April 29, 2020
Fever-Tree Naturally Light Ginger Beer | A Review
Founded in London in 2004, Fever-Tree boasts a wide array of drink mixers from their highly touted tonic water to their other-worldly Premium Ginger Beer. Some time after their inception, the Naturally Light option joined the portfolio, adding lower calorie varieties to their already strong lineup.
The Naturally Light series eventually found itself replaced by Refreshingly Light. More than just a name change, new formulas were devised for these versions of their Indian Tonic Water, Ginger Ale and Ginger Beer. The notes for this review were originally written while the two options sat side-by-side on shelves but by now Naturally Light may be near impossible to find.
The 6.8 ounce (200ml) clear glass bottle possesses an elegant curvature and comes embossed with the fever tree found often in their branding. The label, with a lighter background color, appears quite similar to the Premium. It uses the same upscale look including the same uninspired typeface selections except for the addition of hand-written elements, notably the “Naturally Light” designation.
Carbonated spring water kicks off the ingredient list of this 40-calorie beverage (that’s 71 calories per 12 ounces). In addition there’s fruit sugar, ginger root, other natural flavors, tartaric and ascorbic acids. No preservatives are included.
There’s a touch of cloudiness to this fizzy, translucent liquid which carries a slightly more golden color than its full-calorie counterpart. Ginger dominates the nose, nice and strong. The first impression comes through as a dryness. Then the ginger arrives, tasting not at all artificial. It reaches a pleasant peak, joined by a tang, and continues to hang on for a few beats. The heat goes easy at first but builds with each sip, prickling about the tongue. The tang subsides into a clean finish.
Naturally Light has no intention of imitating Fever-Tree’s flagship ginger beer. It’s quite comfortable doing its own thing and offers a lot of flavor for the calories. The choice to go dry strikes as a clever idea. When reducing calories, why not just reduce the sweetness instead of pursuing artificial options? A dry ginger beer can be as good or better than a sweet one so there’s a reason to choose this variety other than just the reduced calories and sugar. It’s a straightforward option that lacks the complexity of the Premium but nevertheless remains desirable in its own right.
Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring
Purchased locally at: Spec’s
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