Easy drink to make this traditional Irish Ginger Ale recipe is simple to make and refreshing to drink. Perfect for a hot summer’s day or a get together with friends.

I have to admit that I don’t drink much, but when I do, it’s usually something not that alcoholic. This recipe for traditional Irish Ginger Ale sounded like fun, so I’ve recently tried it.

And you know what?

It tasted delicious! The freshness of the ginger ale really adds to the drink and I like to serve it with a slice of lime. I probably add way too much ice, but you can make it whichever way you like.

Quick & easy drink to prepare!

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What is Irish Ginger Ale

My version of Irish Ginger Ale is a cocktail of non-alcoholic ginger ale and whisky with a dash of lime served with a slice of lime (or lemon) and mint garnish.

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What is ginger ale ?

Ginger ale is non-alcohol drink, that’s usually carbonated and made with ginger root, sugar and water. The traditional method is to ferment the ginger root first before adding sugar and any other ingredients.

Ginger Ale is also sometimes mistakenly swapped for Ginger Beer.

Both Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer don’t contain any alcohol and they are both refreshing drink to drink on it’s own or they can be used as a mixer to make cocktails mocktails or other drinks.

The main difference between the Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer is that Ginger Ale is much milder in flavour and usually is made with more sugar and ginger flavour.

Ginger Beer on the other hand, it’s made by fermenting ginger root, has much stronger flavour and very sharp and spicy finish. You can sometimes come across an alcoholic version of Ginger Beer, but most manufacturers nowadays produce just the non-alcoholic version.

The ginger flavour is usually very sharp, so it might not be to everyone’s taste.

Ginger ale is usually gluten-free (as it doesn’t include any hops or wheat), but you should always check the label to make sure that the manufacturers didn’t add some special ingredient that would include gluten.

Ginger ale is also dairy free and since it’s plant-based it’s also suitable for vegetarian and vegan diets.

What can you use ginger ale for?

Apart from drinking ginger ale and using is as a mixer for cocktails or mocktails, you can also effectively use it as a liquid to flavour various dishes and baking recipes.

For example, ginger ale is great instead of water to make ginger ale bread (you can try my Beer Bread Recipe and just swap the beer for ginger ale).

To add a little zing to your breakfast green smoothie, use ginger ale instead of the water and tea.

What is the difference between Irish ginger ale and ginger ale ?

The short answer to this question, is that ginger ale is non-alcoholic carbonated drink flavoured with root ginger. When you mix it with whisky it becomes Irish Ginger Ale.

Saying that, I’ve also found non-alcoholic ginger ale labeled as ‘Irish Ginger Ale’ which was a simple ginger ale produced in Ireland.

NON-ALCOHOLIC DRINK RECIPES

Ingredients

Whiskey

You are welcome to use any kind of whiskey you have for this drink. If you were to use Jameson Whisky, your drink (mixed with ginger ale and a slice of lime) would be called ‘The Buck’.

Ginger ale

I’ve used regular ginger ale, but you can also use diet ginger ale, which will be lower in sugar and calories.

You can also try other flavours of ginger ale – I’ve seen mint ginger ale, which would work with this cocktail really well.

Lime, lemon or mint leaf

Lime will add sharper taste to your drink, whereas lemon will keep it refreshing and zesty. Mint leave garnish creates a nice touch when you serve your drink.

Ice cubes

Unless you store both your ginger ale and whisky in the fridge, it’s a nice to serve this drink over few ice cubes.

How to make traditional Irish ginger ale drink

Fill a large highball glass with ice cubes
Pour in the whiskey
Add the ginger ale
Add a dash of lime and decorate with another lime slice or a mint leaf.
Enjoy!

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How many calories are in the Irish Ginger Ale drink?

This is a fairly low calorie drink. If you follow the measurements in my recipe, you will create a drink that has only 176kcal. If you use diabetic Ginger Ale, the calories will be even lower – check the label on your ginger ale for calories information.

Is Irish Ginger Ale drink good for you?

Although ginger has various health benefits, ginger ale is classified as a type of soft drink or soda, and because of that, it is not considered a health food.

Like with any other sugary drinks, it’s best to consume it in moderation as part of a balanced diet and don’t drink it too often. I also think, it’s better to dring the ginger ale variety that uses real ginger to flavour the drink, because some ginger ale producers are using artificial ginger flavoring.

What can you serve with a Traditional Irish Ginger Ale drink?

This drink is so versatile that it goes well with many savoury snacks and food. Here are my favourite options:

Cheese, such as brie, camembert, or goat cheese or homemade cottage soft cheese
Crackers, sourdough crackers or homemade seeds crispbread
Nuts, such as almonds, cashews, or peanuts
Popcorn
Vegetable sticks with dip, such as carrots, celery, and hummus or homemade creamy avocado dip
Pretzels or snack mix
Fresh fruit, such as sliced apples or grapes
Seafood, such as shrimp, crab, or lobster
Salads with vinaigrette dressings

What alcohol is in ginger ale?

Ginger ale is a non-alcoholic carbonated soft drink flavored with ginger. However, it is often used as a mixer with alcoholic beverages such as whiskey, rum, and vodka. Some ginger beers, which are similar in flavor to ginger ale but have a stronger ginger taste, may contain a small amount of alcohol due to the fermentation process, but most commercial ginger ales do not contain any alcohol.