Coca Cola’s newest soda “Hot Ginger Ale” hit Japanese vending machines on October 21 and we have an official RocketNews24 tasting review for anyone not daring enough to take on the hot, fizzy drink. So before you shell out 120 yen (US$1.20), take a look at what our expert vending machine beverage team has to say.
“Hot Ginger Ale” from Coca Cola
Canada Dry Hot Ginger Ale is the new and quite literally hot thing in vending machines this autumn in Japan. But this product did not come about easily. As many of you will no doubt know, heat can kill carbonation. So the company set out on a four-year journey to create a soda that could be enjoyed warm.
Warm, but fizzy
So of course, we had to buy a can of the much talked about drink. It was indeed warm to the touch, just like many other canned drinks from Japanese vending machines. And opening it up made the same “pop” you are used to from soda. We poured our hot ginger ale into a glass and it fizzed up just the same as a cold drink. So far, so good.
Candy-like taste
Before even actually tasting the ginger ale, the most surprising thing was just how fizzy this drink was. It seemed like the carbonation was even stronger than cold ginger ale.
After the first swig, the sweetness and ginger taste came like a punch to the throat. This was an entirely new sensation. The drink tasted like a fizzy hard candy.
A perfect drink to warm you up
After finishing our hot ginger ale, we felt the warmth move all around our body. This was certainly not something you would get some regular old cold ginger ale. This would probably be great for someone feeling a little under the weather during the cold winter months as it’s so sweet, warm and soothing.
The only downside to this drink is that the bubbles do not last very long. So unless you want to drink warmed-up sweet ginger water, we recommend drinking your hot ginger pretty soon after you open it!
Photos: RocketNews24
[ Read in Japanese ]
Ginger ale flavored soy milk coming to Japanese stores, buckets sold separately
Starbucks Japan adds new Ginger Ale Cloud non-alcoholic coffee cocktail to Tokyo Reserve menus
Japan’s Coca-Cola Plus Coffee is here to keep you both bubbly and caffeine-charged
Would you drink hot ginger ale from a can? Coca Cola thinks you will
What’s on the all-you-can-drink menu at Denny’s Japan? 【Family Restaurant Drink Bar Showdown】
Colour Hunting: The hot new street photography trend changing how we see Japan
Ghibli’s No Face continues to demonstrate his generous character growth by dispensing soy sauce
Even at twice regular Daiso price, this handy item is still great for summer travel in Japan
Japanese rice cooker recipe gives us a tasty new way to enjoy vegetables and wieners
Japanese convenience store shows us how to dress for the rainy season
A Japanese toast sandwich remix: The toasted rice rice ball[SoraKitchen]
Japan Railways partners with Overwatch, heroes hit the Shinkansen for bullet train collaboration
Tokyo’s Pokémon Cafe reopens this month with brand-new sweets and Pikachu show
Uniqlo reveals third round of massive 100-year-anniversary manga T-shirts for Jump’s Shueisha
Japanese high school closes its cafeteria, replaces it with a 7-Eleven convenience store
New official Ghibli anime food cookbook will teach you how to make Ponyo’s ramen and more
Kyoto public junior high school becomes first in Japan with a hoodie school uniform
Starbucks Japan unveils new Frappuccino showcasing “mottainai” culture
Osaka is hosting a “hentai” event, but it’s probably not what you think
What’s up with the Ghibli Park photo and video ban?
What’s it like to join Tokyo’s walking-and-talking-with-strangers club for a day?
Krispy Kreme releases a new Doughwich… at only one store in Japan
Tokyo’s life-size Gundam anime mecha statue will be removed this summer
Ichiraku Ramen-inspired ramen sets from Naruto anime pay homage to Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura
Kanji ice cream becomes a sell-out hit in Japan
Japanese convenience store Lawson launches new “mini supermarket” chain, L Minimart
Japan’s real-world Pokémon hot spring’s first photos are here![Photos]
Japan now has gyoza doughnuts, and they taste like no other doughnut we’ve tried before
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
Japan’s 5.3 million beautiful Hitachi Nemophila flowers are now in full bloom[Photos]
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Kirin announces its entry into the peculiar new hot fizzy drinks market
Coca Cola Japan releases new flavour to combat the winter cold
Coca-Cola’s hot canned shrimp bisque: The newest reason Japanese vending machines are awesome
Japanese netizens explore the root of cola’s enticing taste
Cup Noodle Sodas: Culinary innovation or beverage abomination?
Alcoholic Coca-Cola set to go on sale in Japan as company enters the canned cocktail market
Japanese vending machines now have the strangest thing we never knew we needed: hot bottled water
Coca-Cola Japan brings out a new design bottle exclusive to Okinawa
In Japan, you can now get Coca-Cola pre-mixed with coffee【Taste test】
Can French fry and instant yakisoba-flavored sodas surpass kimchi as Japan’s best strange ramune?
Peach Coca-Cola coming to Japan in a world-first for the company
Coca-Cola’s new vending machines don’t need electricity during the day to keep drinks cold
We got our hands on a can of coffee-flavored Coca-Cola from Vietnam and it busted our senses
The cold getting to you? Have a warm drink — from a vending machine!
10 obscure Japanese vending machine drinks that fly under the beverage radar