12 Ginger Beer Cocktails With a Spicy, Fizzy Kick Buy the best bottles for superior Moscow Mules and more. By Oset Babür-Winter Oset Babür-Winter Title: Senior Drinks Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York CityExperience: Oset Babür-Winter has completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust's (WSET) Level 3 Award in wines and was previously the magazine's associate culture editor, where she edited Obsessions. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on September 19, 2026 Add Us On SAVE ALL RECIPES NEW! Save as a collection on MyRecipes Close Credit: Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell When it comes to adding sweet, effervescent notes to a mixed drink, there’s not much that does the job as nicely as a splash of ginger beer. “The bottle you ultimately choose to incorporate into your next Dark ‘n Stormy or Moscow Mule will have a significant impact on the character of the final cocktail you serve or sip,” writes Food & Wine contributor Brian Freedman. “Some ginger beers are sweeter than others — those tend to take well to spicier drinks — and others pack a serious ginger punch in their own right. Then, there are versions that are sweetened with sugar or agave, while others include high fructose corn syrup.” We Tasted 12 Ginger Beers — the No. 1 Pick Is a Brand You Already Know Once you’ve stocked up on the best bottles (or cans) of ginger beer, try these cocktails we love to make for dinner parties, holiday gatherings, and more, from the famous Moscow Mule to lesser-known but equally kicky pours like the Stone Wall. Love these recipes? Join MyRecipes — your personal home for recipes — to easily save and organize your favorites, plus thousands more, in one convenient place. 01 of 12 Moscow Mule Getty Images Fresh lime juice, vodka, and spicy ginger beer are the hallmarks of an iconic Moscow Mule. Get the Recipe Save 02 of 12 Horsefeather Food & Wine / Photo by Jake Sternquist / Food Styling by Holly Dreesman / Prop Styling by Sue Mitchell A relative of the Kentucky Buck and Moscow Mule, the official cocktail of Kansas City comes together easily with whiskey and ginger beer, accentuated by Angostura bitters and garnished with a lemon wedge for a bright finish. Get the Recipe Save 03 of 12 Dark ‘n Stormy Julia Hartbeck Unstirred, this drink’s dark rum floats on top of the lighter ginger beer, resembling a looming storm cloud in cocktail form. Get the Recipe Save 04 of 12 Shaky Pete’s Ginger Brew Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This semi-frozen, sweet, sour, and slightly spicy ginger drink with citrus is topped with beer and served in an ice-cold mug. Get the Recipe Save 05 of 12 Suffering Bastard Tim Nusog / Food & Wine Named for its hair-of-the-dog role in helping World War II soldiers fend off their hangovers, this drink combines equal parts bourbon and London Dry gin with a touch of lime juice and a couple dashes of bitters, all topped with fizzy, fiery ginger beer. Get the Recipe Save 06 of 12 Irish Buck Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Liberty Fennell Light yet oaky, Irish whiskey joins tart lemon juice, honey, and spicy ginger beer in this refreshing, fizzy, basil-scented cocktail. Get the Recipe Save 07 of 12 Pomegranate Mule Morgan Hunt Ward / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless Perfect for sipping throughout the colder months, this gin-based Mule gets plenty of fruity, sweet-tart flavor from muddled pomegranate arils in addition to the standard lime juice. Shake it with mint leaves for a fresh, herbaceous edge that marries beautifully with the zippy ginger beer. Get the Recipe Save 08 of 12 Stone Wall © Frances Janisch Veteran mixologist Dale DeGroff presents one of fall’s finest cocktails, combining aged rum, ginger beer, and apple cider with fresh ginger muddled right into the simple syrup for a punchy autumn refresher. Get the Recipe Save 09 of 12 Spicy Whiskey Ginger Linda Xiao / Food Styling by Margaret Monroe Dickey / Prop Styling by Christina Daley Fresh ginger, ginger syrup, and ginger beer bring peppery zing to this easy-to-make, easy-to-sip whiskey drink. Get the Recipe Save 10 of 12 Tea Party Cocktail Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon / Props from HAY Atop a pisco base, naturally floral lychee and fresh lime juice blend seamlessly with the perfumed elderflower liqueur St-Germain for a balanced sip. A ginger beer ice cube infuses the drink with a bit of fiery spice as it melts. Get the Recipe Save 11 of 12 Shift Drink Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter Featuring Amass Riverine, this tart, warming nonalcoholic cocktail from New York City’s The Noortwyck is easy to make and looks beautiful in a rocks glass. Get the Recipe Save 12 of 12 Strawberry-Rum Coolers Greg DuPree Cold, boozy, and delicious, this big-batch cocktail offers a refreshing warm-weather sip. A combination of spicy ground ginger and ginger beer keeps it from veering too saccharine, while fresh lime juice adds a bright, acidic note to round things out. Get the Recipe Save Explore more: Drinks Cocktails Beer Cocktails Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit