Does Ginger Ale Have Caffeine In It?

Ginger ale is refreshing and sweet, and it is always that one drink your parents gave you whenever your stomach was upset. If you are sensitive to the stimulant or are watching how much caffeine you drink, you might be wondering if the drink contains any. For those of you who were worried — no, most all ginger ale does not contain caffeine. 

There could be the very odd one out, as sometimes specialty drinks can contain caffeine — like Bawls Guarana Ginger, for example. But for the most part, ginger ale is not caffeinated, including the products from companies such as Schweppes, Seagram's, Vernors, and Q Mixers. Some major brands even advertise this fact right on the label. Canada Dry, for example, displays the words "caffeine free" below its logo on its packaging. In any case, it never hurts to check the ingredients list just to be totally sure.

Despite featuring the same main flavor, ginger beer and ginger ale are different drinks. Ginger beer has a pleasurable burn, with a much spicier and stronger ginger flavor than ginger ale. It also doesn't typically have any caffeine in it. But because it's a fermented product, it can have trace amounts of alcohol. In almost all cases, unless the ginger beer is of a specialty adult variety, the alcohol has been removed to the point where there's none in it at all. 

Speaking of alcohol, ginger beer is also used as the base of some standard cocktails like the Moscow mule and a dark 'n' stormy, so even though there's no alcohol in it by default, people sure do like to add it in. So whether you choose to spike it or sip it plain, you can kick back with a ginger ale or a ginger beer and rest assured that neither beverage will get you too hyped up before bed.