Ginger ale
Ginger ale is a soft drink flavored with ginger. Brands in North America include Canada Dry, Vernor's, Schweppes, Sussex, Ale-8-One. It is popular in mixed drinks and is often used as a home remedy for upset stomachs. Sometimes it is used to fill some social roles of champagne for those who do not drink alcohol.
Ginger ales come in two varieties. Golden ginger ale, dark colored and strong flavored is the older style. Dry ginger ale was developed during Prohibition when ginger ale was used as a mixer for alcoholic beverages and the strong flavor of golden ginger ale was undesirable. Dry ginger ale quickly surpassed golden ginger ale in popularity and today golden ginger ale is a uncommon and usually regional drink. Vernor's is an example of golden ginger ale, while Canada Dry and Schweppes are major brands of dry ginger ale.
Because of its ginger content, ginger ale is used to prevent or alleviate motion sickness.
Ginger beer, a similar drink, is typically flavored much more strongly.
Vernor's is a strongly flavored ginger ale is aged for four years in oak barrels before bottling. It was the first U.S. soft drink, originating in 1866, although it was modeled on imported Irish ginger beers.
