How to take a ginger shot

Shake it, take it, chase it

Give the bottle a gentle shake so nothing's settled, then drink it however suits you: knock it back in one, or sip it slowly. Keep a glass of water handy to chase it if you want to soften the heat. That's the whole method.

Ginger has a real bite, so the way you take it is mostly about managing that kick and building a habit you'll keep. If you're still working out the best moment in your day, our guide to when to take a ginger shot covers the timing side. This one is about the drinking itself.

Shoot it or sip it

Shooting it is the classic move. One quick swallow, the heat hits, it passes, you chase it with water and you're done. It's fast and it's the reason these are sold in 60ml bottles rather than glasses. If the intensity is the bit you like, this is the way.

Sipping is the gentler route. Take it over a minute or two and the heat arrives in smaller waves rather than one big one. Some people find this easier on the stomach, especially first thing. Neither way is better, it's down to how you like the ginger to land. A milder shot like our Gentle Ginger is the easy one to sip, while the 30g Ginger Max is usually a shoot-and-chase job.

What to chase it with

Cold water is the simplest chaser and it does the job for most people. A few sips straight after cuts the heat and clears the palate. If you find ginger really lively, something cold works better than something warm, so a glass of chilled water or a piece of fruit beats a hot drink for calming the burn down.

You don't have to chase it at all. Plenty of people take the shot neat and enjoy the lingering warmth. The chaser is there if you want it, not a rule.

Stir it into water, a smoothie or a warm mug

You don't have to take a shot straight. Stirring one into a tall glass of cold water turns it into a longer, milder ginger drink you can sip through the morning. It works well in a smoothie too, where the ginger cuts through sweeter fruit and gives the whole thing a lift. A shot is just concentrated juice, so it plays nicely with other things in the glass.

Nature's Lemsip. Pour a shot into a mug, top it with hot (not boiling) water and stir in a drop of honey. You get a warm, lemony, gingery drink that's lovely on a cold evening or whenever you fancy something soothing to hold. Many people find a warm ginger and honey drink soothing. We call it nature's Lemsip for the ritual of it, the warm mug and the honey and lemon, not because it's a remedy for anything. It's a hot drink made of juice, so enjoy it as exactly that.

Handling the heat

That warm burn is just the ginger doing its thing and it fades within a minute or two. If it catches you off guard the first few times, that's normal. Take a smaller shot to start, sip rather than shoot, or dilute it with water until you're used to it. The heat mellows as your palate gets familiar with it.

Taking it with or just after food softens the hit as well, which is handy if a neat shot feels sharp on an empty stomach. There's no toughness contest here, so take it in whatever way feels good.

Should you dilute it?

If you want to, yes. Diluting a shot with water doesn't change what's in it, it just spreads the same juice over a longer, gentler drink. Purists take it neat for the full hit, newcomers often water it down at first. Both are fine and you'll probably drift toward neat as the heat stops surprising you.

Ways to take a ginger shot

Method	How	Best for
Shoot it	One quick swallow, chase with water	Fast, if you like the intensity
Sip it	Over a minute or two	A gentler kick, easier first thing
In cold water	Stir into a tall glass	A longer, milder drink to sip
Nature's Lemsip	Hot (not boiling) water and a drop of honey	A warm, soothing evening mug
In a smoothie	Blend with fruit	Ginger lift without the neat heat

Shots to take your way

Pick a strength to match how you like to take it (or browse all our ginger guides). Everything below is a cold-pressed shot, delivered frozen fresh and thawed ready to drink:

The bottom line

There's no wrong way to take a ginger shot. Shake it, then shoot it, sip it, stir it into water or warm it into a honey-and-lemon mug. Chase the heat if you want to. Start milder if the kick surprises you and work up. Whichever way suits you, our cold-pressed juice shots arrive frozen fresh and ready to thaw, so all you have to do is pick your method.

Where to buy

Browse the full cold-pressed juice shots range, or go straight to a favourite: Gentle Ginger, Ginger Max, Ginger Beets, Ginger Greens or the Juice Shot Variety Box.

Related reading

• Cold-pressed ginger shots: the benefits
• What's actually in a ginger shot
• How much ginger is in a shot
• When to take a ginger shot
• Can you take a ginger shot every day?
• Ginger shots for energy
• Ginger shots for digestion after 45
• The best juices for nausea relief
• Ginger Beets: why ginger pairs with beetroot

• Juices for nausea
• Juice for gut health
• Juices for energy

• Ginger
• Turmeric
• Beetroot