Ginger Wine Is A Deliciously Spicy Drink Without Any Alcohol

If you're in the market for non-alcoholic drink options beyond the norm, we've got you covered. Let's talk about ginger wine. Contrary to its name, this flavorful beverage is void of any alcohol. (Although you can make an alcoholic version of this too by fermenting raisins and ginger.) Because of its lack of any spirits, some people choose to dub this beverage Ginger Pop instead, such as the authors of "The East Indian Cookery Book." No matter its title, ginger wine still packs a refreshingly spicy bite thanks to the heavy ginger element which makes it a good substitute for other cocktails. (Looking at you, Moscow mule.)

Since ginger wine is not actually, well, wine, what's in it? Aside from containing a large amount of ginger, this beverage is also packed with Eastern spices like cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and nutmeg. Top it with some spicy chiles, refreshing lime juice, and caramelized sugar, and you've got one of the most unique and flavorful beverages around. 

Thanks to its many fresh ingredients, ginger wine is the perfect cure for common illnesses, and is commonly indulged in to ward off sickness. But aside from its many benefits, it also just tastes really good. This spicy, syrupy mix, is a good choice for fans of piquant treats like chamoy-covered candies. If that sounds right up your alley, let's talk about how you can make ginger wine at home.

Because of the many benefits of ginger — such as providing relief from nausea and bloating and being packed with antioxidants — ginger wine is perfect to help stave off sickness. Plus, it doesn't hurt that it's delicious. If you want to give this drink a try, let's dig into what you'll need to make it according to Bon Appetit. We'll warn you now — it's a lot of prep.

To make this drink, you'll need some fresh ginger, sugar, and limes on hand. Next, grab some dried chiles. This is vital for the recipe too. Kashmiri chiles are the standard, but you can also use arbol or red chiles. Now it's time to check your spice rack for some common spices such as cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, and nutmeg. You'll need to have some way to smash these down, so a mortar and pestle to grind all those ingredients into powder would be handy. 

Some chefs choose to add in some other optional ingredients for even more flavor like vanilla extract and plums, but anything else you want to add is up to you. That's everything that goes into most traditional ginger wines. And while it is commonly indulged in as a drink, you can do even more with this syrupy beverage.

You can serve ginger wine by itself over ice, and some even prefer to mix it with ginger ale to make a fizzy beverage. Others might even opt to add gin or brandy to their glass to make this a true cocktail. But because this mixture is so thick, you can do much more with it than just drink it. You can use ginger wine as an unexpected topping over ice cream or cake, or even drizzle it atop some cheese for a kick of flavor for your charcuterie board. 

While we can appreciate its many uses in the modern age, where did this little-known drink come from in the first place? The origins of ginger wine are not exactly known, but some claim that it stems from a popular drink called O.T. that was popularized in Australia. This is a chile-infused beverage known for curing common colds and indigestion. (Sound familiar?) While O.T. became popular across the world following its introduction, the recipe used to make it originates all the way back to an Indian maharaja. Today, ginger wine is still commonly indulged throughout India and many places beyond. Now that you have a short history of ginger wine, only one question remains: How will you use it?