Can you drink homemade ginger beer while pregnant?
Not advisedSkip homemade ginger beer during pregnancy, because wild fermentation produces alcohol you cannot measure. Commercially produced non-alcoholic ginger beer is a safe swap and tastes nearly identical.
Why
Ginger beer made with a ginger bug or a ginger beer plant works by letting yeast eat sugar, and yeast makes alcohol as it goes. NSW Health notes that home-fermented drinks can reach alcohol levels well above the trace amounts in commercial soft drinks, and that the strength varies batch to batch with temperature and fermenting time, so there is no way to know what is in your glass. The NHS advice on alcohol is that the safest approach in pregnancy is none at all, since alcohol crosses the placenta and no safe amount has been established. A bottled ginger beer from a shop is produced to a declared alcohol content below 0.5 percent and is a different product from the one fermenting on your counter.
Safer alternatives
- Bottled Bundaberg or Fever-Tree ginger beer (non-alcoholic)
- Fresh ginger simmered with lemon and honey, topped with sparkling water
- Canada Dry or Schweppes ginger ale
- Ginger syrup stirred into soda water over ice
Sources
- NSW Health https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/aod/resources/Factsheets/fermented-drinks-and-alcohol.PDF
- NHS https://www.nhs.uk/pregnancy/keeping-well/drinking-alcohol-while-pregnant/
Every verdict follows our sourcing methodology: official health guidelines only, most cautious position when they differ.
Last reviewed by the pregAI editorial team.
Frequently asked questions
I had a glass before I knew I was pregnant. Should I worry?
One glass is very unlikely to have caused harm, and the NHS says the risk from low amounts is low. What matters now is stopping, which you have. Mention it at your next appointment if it puts your mind at rest.
What if I only ferment it for 24 hours?
A short ferment makes less alcohol, but you still cannot measure how much, and warm kitchens speed things up fast. Carbonation is not a reliable sign of low alcohol either. Use a commercial bottle instead of guessing.
Is store-bought ginger beer alcoholic?
Standard ginger beer sold as a soft drink is non-alcoholic, under 0.5 percent, and fine in pregnancy. The exception is alcoholic ginger beer sold in the beer aisle, which can be 4 percent or more, so read the label. Moscow mules made with it also contain vodka.
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Get instant verdicts on any foodpregAI is informational only and is not medical advice. Always check with your doctor or midwife about anything specific to your pregnancy.