Goslings Diet Stormy Ginger Beer Review: An aftertaste I wish I could forget
- Published on
- Goslings, Zero Calorie
The Quick Route
Our Take
Goslings Diet Stormy Ginger Beer is a widely available, slightly-below-average option for making low- or zero-calorie drinks. It checks some important boxes: bubbles that survive mixing, modest ginger flavor, and it’s one of the more affordable options.
However, the pronounced and lingering aftertaste of artificial sweetener makes it almost entirely undrinkable by itself.
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Pros
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Cons
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| Love Score | Sip Score | Mix Score |
| 3.0 | 2.0 | 4.8 |
Love Score: In the moment, how much do we enjoy drinking this ginger beer?
Sip Score: How likely are we going to sip this by itself in the future?
Mix Score: How likely would we use this in a mixed drink?
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About the Beverage
Goslings Diet Stormy Ginger Beer, a zero-calorie, carb-free, non-alcoholic ginger beer beverage, claims the title of America’s top selling ginger beer brand. It was originally formulated to be the ideal companion to Goslings rum ina Dark and Stormy, which is distinctly sweet, warming, and refreshing with a twist of lime
A quick look at the label tells us exactly what Goslings was hoping to accomplish: create a zero-calorie, affordable ginger beer option versatile enough to flex from the can to the bar.
Goslings Diet Ginger Beer boasts some appealing stats on its label: 0 calories, 0 fat, only 10mg of sodium, and 0 carbs.
Folks looking to cut a few calories from their cocktails or avoid alcohol altogether can reach for this and avoid the punishing calories of other popular options. Plus you can get it at almost 50% less per ounce than Fever Tree Premium Ginger Beer.
How does Goslings do it? Well, they take a few shortcuts. Goslings Diet Stormy Ginger Beer gets its flavor from an indiscriminate “Ginger Beer Flavor” along with the combination of artificial sweeteners sucralose and acesulfame potassium.
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Appearance and Smell
Goslings Diet Stormy Ginger Beer pours with a strong, albeit brief, fizz. It’s a well-emulsified drink, free of unexpected (or naturally occurring) sediment.
It has an appealing pale yellow straw hue that suggests ginger is there (though we know better) and looks appealing in a clear glass.
The aroma, however, shouhld have been our first red flag. A meager whiff of ginger is accompanied by something “tinny,” which I suspect comes from the sweeteners.
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Taste
The first two seconds of drinking this ginger beer are its best. A fleeting moment of warm ginger flavor is supported by a promise of citrus and decent carbonation.
But when the last bubble pops, the only things left are broken promises, a tinny taste, and a mouth full of artificial sweeteners.
Goslings Diet Stormy Ginger Beer scores poorly in key areas like refreshment (10/100), natural flavor, (10/100), and overall ginger taste (31/100).
The high scores aren’t something to celebrate, with the finish scoring so high (94/100) because we could taste the sweeteners an hour after finishing the cup.
Drinkers looking for warmth, spice, or complexity should look elsewhere.
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How to Use It
Although this isn’t one of our favorite ginger beers, it’s not difficult to fix. It just needs a little help.
Flavor Supports
What Goslings Diet Stormy Ginger Beer needs is bold, fresh flavors to help mask the artificial sweeteners.
- Bold herbs like mint
- Punchy citrus like lime, lemon, orange, or grapefruit, or
- Tart berries like raspberries or blackberries
Serve it over ice when possible, even if you’re drinking it straight. Dilution will be your friend.
I wouldn’t try saving this ginger beer with spice, unless you’re introducing fresh flavors into your drink as well.
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Mixing With Booze
This ginger beer should work most spirits, but your choice should come down to “what else” is in your drink.
In simpler drinks, I would recommend reaching for something robust, like rum or whiskey, to introduce a new, dominant flavor.
Unfortunately, Goslings Diet won’t perform with more subtle liquors like vodka or gin unless paired with another supporting ingredient, given the dominant artificial sweetener flavors.
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Final Thoughts
Although disappointed by Goslings Diet Ginger Beer, I take solice in the fact that this ginger beer is something I will almost always be able to find and fix.
However, it’s not a star and shouldn’t be treated like one. It desperately needs support from fresh ingredients, but just a few strong add-ons will go a long way.
My only hope is that Goslings finds another blend of sweeteners to stay an affordable zero-calorie option without the unpleasant aftertaste.
