Pouring a special drink to sip while cooking dinner or unwinding from the day is something I look forward to regularly. It’s a mini-ritual that signals it’s time to shift gears from the earlier hubbub, connect with friends and family, tackle the last of my personal to-do list, and relax. Some days, a glass of wine or a cocktail calls my name, but usually I want something alcohol-and caffeine-free that won’t keep me up or ruin my sleep.
Recently, I was searching for a new addition to my evening drink rotation and spotted Fever-Tree’s Pineapple Ginger Beer. Fever-Tree is known for its high-end mixers (I first had the tonic at a swanky bar), but I love the brand’s sparkling drinks even without alcohol. I brought the Pineapple Ginger Beer home, popped open the small glass bottle and knew after the first sip I’d be buying it again—and giving it a Taste of Home Award.
Fever-Tree's Pineapple Ginger Beer
I’m Picky About Fizzy Drinks
Some carbonated drinks are loaded with sweeteners, flavors that taste too candy-like, or bubbles that seem promising but vanish within five minutes. I prefer a sparkling drink that’s lightly sweet, spicy and bold, so I was already a big fan of the fiery bite and slow burn you get with a good ginger beer.
When I tried Fever-Tree’s Pineapple Ginger Beer, I was delighted by the fresh pineapple aroma blended with sharp ginger and plenty of bright bubbles. There is a very faint yellow hue to the drink, with a dusting of cloudy sediment at the bottom of the bottle, likely from the two types of ginger used. Unlike ginger ale, which is flavored with a ginger syrup, ginger beer is fermented or brewed with ginger for a much more robust taste. I was surprised that the delicate, juicy taste of pineapple could cut through, but it was distinctly the first and last thing I tasted, with earthy ginger lingering in between.
The Pineapple Makes This Ginger Beer Pop
The pineapple in this ginger beer adds a gentle sweetness that makes the drink even more refreshing, cutting through the hot ginger and giving your taste buds a break from the spice. It cleanses your palate while also waking it up. When I open a fresh bottle, I alternate between savoring small sips and gulping it down.
Fever-Tree’s Pineapple Ginger Beer uses fructose (fruit sugar), which is sweeter than cane sugar, so less can be used to create a sweet, yet balanced drink. A serving clocks in with 35 calories and 9 grams of sugar. Like many people, I try to be mindful of how much sugar I consume, but for me, that amount fits into my day. It is more than a diet soda, but it’s worth it for me to avoid a funny aftertaste or upset stomach.
The label lists real ginger, natural pineapple and Mexican lime flavoring. I’m not a food scientist, so I don’t know exactly how natural flavor extraction works, but I can verify that the pineapple tastes like a glass of cold-pressed juice or a freshly cut wedge, rather than tinny canned juice. The lime is very subtle, so it doesn’t compete with the main flavors.
It’s Perfect on Its Own or in a Cocktail
I usually sip this Taste of Home Award winner right out of the bottle or pour it over ice and add a squeeze of fresh lime, but it’s also versatile enough to use in a variety of easy mixed drinks. It adds a touch of sweetness to a Moscow mule, a Kentucky mule, or a Dark ‘n Stormy. Or top a spicy margarita with Pineapple Ginger Beer for a fizzy tropical twist.
You could easily turn this ginger beer into a fruity cocktail or mocktail by adding mango, coconut, lime, passion fruit or pineapple juices or spirits. Muddled mint and berries topped with Pineapple Ginger Beer would be a gorgeous twist on a virgin mojito (though I might tip in some rum myself).
Since it’s an alcohol-free mixer, Fever-Tree is stocked in the same aisle as seltzer, soda and bottled water at all the larger grocery stores in my area. I bought it at my closest ShopRite, but it’s also available at Target, Whole Foods and Walmart, among others. If you’re online shopping, it’s available on Amazon.
Along with the Pineapple Ginger Beer, I often buy Fever-Tree’s Sparkling Cucumber Tonic Water and Elderflower Tonic Water. I may not always know what’s for dinner tonight, but at least I have the perfect drink to sip while I figure it out.
