Showing posts with label Ginger Brew. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ginger Brew. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Five Gingers in Review

From Ale to Beer
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If you have read my review of Reed's Jamaican Ginger Beer than you know that I love ginger ale. The stronger the ginger bite the better. Or so I personally believe.
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So upon arriving at Jungle Jim's it quickly appeared to me that I had somehow walked into nirvana. First there was the walls upon walls of cheese (another favorite of mine). Next the isles of meats from all sorts of wonderfully tasty little creatures. And finally the endless supply of exotic fresh produce gathered from all over the world.
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And that is why when I came across the following five ginger ales and beers I knew I had found my new favorite grocery store. Nowhere else that I have ever been had ever had as many types and varieties of ginger ale as Jungle Jim's. So with that said let me introduce you to the following labels.
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This brand, Barritts Bermuda Stone Ginger Beer, was a nice pop when served cold. However it was not really a good ginger ale. The reason I say that is simple really... it tasted more like a tangy lemon-aide than a strong bite ginger beer. And thus why I'm starting with it since it was my least favorite of the five gingers from Jungle Jim's.
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For the price however it was a good deal. The pack of six was tasty in its own unique way. But it is a low grade ginger beer at best even with the purchase value.
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Aw, Fentimans Botanically Brewed Ginger Beer... a truly odd ginger ale. A few months before having tasted this ginger beer I had tasted a dandelion beer that boasted the same .5% alcohol and same "grassy" flavor. Fentimans tasted sorta like a mouth full of flowers with a rather weak ginger bite at the end. And it was that ginger bite as you swallowed that made this number 2 in my review.
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It was an expensive drink for a ginger beer that tasted more like dandelion beer than it did ginger. The bottle looks small but supposedly has the same amount of fluid in it. And the after taste is not as pleasant as the flavor is while the drink is still in your mouth. But even with all that it was still worth a try. Who knows, you might like the dandelion like flavor?
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Regatta Ginger Beer is a much more traditional ginger ale than the two listed above. Unfortunately it exploded when I opened it so I ended up only getting to drink half the bottle. Yet in just those few drinks I was impressed. After all, I had drank the two above prior and was kinda disappointed thus far (and was drinking Reed's Jamaican Ginger Beer in between... you know, to "cleanse my palette").
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The flavor was very nice with a good ginger flavor from start to finish. The only part of this drink I didn't like was the fact the ginger bite never really kicked in. So even though the flavor was good, I couldn't get into it that much since the bite was missing.
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Old Jamaican Ginger Beer was a great ginger ale. It had the very traditional flavor and a mild ginger bite too. When drinking it you could almost imagine it was made in the same way the old handmade gingers were once brewed.
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At first this ginger beer taste rather smooth with a strong flavor. It could have a stronger ginger bite I suppose. But even with a little less bite than I would had expected it was a really nice ginger ale.
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And finally, Reggae Country Style Ginger Beer. This was one of the most uniquely flavored ginger ales I have ever had. It was flowery, earthy, and tangy all at once. You could really taste the ginger in it and yet still appreciate the multiple flavors in it. The ginger bite was still less than Reed's but still stronger than the other four beers.
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This one is definitely a ginger beer you should look for if you like ginger ale. It is not expensive at all and the taste is well worth a try.
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Thursday, March 10, 2011

Reed's Jamaican Ginger Brew


And Other Ginger Ales
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Over the years I have drank my way to the bottom of every ginger ale bottle I could find. Maine Root Ginger Brew, Reed's Jamaican Ginger Brew (especially the Extra Ginger Brew), and Cock N' Bull are three of the best I have ever found. They have complex flavors and rather strong ginger bites to them. And they have a price to match unfortunately.
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Now for the ones that don't come in traditional glass bottles there are a few good mass produced ones out there. Canada Dry is a good everyday ginger ale along with Seagram's Ginger Ale. But like I said... they are the kind I drink every day simply because I can't afford to have a Reed's ginger beer in my hand whenever I want.
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As for the price... Canada Dry sells for four bucks or so at any given big box grocery store. Seagram's is about the same. But Maine Root goes for around seven bucks for a four pack (only have found it at Whole Foods thus far). Reed's (my personal favorite) Extra Ginger Brew sells for 1.25 to 1.50 for a single bottle and 5.99 or so for a four pack (can only be found at Fresh Market, select Kroger stores, and Whole Foods). Cock N' Bull is a Fresh Market favorite of mine but once again is a single bottle drink that goes for about 1.50 a pop.
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So what is the difference between a Jamaican Ginger Brew and Canada Dry?
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Everything. Reed's has a traditional way of doing things that is like comparing a micro brewery and Bud Light. The flavor has a little bit of a floral taste at first with a nice strong ginger bite if you buy the Extra Ginger Brew (the original is good but doesn't have that strong ginger bite at the end). Canada Dry is more like the Bud Light of ginger ales. It is cheap and easy to find. As for the flavor, well it is OK but just isn't as complex as the Reed's line.
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What about the store brand ginger ales?
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When times are tough and money is tight... just about always anymore... Dollar General has a variety that is great. It is right up there with the other big box stores ginger ale. However like Canada Dry, Dollar Generals ginger ale is good for those days when I can't afford Reed's.
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So I would have to suggest to anyone out there looking for a new drink to try that will stimulate the taste buds... Reed's Jamaican Extra Ginger Brew. It is simply unbeatable for those of you who like a nice flavorful ginger ale.
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P.S. for those of you who like using ginger ale with liquor, Cock N' Bull has a recipe for what they call a real Russian Mule. I don't drink so I haven't tried it.