Ship of Fools: Lashings of ginger beer

Thread: Lashings of ginger beer Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Any recommendations for a non-alcoholic, fiery, not-too-sweet ginger beer? Most of them seem to lack bite and have too much sugar, though Fentiman's is good.

On ginger drinks generally, Rochester Ginger Wine is quite good and warming for the winter ("the kick of two very angry mules"), and you can't beat a hot lemon, honey and ginger drink on a winter's day or when you have a cold.

Other recommendations, reminiscences and related anecdotes welcome.

Posted by Moo (# 107) on :

On this side of the pond, I recommend Vernor's. It has a nice strong gingery flavor.

It used to be available only in the Midwest, but now you can get it everywhere.

Moo

Posted by Hedgehog (# 14125) on :

ALso on the US side, there is Blenheim's Ginger Ale. It's "Old #3" version is extremely spicy hot. First time drinkers tend to have their eyes water.

Posted by MrsBeaky (# 17663) on :

Here in East Africa you will find Stoneys which is my choice when offered a soda if they don''t have Crest bitter lemon.
It is probably stuffed full of sugar but tastes really nice and gingery.

Posted by Piglet (# 11803) on :

I'm the wrong person to ask - I find ginger ale of the Schweppes type very refreshing, but I can only enjoy it because it's not too gingery. If I can tell that there's ginger in it, I'll probably get that throat-burning sensation, which I hate.

When it comes to hot spice, I'm a bit of a wuss. [Hot and Hormonal]

Posted by no prophet's flag is set so... (# 15560) on :

Yes, there's a split between the vaguely ginger-flavoured sugar water and the Jamaican style ginger beer which bites the tongue. The best solution is get some of each and mix together to the flavour you like. I personally like the strong stuff, which goes well with spicy foods.

Posted by ArachnidinElmet (# 17346) on :

Fentiman's Ginger Beer has a nicely-rounded 'real' ginger taste (they also make, amongst other things, an unusual not-too-floral rose lemonade).

Posted by LeRoc (# 3216) on :

I don't think I ever had ginger beer. I'm not really a soft drink kind of person.

Posted by Oscar the Grouch (# 1916) on :

Another vote for Fentimans. Always worth drinking!

I also like Old Jamaica Ginger Beer. It's got a real bite to it.

Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :

Thought of making your own, Ariel? Easy enough and you might be able to experiment.

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :

Now it is a couple of years since I was on top of the varieties of gingerbeer among decent includes
Fever Tree and Bundaberg. These are both pretty fiery if I recall correctly.

Jengie

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

Fentimans is probably my favourite but Fever Tree is a gentler drink and none the worse for that.

I like ginger beer with 'Indian'* food and it is essential for a cocktail evening.

*Which comes from anywhere between Iran to Burma and Sri Lanka to Afghanistan.

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
Fentiman's Ginger Beer has a nicely-rounded 'real' ginger taste (they also make, amongst other things, an unusual not-too-floral rose lemonade).

And a superlative dandelion and burdock, too!

I very much like Belvoir ginger cordial, which has the advantage that you can make it to the strength you like. And if you make it with soda water it makes it sparkly but also somehow gives it a slight edge, too.

Posted by jedijudy (# 333) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:
Thought of making your own, Ariel? Easy enough and you might be able to experiment.

I make an easy ginger beverage. Slice about three inches of ginger root in 1/8" to 1/4" thick slices, add to one quart of boiling water (I use filtered water), turn heat off and let steep for four or five hours. Strain the liquid and store in a container. Experiment to find your ideal proportions of soda water and ginger water. Add a squeeze of lemon and if you want it sweetened, add honey or simple syrup.

Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :

I second the Belvoir valley ginger cordial with soda recommendation, in fact I second it so much I've had to give it up for Lent [Hot and Hormonal]

. I have discovered that they do two types, the regular and the organic. The organic one is more fiery, it's not generally in supermarkets but can be got from ocado and independents, farm shops etc.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by ArachnidinElmet:
Fentiman's Ginger Beer has a nicely-rounded 'real' ginger taste (they also make, amongst other things, an unusual not-too-floral rose lemonade).

Ah, the Victorian Rose Lemonade is wonderful.

I have made ginger infusions at home but clearly haven't got the proportions right, as they're nothing like the hot ginger, lemon and honey drink I sometimes buy from a juice bar. That is sunshine in a glass, an instant lift on a dull day. The secret of making your own is probably to let it steep for a while as JJ suggests.

Apparently [major supermarket] stocks Fever Tree and Bundaberg so I'll look out for them on a future visit. Belvoir Cordial I've had but found it a bit too smooth. The organic sounds worth a go.

Posted by balaam (# 4543) on :

quote:
Originally posted by no prophet's flag is set so...:
Yes, there's a split between the vaguely ginger-flavoured sugar water and the Jamaican style ginger beer which bites the tongue. The best solution is get some of each and mix together to the flavour you like. I personally like the strong stuff, which goes well with spicy foods.

Or if it's too fiery adding tonic is another solution.

Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :

I'm another fan of the Belvoir cordial. It's one of the few soft drinks I enjoy, as most are too sweet for my taste. I don't like very fizzy drinks either, so dilute the cordial with half sparkling water and half still.
Both main Sainsbury's in my area stock it, but I can't always find it easily as the more niche cordials have their own little section of the display shelves, away from the run-of-the-mill squashes.

Posted by betjemaniac (# 17618) on :

Can one still get Idris? I haven't seen it for years but it used to be a petrol station standby in the 1990s.

sort of like Old Jamaica, but with a bit more of kick; a bit drier.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

AFAICR Idris was the standard ginger beer with HM Forces overseas (Tennents had the lager contract similarly sewn up).

From memory it was drier and many mixed it with lemonade or Rose's Lime Cordial.

Posted by betjemaniac (# 17618) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
AFAICR Idris was the standard ginger beer with HM Forces overseas (Tennents had the lager contract similarly sewn up).

From memory it was drier and many mixed it with lemonade or Rose's Lime Cordial.

At sea, you could have any bitter you wanted so long as you wanted McEwan's Export (popularly known around the fleet as Red Death).

God bless the NAAFI.

Posted by Niminypiminy (# 15489) on :

Old Jamaica, in my view, is the best for making gingen beer shandy (half and half ginger beer and beer - one of the nicest things, I think, that you can drink in a pub, especially good in the garden on a hot day.

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

A Note of Caution.
If you wish to make your own ginger beer, choose your recipe wisely. As it is a fermentation process, you can end up with sugary bombs.
jj's recipe not only sounds lovely, but safer.

Posted by Heavenly Anarchist (# 13313) on :

I make ginger beer in a plastic gallon bottle, adding hot water over the ginger, lemons and sugar, then topping with cold and adding a bit of yeast. I then ferment it as I would wine but only 24-48 hours so that it stays fizzy and is low alcohol. I then store it in swing top bottles specifically designed for fizzy drinks and in the fridge, so that I don't have an explosion on my hands. It gets drunk over the next two weeks.

Posted by Kelly Alves (# 2522) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Oscar the Grouch:
Another vote for Fentimans. Always worth drinking!

I also like Old Jamaica Ginger Beer. It's got a real bite to it.

Old Jamaica, yes. And Bunderburg. Bunderburg will refresh one layer of skin on your tongue. Great stuff.

Posted by Roseofsharon (# 9657) on :

quote:
Originally posted by betjemaniac:
Can one still get Idris?

Now I've got an earworm [Roll Eyes]

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

Bundaberg is well known down here. Strong but not overly so. Recently it seems to me that they are pandering to the desire for sweet drinks. It seems far sweeter than I remember.

I used to make my own and use bottles with swing down caps. I opened one in front of guests one night. The pressure as I opened it blew the top off the bottle, and neck and cap from bottle ricocheted around dining room. Somehow it missed everybody.

Mum had some stored on top of kitchen cabinet. One night we were all woken by gunfire. The bottles exploded one by one onto kitchen ceiling. She found another storage space after that.

Hers was made from a ginger beer plant when I was a child. I used a similar recipe to Heavenly Anarchist when I started making it.

[ 25. February 2015, 19:28: Message edited by: Lothlorien ]

Posted by Jengie jon (# 273) on :

My father threatened to try and patent my mothers gingerbeer as a fire extinguisher so impressive was the way it burst out of bottles.

I think we only drank about half of it as the other bottles exploded before drinking. It was stored in what we called the laundry.

Jengie

Posted by Firenze (# 619) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Jengie jon:

I think we only drank about half of it as the other bottles exploded before drinking. It was stored in what we called the laundry.

But now call 'The room with sticky walls'. My brother's ginger beer efforts were similarly exiled to the garage after a few percussive incidents. After that, we went over to making beer beer.

[ 25. February 2015, 20:04: Message edited by: Firenze ]

Posted by bib (# 13074) on :

I really like Cascade ginger beer that comes from Tasmania. The managing director of Cascade's tasted my mother in law's home made ginger beer, requested the recipe and then asked Cascade's to add it as a commercial product. Oh if only she had patented her recipe!
I am banned by Mr Bib from making further home bottles of g.b. after he was attacked by exploding bottles when I didn't measure the ingredients carefully enough. I have been assured by a relative that bottles are less likely to explode if plastic bottles with screw tops are used.

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

I like the Cascade drink but the supply in Sydney is patchy. I also like the berry cordials they make, although I have a glass only occasionally. Also patchy supply up here. I used to always have a bottle in pantry and then they disappeared. They have been back this summer so I now have several bottles in pantry. Grandchildren regard them as a treat. One even asked if she could have her sister's share because sister did not want it. I limit them to a glass a day of that as they are very sweet.

Posted by Mili (# 3254) on :

I don't drink ginger beer, but my dad has it often and favours Bundaberg brand. He has converted my brother-in-law to being a fan too. Dad claims it settles the stomach too, but I don't know how scientific that is.

Posted by bib (# 13074) on :

I actually find that ginger beer is a welcome remedy during a heavy upper repiratory infection and works better for me than all the substances one finds at the pharmacy.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

For some reason it was the only thing I wanted during a recent cold and potential chest infection which never got off the ground.

(That and apple pie. I couldn't face any other food.)

Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Mili:
I don't drink ginger beer...

Sorry: does not compute. [Confused]

Wonderful drink alone (the best soft drink, I think) or in a mix- gin & ginger beer in summer, dark rum & ginger beer in winter.

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :

I also recommend Bundaberg, which still retains its tang, where many others in Australia have become sugary syrups. The supper room at our local council goes through more Bundaberg than any other variety of soft drink.

Mrs BA and I visited the Bundaberg brewery a number of years ago. The two ladies who were staffing the factory shop that day should have been a cabaret act. They kept all customers including ourselves in stitches for almost an hour with their repartee, having obviously worked together for many years.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:

quote:
Originally posted by Mili:
I don't drink ginger beer...
Sorry: does not compute. Wonderful drink alone (the best soft drink, I think) or in a mix- gin & ginger beer in summer, dark rum & ginger beer in winter.

Moscow Mule is one of the best simple cocktails: Vodka and lime juice, topped up with Ginger Beer.

Posted by TurquoiseTastic (# 8978) on :

quote:
Originally posted by betjemaniac:
Can one still get Idris? I haven't seen it for years but it used to be a petrol station standby in the 1990s.

sort of like Old Jamaica, but with a bit more of kick; a bit drier.

Apparently so. I always liked Idris - a proper kick. Although I am disappointed that the packaging seems to be trying a bit too hard now. I preferred the modest, understated orange can they used to have. It's not wasabi after all.

Posted by Mili (# 3254) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:

quote:
Originally posted by Mili:
I don't drink ginger beer...
Sorry: does not compute. Wonderful drink alone (the best soft drink, I think) or in a mix- gin & ginger beer in summer, dark rum & ginger beer in winter.

It's not specific to ginger beer. I don't really drink any soft drinks, except occasionally lemon or apple flavoured ones or lemon, lime and bitters. I used to drink mineral water based soft drinks too, on occasion, but now they added stevia, a natural sweetener to the Schweppes brand and I don't like the taste any more.

As a child I was only allowed to drink soft drink at parties or special occasions and on a number of occasion drank so much I got sick, which put me off most types of soft drink altogether. I also don't drink alcohol so that counts out the mixed drinks too.

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Just tried the Fever Tree brew - delicious, this is good stuff, good kick to it. Thanks for the recommendation, it's now on my list [Big Grin]

Posted by St. Gwladys (# 14504) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:

quote:
Originally posted by Mili:
I don't drink ginger beer...
Sorry: does not compute. Wonderful drink alone (the best soft drink, I think) or in a mix- gin & ginger beer in summer, dark rum & ginger beer in winter.

Have you tried ginger beer shandy? Beer and ginger beer, very pleasant.

Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :

No but I am going to, now!

Posted by Barnabas Aus (# 15869) on :

While speaking of ginger drinks, we can can also get here in Australia Buderim Ginger Refresher, which is a cordial based upon the cooking syrup from the preservation process. They also make a lime variety with a touch of ginger. Both very refreshing, when mixed with soda water or sparkling mineral water. The company markets into UK US and other parts so you may be able to find it.

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

I'll second that recommendation fro Barnabas. Good flavour and very refreshing with soda water

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

Any views on Crabbies?

I've just been looking on Supermarket's Online Delivery Site for ginger beers. They have a pleasingly wide selection that also includes Mentholated Bronchial Balsam.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Ariel:
Any views on Crabbies?

Nae guid.

Posted by marzipan (# 9442) on :

Isn't Crabbies alcoholic? Or do they do a non-alcoholic version

Mr Marzipan and his friend once brewed some very alcoholic ginger beer - they accidentally put in twice as much sugar as they should have. It ended up being about 11% alcohol. It was lovely but after about a pint you would be under the table.

Posted by Sioni Sais (# 5713) on :

Crabbies is 4% alcohol, the same as beer. I don't know they do a non- or low-alcohol version, but Fentiman's is 0.5%.

Posted by orfeo (# 13878) on :

Bundaberg ginger beer is heaven. Global distribution uncertain, apart from the fact that it's reached California.

My friends in Riverside County weren't impressed after I spotted some and bought it for them in squealing excitement. Philistines.

[ 02. March 2015, 12:04: Message edited by: orfeo ]

Posted by Chocoholic (# 4655) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Sioni Sais:
Crabbies is 4% alcohol, the same as beer. I don't know they do a non- or low-alcohol version, but Fentiman's is 0.5%.

Are you sure about Fentimans? I didn't think it did.

Posted by Rowen (# 1194) on :

Bundaberg is, as, already noted, heaven. If a shop doesn't stock it, only other brands, well...... I will buy another kind of drink entirely.

Stones Ginger Wine is good too, from an alcohol perspective.

Posted by lilBuddha (# 14333) on :

Ginger beer should have some alcohol as it is brewed. Typically very little in the soft versions.

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

Rowen, pears poached in Stones green ginger wine are very good.

Posted by Gee D (# 13815) on :

quote:
Originally posted by lilBuddha:
A Note of Caution.
If you wish to make your own ginger beer, choose your recipe wisely. As it is a fermentation process, you can end up with sugary bombs.
jj's recipe not only sounds lovely, but safer.

My mother used make ginger beer when we were growing up - as had my grandmothers in their turn (no idea about great-grandmothers). You need to be given a ginger beer plant to start with but then you can recycle that as many times as you wish. Rather like a sourdough starter if you like. You need bottles which can be strongly sealed, and a suitable place to store them. As lil buddha and Lothlorien note, a bottle can explode, or more usually just blow the seal. A cool and easily washed cellar is ideal. I have not heard of home brewing ginger beer* in ages, but 60 or so years ago, discussions about recipes, and of plants, was a commonplace.

*On the other hand, there are shops here specialising in home brewing ordinary beer, and supplying ingredients, bottles, seals and cleaning equipment.

Posted by Lothlorien (# 4927) on :

Mum used a plant, raisins, sugar, ginger and water. Fed every day and divided. I have used that too and also in a drum with a small amount of yeast. I had no explosions but remember the night they exploded in kitchen when I was a child.

Even worse was the Mothers' Day pressure cooker of pea and ham soup when safety valve did not release.

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