Reed's has been putting fresh ginger root into every bottle since 1987, at a time when most ginger ale was flavored with nothing more than a synthetic extract. That single commitment – real ginger, not ginger flavoring – is what separates Reed's from the mass-market bottles that dominate supermarket shelves, and it remains the clearest reason to seek the brand out.
The Real-Ginger Difference
Most commercial ginger ale contains little or no actual ginger. The flavor comes from natural or artificial ginger flavoring, which costs less, lasts longer on the shelf, and delivers a consistent but shallow impression of the spice. Reed's uses fresh ginger root – pressed, brewed, or otherwise incorporated into the recipe depending on the product – alongside cane sugar, honey, lemon, and lime juice in the original formulations. The result tastes rounder and more complex than a conventional ginger ale, with a warmth that builds rather than disappears the moment you swallow.
This matters beyond mere flavor preference. Real ginger contains gingerols and shogaols, the compounds responsible for ginger's characteristic heat and much of the research interest around the spice. Mass-market ginger ales, because they use so little actual ginger, deliver negligible amounts of these compounds. Reed's makes no medical claims – and neither should any soft drink – but the distinction between a drink made with real ginger and one made with ginger flavoring is a straightforward factual difference, not a marketing nuance. If you want to understand the broader landscape of what's actually in your glass, our guide to ginger ale ingredients walks through how to read a label.
The brand was founded in Los Angeles by Christopher Reed, a musician and natural-foods enthusiast who started brewing a homemade ginger brew and eventually scaled it into a commercial product. Reed's Inc. is now publicly traded and headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, though its craft-soda identity has remained central to its marketing and, more importantly, to its recipes.
The Lineup
Reed's has expanded considerably from its original single product. The current range spans several distinct categories.
Reed's Real Ginger Ale is the flagship – a lighter, more carbonated expression than the ginger beers, designed to appeal to consumers who find traditional ginger beer too intense. It uses real ginger but sits at the milder end of the heat spectrum. This is the bottle most people encounter first, and it's the one that directly challenges Canada Dry or Schweppes on the supermarket shelf while delivering a measurably more ginger-forward experience.
Reed's Zero Sugar Real Ginger Ale (sometimes labeled Reed's Ginger Ale Zero or Reed's Zero Sugar Ginger Ale) uses erythritol and monk fruit as sweeteners in place of cane sugar, keeping the real-ginger character while cutting the sugar load. It's one of the more credible sugar-free ginger ales available, because the base recipe still relies on real ginger rather than masking a thin flavor profile behind sweetness. For readers watching sugar intake, this is worth knowing about – though the flavor profile is slightly drier and the finish shorter than the original.
Reed's Ginger Beers – sold under the "Extra Ginger," "Strongest Ginger," and similar strength designations – are a different product category from the ginger ales, though the brand often groups them together. Ginger beer is traditionally brewed (or at minimum steeped) with a higher ginger concentration and less carbonation than ginger ale, and Reed's leans into this with progressively hotter formulations. The strongest expressions use a substantial amount of ginger per bottle; check the current label for the specific gram count, as Reed's has adjusted recipes over the years.
Reed's Hard Ginger Ale is the alcoholic line extension – a ready-to-drink product that applies the real-ginger philosophy to a fermented base. It's aimed at the hard seltzer and hard cider audience and sits in a different regulatory and retail category from the non-alcoholic products. As with all alcoholic beverages, it's for adults 21 and older. The ABV and exact formulation are worth verifying on Reed's official site before you buy, since the hard line has seen product changes.
How Spicy It Gets
Reed's uses ginger quantity as its primary differentiator across tiers, and the brand has historically been transparent about ginger content in grams per bottle. The ginger ale is noticeably milder than the ginger beers – it has a clean ginger note and a moderate finish, but it won't challenge anyone who finds spice uncomfortable. The Extra Ginger Beer steps up meaningfully, with a sustained warmth that lingers. The strongest formulations are genuinely hot by soft-drink standards, enough to cause a noticeable throat sensation.
For cocktail use – Moscow Mules, Dark and Stormies, or the various ginger-forward highballs that have become standard bar fare – the ginger beers are the more traditional choice. The ginger ale works well in lighter builds: a simple whiskey ginger, a non-alcoholic mocktail, or anywhere you want ginger presence without heat dominance. Our craft soda cocktail guide covers some of the more interesting applications.
Where to Buy Reed's Ginger Ale
Reed's has wide national distribution in the United States. The ginger ale and zero-sugar variants are most commonly found in:
- Natural and specialty grocery chains (Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers)
- Mainstream supermarkets with a natural-foods section
- Beverage specialty retailers and craft bottle shops
- Online retailers including Amazon, Thrive Market, and Reed's own website
The hard ginger ale follows a different distribution path through liquor and beer retailers, governed by state alcohol laws.
If you're searching "Reed's ginger ale near me," the most reliable method is the store locator on Reed's official website, which is updated more frequently than third-party databases. Availability varies by region and product tier – the zero-sugar line and the strongest ginger beers are less universally stocked than the flagship ginger ale.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Reed's Ginger Ale contain real ginger?
Yes. Reed's uses real ginger root across its product range, which distinguishes it from most mass-market ginger ales that rely on flavoring rather than the actual spice.
What is the difference between Reed's Ginger Ale and Reed's Ginger Beer?
Reed's Ginger Ale is lighter, more carbonated, and milder in ginger intensity. Reed's Ginger Beer is brewed with a higher concentration of ginger, producing more heat and a fuller body. They're distinct products, not interchangeable.
Is Reed's Zero Sugar Ginger Ale sweetened with artificial sweeteners?
Reed's Zero Sugar uses erythritol and monk fruit – both derived from natural sources – rather than aspartame or acesulfame potassium. Whether you consider them "artificial" depends on your definition, but they are not synthetic chemical sweeteners.
Is Reed's Hard Ginger Ale alcoholic?
Yes. Reed's Hard Ginger Ale contains alcohol and is intended for adults 21 and older. Check Reed's website or the product label for the current ABV, as formulations can change.
Is Reed's Ginger Ale good for an upset stomach?
Reed's contains real ginger, and ginger has been studied for nausea relief – particularly motion sickness and pregnancy-related nausea. However, no soft drink should be treated as a remedy, and the ginger concentration in a bottle of ginger ale is not equivalent to a standardized supplement dose. If you have a medical concern, speak with a clinician. What we can say honestly: Reed's contains more actual ginger than Canada Dry or Schweppes, so if you're reaching for a ginger ale when you feel unwell, Reed's is the more defensible choice on ingredient grounds alone.
Where can I buy Reed's Ginger Ale online?
Reed's ships direct through its own website and is available through Amazon, Thrive Market, and other online grocery platforms. Pricing and case configurations vary by retailer – check current listings directly, as these shift frequently.
How does Reed's compare to other craft ginger ales?
Reed's sits in a category with brands like Fever-Tree, Q Mixers, and Bruce Cost Ginger Ale, all of which use real ginger. Reed's tends to be the most widely available of the group in US natural grocery stores and has the broadest product range. Flavor differences are real: Reed's original has a slightly sweeter, more rounded profile than the drier, more mineral-forward Fever-Tree. Our craft ginger ale comparison covers the field in more detail.
Does Reed's Ginger Ale have caffeine?
No. Reed's Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer products are caffeine-free.
The Bigger Picture
Reed's occupies an interesting position in the craft beverage world: it's old enough to have predated the craft soda revival, influential enough to have helped define what "real ginger" means as a consumer expectation, and now large enough that it sits in a slightly awkward middle ground between artisan and mainstream. That tension is worth acknowledging honestly. The company is publicly traded, its production is industrial in scale, and you'll find it at Costco alongside Whole Foods. None of that makes it a lesser product – the ginger is still real, the recipes still more complex than the category average – but readers who want the smallest-batch, most artisan ginger experience may want to explore regional craft soda producers alongside Reed's.
For most people, though, Reed's remains the most accessible entry point into genuinely ginger-forward soft drinks. The zero-sugar line makes that accessible to more drinkers. The hard ginger ale extends it into the adult beverage space. And the ginger beer range, at its strongest, will remind you that ginger is a genuinely powerful spice – not just a flavor note for a mixer. That's a reasonable thing for a single brand to accomplish across three decades.
