January 22, 2020
Wild Spur Ginger Beer | A Review
Wild Spur is a mystery. No website exists; no contact information can be found. The only clue comes in tiny print on the label: bottled for CBC Sales, Inc, Chicago, Illinois. Even a search for that turns up nothing useful, just a company that deals in coffee and tea. Perhaps the origin of Wild Spur lies there but it nevertheless goes unmentioned. Life sometimes deals in disappointment. Best to accept it and move on.
Whoever lies at the heart of Wild Spur gave the world a 170-calorie ginger beer, made with familiar ingredients like carbonated water, sugar and natural flavor as well as some unusual too, like modified food starch, glyceryl abietate and brominated vegetable oil. The latter three sound arcane but they essentially keep the liquid from separating and thicken it up just a tick.
There’s a western theme to the label on this 12-ounce, long-neck bottle. A shiplap background underlays a rope-wrapped illustration of a mounted cowboy at sunset. Nautical stars float nearby. The logo is as western as a cattle drive with a boot-shaped “L” and a spur branching off the “U.” Taken as a whole, the label certainly drives home the idea of a drink from another era. It’s not inspired design but it gets the message across just fine.
The bouquet is sweet ginger with a hint of spiciness. A pour reveals generous carbonation but no sediment in this apple-juice-colored beverage. Tasting immediately takes an unexpected turn. Wild Spur begins drier than the scent would suggest though still mildly sweet. Ginger then envelops the tongue, carrying a notable dose of heat and prickle interlaced with a bit of citrus. The finish offers another twist as the sweetness implied by the nose finally shows up. Heat lingers on the tongue and lips.
Some ginger beers stretch their legs a bit, mixing in unique flavors like apple or salt. Like the label design promises, Wild Spur eschews that adventurousness, delivering a traditional flavor experience. It delights with a well-tuned level of heat, above average for sure. It possesses substantial body, with a bit of a cola feel and is pleasant to drink. While it can’t be called a stand-out, it is quite good, somehow deepening the mystery of its origins.
Final Decision: Third Tier – Enjoyable
Purchased at: Beverages Direct | Available online at: Antiqology, Binny’s
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