes its name precisely to that peel.
Which drink pairs best with it?
Whisky is the best-known pairing, with the Presbyterian and the simple whisky-ginger as examples. Cognac and bourbon belong in the Horse's Neck. Gin and vodka also work, but then the ginger becomes the flavoring instead of the spirit.
How much ice do you put in it?
Fill the glass to just below the rim. The fuller the glass is with ice, the slower it melts and the less the ginger ale becomes diluted.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ginger ale and ginger beer?
Ginger ale is carbonated and filtered, clear in color, sweet and light in flavor. Ginger beer was originally fermented with a ginger starter, remains cloudy and is much sharper.
Does ginger ale contain alcohol?
No, ginger ale is a soft drink without alcohol. The name ale refers to old ginger drinks that were made with yeast.
Which cocktails do you make with ginger ale?
The best-known are the Horse's Neck with cognac or bourbon, the Presbyterian with whisky and soda water, and whisky with ginger ale.
Which glass do you serve ginger ale in?
In a tall long drink glass of forty centiliters or more, with plenty of ice and a long lemon peel hanging over the rim.
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