John’s son Peverel now oversees the venture which has grown into an international phenomenon.  Belvoir features creative beverages, including John and Mary’s original Elderflower Cordial, all made with the Vale’s own spring water.

Their ginger beer can be found in curvy little 8.4 ounce (250ml) bottles and larger 750ml varieties like this one.  The clear glass holds the silhouette of a wine bottle or maybe a spirit with an embossed logo swooping across the shoulder.  Orange is the branded color for the ginger beer with the label and seal both printed in it.  About the label, it’s uneven at the top and bottom, looking carefully torn and is adorned with the elegant script typically employed by Belvoir.  Seeing this on a shelf offers an impression of an upscale product but laced with warmth, personality and friendliness.

Belvoir was born amidst a growing concern regarding artificial ingredients so they carry that with them even today.  The label declares it to be free of preservatives, gluten, GMOs and assures readers it’s vegan.  Carbonated spring water kicks off the list.  Organic cane sugar provides sweetness, organic lemon juice provides tartness and organic fresh root ginger infusion provides ginger flavor.  Ginger extracts are also used.  Citric acid is present as is capsicum extract. An 8.5 ounce serving carries 110 calories, equating to 155 for 12.

The bottle must be tumbled before pouring as a layer of sediment rests at the bottom.  Afterward the color is tinted by ginger juice with the barest hint of an orange hue. A significant amount of light comes through, rendering it translucent.  The nose is of a soft ginger, accompanied by a bit of lemon.  Carbonation is virtually nonexistent.

Sweet notes arrive at the outset, joined shortly by the duo of an earthy ginger and sharply tart lemons.  The heat comes on, not the prickles of ginger but the jab of capsaicin.  Ginger falls away, leaving lemon to close the curtain.

The earthy ginger never stands in the spotlight, instead mingling as an ensemble.  It’s the soul of the progression with the lemon brightening the experience and at times taking over.  The heat weaves through without dominating but rapid fire sips will ignite the mouth a bit.  It’s an unusual take on a ginger beer but not necessarily a bad one.  Ginger beer enthusiasts might find it lacking however.  It could use more ginger and certainly more carbonation but as-is it’s satisfying and refreshing in its own right.

Final Decision: Third Tier – Enjoyable

Purchased locally at: World Market. | Available online at: BritSuperstore, World Market

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The small green bottle contains seven ounces and is wrapped in a label looking like textured paper torn across the bottom to reveal a bright orange region.  The logo gives the impression of a stencil and features a cluster of tightly-packed buildings and a squared-off typeface.  A fair amount of negative space surrounds it, drawing and steadying the eye.  It all looks hand-crafted, a positive impression.

In addition to the typical carbonated water: cane sugar, ginger, ginger extract and citric acid.  Not many ingredients and no fluff.  70 calories lurk within, translating to 120 for 12 ounces.

The instructions sent by Shaker and Spoon guided the creation of a cocktail called a Bajan Kiss, an elevated version of a beloved Barbados drink, the Corn ‘n Oil.  Dreamed up by Paul Yellin, it calls for:

2oz aged rum
1oz falernum syrup
1/2oz scotch bonnet-sea salt syrup
1/2oz lime juice
1/2oz ginger beer
1 dash Angostura bitters
coconut water

After the drinks stood prepared on the bar, plenty of ginger beer remained for sampling.  The cloudy liquid smells of sweet, earthy ginger as a healthy dose of sediment drifts beneath the surface.  The flavor development happens quickly.  A swift note of sweetness arrives followed closely by an ascending earthy ginger.  Then at the end of the progression, the heat hits hard right in the back of the throat and underscores, nearly but not quite shouting down, a finish of sweet ginger.  The heat is formidable, and lasting, and could scare off some unsuspecting drinkers but it never reaches a scalding level and plays well with the ginger and sweetness.

Brooklyn Crafted has brewed a well-tuned ginger beer for those seeking a fiery twist on the drink.  The heat is regulated, set to thrill without overwhelming, to accentuate the primary duo of ginger and sweetness without hogging the spotlight for itself.  Indeed, that’s not an easy task but it’s been well sorted here.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased at: It came in a Shaker & Spoon box. | Available online at: Brooklyn Food & Beverage in 7oz and 12oz bottles.

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All Bundaberg varieties arrive in a 12.7-ounce (375ml), squat, brown glass bottle with their elaborate, swooping logo arching over the top of the label.  This special edition carries a deep red field bordered in a pine green with a star adorning a narrowing stack of brewing barrels, the shape conjuring images of Christmas trees.  The effect of the capable design does double duty: celebrates the holiday season and holds true to the classic Bundaberg branding.

Inside there’s 170 calories which proportions to about 160 for a 12-ounce serving.  Carbonated water forms the foundation of the beverage but there’s yeast included as well so some fermenting occurred at some point.  Sweetness comes from cane sugar and the ginger flavor is thanks to ginger root.  Cinnamon and clove add to the taste as does the touch of citric acid.  A couple of preservatives are included, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate.  Vitamin C plays antioxidant.

A thick fizz builds as the ginger beer pours with a color that’s just a shade darker than a typical ginger beer.  Sediment meanders throughout.  The nose is lively and bright with the smells of sweet ginger and spices.  Christmas immediately enters the mind. 

It’s quite sweet right from the start, preceding the burst of ginger and spices.  Hovering within is an excellent balance of aromatic cloves and the bite of cinnamon.  The ginger blends seamlessly, giving the faintest hint at heat but absent of prickles.  The sweetness is considerable but it too falls perfectly in balance and advances the seasonal taste.  The spices carry through the finish as does the sugary sweet.

The flavor profile seems reminiscent of mulled drinks, yuletide teas or baked apples and entirely captures the atmosphere of the season.  Pour a glass or mix a drink.  It begs to be drunk while under a blanket near the hearth, surrounded by the family who will feel such delight at the gifts you’ve delicately wrapped for them.  Bundaberg Spiced Ginger Beer doesn’t just suit the season, it elevates it.

Final Decision: First Tier – Exceptional

Purchased locally at World Market

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B. Stiff & Sons Old Fashioned Soda Pop Company is the non-alcoholic arm of the Oskar Blues empire.  The brand name pays homage to a friend of founder Dale Katechis.  Brian Stiff was an avid biker who died suddenly, leaving behind a family including two children.  A fraction of the profit goes towards supporting them.

The original 2012 B. Stiff offering grew to be the fastest-selling craft root beer in Colorado and in 2016 it was joined by four more flavors, all with vintage appeal.  Among them came this ginger beer but also released were cream, orange cream and black cherry sodas.

The can is bewildering to behold.  Every inch of space has been crammed with something, from a portrait of a bird soaring over the Rockies to witty phrases like “Mary Ann and Ginger Beer” and “Try It, Mule Like It.”  There are starred ribbons, comedic capitalization and two prominent logos front and center.  “B. Stiff” appears in a circus font, “& Sons” in a grunge font and “Old Fashioned” is in script.  It’s insane.

There’s some sciencey-sounding words in the ingredient list for this 150-calorie soda like sodium benzoate and sucrose acetate isobutyrate but no point getting carried away.  They’re harmless.  The first preserves flavor while the second prevents separation.   The real attention-getter is ginger puree.  Not “natural flavors;” not even extract.  Puree!  With cane sugar providing the sweetness, expectations ride high.

In the glass the opaque liquid tends toward the white end of the ginger beer color spectrum and gives off only a mild scent of ginger.  The first performance is given by a dull sweetness which hands the stage to a very mild ginger with absolutely no prickling sensation.  Lime speaks, softly.  Just prior to the finish is an earthy, botanical blip, likely a product of the puree. 

The progression is a cloud.  Everything is soft with no hard edges.  Smooth throughout, no heat from the ginger, no tart from the citrus.  No excitement either.  It’s altogether pretty standard, feeling like a ginger beer developed in a focus group.  Absolutely inoffensive. 

Though the can is quite shouty, the taste is anything but.  The hype of ginger puree quiets after sampling, lacking the expected zing of fresh ginger.  But all is not lost here.  Disregard any expectations, judge it on its merits and here is found a gratifying experience. No, it won’t inspire backflips but it is pleasant, smooth and easy to drink and there’s nothing wrong with that.

Final Decision: Third Tier – Enjoyable

Purchased locally at: Spec’s

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John Henry Bryant was brewing beer in the Eastern Townships of Quebec at the Silver Springs Brewery back in 1896 when he grew tired of the sheer volume of competition in the area.  What he needed was a unique product, a niche that he could exploit to meet with the kind of success he dreamed of.  Irish by heritage, Bryant settled on a Belfast-style ginger ale which his wife suggested he call Bull’s Head as an homage to his characteristic stubbornness.  Bottles sold briskly for decades as people of the region loved the crisp drink.

The rights to the unique ginger ale changed hands a few times beginning about 40-50 years ago but settled with the 2009 purchase by Charles and Dominic Pearson and their partner Charles Martel.  Their vision of the company went beyond ginger ale and a number of new flavors joined the lineup such as a root beer, a cola and a blood orange soda.  In 2012, they concocted this, the Ginger Beer, which they insist is delicious in a Shandy Gaff — a traditionally after-golf mixture of blond lager and ginger beer.

The bottle casts a squat silhouette with its short neck and stocky proportions.  The logo and the founding year of 1896 rise from the dark brown glass.  The label is clearly inspired by the design of that era with its strong type and etched art.  The effect holds vintage appeal and would look right at home in a Victorian bar.

In the ingredients the water gets a special recognition.  This is not ordinary carbonated water; this is carbonated Appalachian Mountains spring water.  Following that opening act are cane sugar, natural flavor and citric acid with the ginger flavor coming from extract.  The sum total is 11.5 ounces for 108 calories.  That’d be about 113 for 12 ounces, just for comparison’s sake.

There’s spiciness to the ginger smell that tingles the nose a bit.  The ginger beer holds a dark color, near to a cola despite the lack of caramel coloring, and no sediment.

A light sweetness comes in first followed by the taste of a strongly earthy ginger.  There’s a burst of sweetness and heat late in the development with prickles on the tongue and roof of the mouth.  The heat measures above average but doesn’t overpower. A fading sweetness graces the finish. 

Hewing close to traditional flavors and ingredients, this ginger beer boasts toe-shoe balance and expertly tuned spiciness.  Canadian ginger beers being difficult to locate in the States, the nation’s first impression is certainly impressive. Bull’s Head is stubbornly good.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased at: Rocket Fizz in Highlands Ranch, CO | Check website for local and online availability.

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Introduced in 2016, the newest addition to the Boots line is this, the Lucky Ginger Brew.  It begins with carbonated water.  Added to that are “natural flavors” and a little phosphoric acid for tang.  Pure cane sugar does the work of sweetening and 170 calories are counted in the final product.

The container is a green-glass, 12-ounce, long-neck bottle with a quite busy label encircling it.  The logo sits high and defines the center; “Lucky Ginger Brew” is of course significant, appearing over ginger root, over ginger leaves, over a diamond pattern, over a sparkling golden liquid background.  As with all Boots bottles, there’s a bit of family history included.  Aunt Emma’s vintage visage runs down the right side of the label with just a little blurb describing her, the youngest of Boots Kristen’s sisters.

A honeyed sweetness nudges the tongue, followed by the emergence of basil notes.  Then a fire ignites in the mouth.  The ginger’s bite is significant, swarming the tongue and back of the mouth, sometimes rising up into the nose.  When it eases, the basil returns, having been temporarily shouted down by the insistence of the ginger. Soy joins in for a savory finish with the two flavors curiously reaching their peak intensity a second or two after the swallow.  The heat lingers on, even building with subsequent sips and easing its way down the throat.  Finishing the bottle, the mouth is left mildly stunned, like the feeling after overindulging on the salsa at a beloved cantina.

This admirable commitment to spiciness ultimately sits imbalanced, overpowering other flavors on the palette.  Ingredients can work together to produce a unified taste but here the fire competes (and wins) versus other, more understated contributions.  Those who seek and enjoy hefty helpings of heat should certainly take notice as this could fast become a favorite, but others who long to explore the nuances and progression of a ginger beer’s flavor could here find their desires thwarted.

Boots Beverages comes with a rich history it proudly celebrates with every bottle sold.  Becoming a part of that history means being memorable and Lucky Ginger Brew is definitely that.  While other ginger beers may be tasted and forgotten, Boots bounces around in the head long after that final sip.

Final Decision: Third Tier – Enjoyable

Purchased locally at: HEB | Online availability at Antiqology

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Barritts (no apostrophe) Bermuda Stone Ginger Beer is a carbonated-water-based offering which features a few puzzling ingredients like the natural extract of quillaia bark and neutral cloud, which probably refused to take a side in WWII.  The label goes on to say it’s flavored with natural and artificial ginger but you’ll find no sediment to tump.  Sugar is the sweetener of choice here and a touch of caramel coloring made the cut as well.

You can have it in a bottle of assorted sizes, or even a can if you’re tubing the river.  Mine was a 12oz glass bottle, clear as day so you can see the near-white color of the drink—an enjoyable detail.  The background color of the label is evocative of the copper mug you’d find your Moscow Mule served in.  The design is not overly done, featuring what I presume is an ancient logo, but the typeface for GINGER BEER is ghastly.

Barritts will cost you a pretty stout 200 calories.  Though if that’s too much a diet version is available—which we’ll get into in a later post.

When tasting, a rich sweetness overlays the ginger flavor which lacks the depth given by fresh root.  Taking place almost entirely on the mid-tongue, the flavor is simple, hitting all at once, and a bit one-note.  Carbonation level is on the milder side of moderate, enough to bubble up your drink a bit when using it as a mixer.  You’ll find little if any heat here, making it easy to drink but lacking the punch of a stronger variety.

If your preference is for extra sweet ginger beers with no heat, this is one for you.  My desires don’t follow that path as I’m a fan of spiciness and found it a bit too sugary.  It’s worth trying for sure and there’s certainly a fan base for it.  Personally I’d call it average but would be comfortable recommending it to the right kind of person.  Any drink that’s been around as long as this one certainly has something going for it.

Final Decision: Third Tier – Enjoyable

Purchased locally at: Spec’s  |  Also available locally at: Total Wine | Online availability at: Antiqology, Beverages Direct (in 6-pack bottles, 12-pack bottles and 12-pack cans), Soda Emporium (in singles, 4-packs and a case), Soda Pop Stop

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