Ginger: Safety in Cocktails

Ginger

Ginger is a commonly used ingredient in ginger ale/beer, syrups, and infusions. 

Jamaican Ginger Root and “Jake Leg” during Prohibition was not a problem with ginger, but with an additive to ginger oils in alcohol. "The cause had nothing to do with the ginger but was caused by dubious manufacturers who added a type of polymer to meet a specific requirement by the US government." [link]

Wild ginger, however, contains aristolochic acid, which can sicken people; particularly those with kidney problems according to the book California Foraging [link].

The danger of wild ginger is confirmed in a post called "Wild Ginger: It’s Wild, Not Exactly Ginger, and Potentially Deadly" on Nature's Poisons [link]. 

Further Reading:

"WILD GINGER: DELICIOUS OR DEADLY?" Hunter Angler Gardener Cook [link]