The spooky season may bring out the Mountain Dew Voo-Doo, but what Pepsi product flies off grocery store shelves every year during Christmastime? Ginger ale! Keep reading to find out why this refreshing soft drink fits in so seamlessly with the holiday season, and get suggestions on how to best enjoy the beverage this year.
A Brief History of Schweppes Ginger Ale
Swiss watchmaker/jeweler Jacob Schweppes is responsible for the start of Schweppes Ginger Ale. He found a way to bottle and manufacture carbonated mineral water in 1783 – the year still displayed on the bottles today – which eventually expanded to “soda water” around the late 1790s. Schweppes Ginger Ale was launched in the 1870s. Ginger ale, and its compliment, tonic water, are widely consumed today.
The Market Holds Strong – Especially Around the Holidays
Ginger ale, tonic and club soda mixers have increased in popularity in recent years, partially because of the wide range of flavors (regular, diet, raspberry, etc.), and the fact that the beverages can be enjoyed on their own, but also make a great mixer. As of November 2021, the ginger ale market is predicted to reach $3.2 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 4.8% during the 2021 to 2026 timeframe.
If you see ginger ale go on sale around the holiday season, there’s a good reason: because it pairs so well with festive non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages. Its light, sweet-but-not-too-sweet flavor with a hint of ginger lays the perfect foundation for fruit-based drinks, like a cranberry sparkler or Christmas punch.
A Few Suggestions on How to Best Use Ginger Ale This Year
If you head to schweppesus.com/recipes, you’ll find a wide range of ways to incorporate ginger ale and related products into drinks, whether you’re going for an alcoholic kick or keeping it virgin. Of their recipes, we suggest the Ginger Snap (spiced rum and ginger ale with a splash of lime juice) and Rye and Ginger (whiskey and ginger ale) for the holiday season.
Cookingclassy.com has a great Christmas Punch recipe with 6 cups cranberry juice, 3 cups pineapple juice, 1 tbsp almond extract, and 3 liters ginger ale, with optional garnishes of fresh cranberries or lime slices. And tasteofhome.com has an enticing Cranberry Sparkler recipe with raspberry rum, cranberry juice, lime juice, and ginger ale.
And remember, you can always pour some ginger ale over ice for a super-simple and refreshing drink to carry you through holiday preparations and celebrations.
Pick Up Schweppes Ginger Ale Today
Right now, we’re carrying Schweppes Ginger Ale Regular, Zero Sugar, and Raspberry, the latter of which complements cranberry nicely and would pair excellently with many fruity and festive Christmas drinks.
Sources:
- Business Wire: Ginger Ale and Tonic Mixer Market: Worldwide Insights, Trends and Forecasts (2019 – 2023) – ResearchAndMarkets.com
- Cooking Classy: Christmas Punch
- Cowboy Channel: Ginger Ale Market Size Forecast to Reach $3.2 Billion by 2026
- Difford’s Guide: Schhh… you know who. The story of Schweppes
- Schweppes: Recipes
- Taste of Home: Cranberry Sparkler