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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He took inspiration from his dad.  The man was an admitted soda addict and Trevor saw that as an opportunity.  He began brewing his own kombucha with a new idea: what if it could be made to taste like soda?  After trials and errors and much tinkering, in 2012 Live Beverages came to life.  Trevor had finally developed a kombucha that tasted much like soda.  His dad embraced it and never looked back.

On the subject, their kombucha still tastes like kombucha, but that flavor rides shotgun with the soda flavor behind the wheel.  The sharp edges normally found in the taste are sanded down, making what is oftentimes a distasteful beverage quite delicious.

Live Soda came next.  By reversing his thinking Trevor created a soda with probiotic content like kombucha.  Several flavors are now on offer like Cola, Root Beer and this, Live Soda Ginger, which is said to ride the line between ginger ale and ginger beer.

It’s worth mentioning that the claimed benefits of probiotics are questionable, but one thing Live Soda has going for it in that regard is that, unlike a lot of other probiotic foods, it contains bacteria that actually are a member of the human gut flora ecosystem.

The packaging is excellent.  Live Soda won a BevNet award for their rebranding and it’s understandable why.  The clean and attractive logo features prominently on the two-tone can.  “Ginger” slashes in a stylish typeface across a golden background filled with bubbles.  It’s all very modern and enticing and clearly communicates what makes this soda different from its shelf companions.  Full marks.

As the can proclaims, Live Soda Ginger contains no calories.  Instead of sugar, erythritol and monk fruit extract perform the sweetening duties.  Accompanying them are carbonated water, natural flavors, citric acid and the probiotic bacillus subtilis.  Quite concise.

The liquid appears a robust bronze color with moderate carbonation and without sediment.  It smells only weakly of ginger.  The initial taste sensation is stark dryness, almost as if sipping carbonated water.  Ginger then unfurls, not prickly yet tactile, carrying a bright tartness but no heat.  There’s no evolution to the finish; the flavor just attenuates until it’s gone.

Live Soda achieves a hybridity between ginger beer and ale but it stands dryer than either one.  Without the sweetness, it feels unsatisfying, a reminder that this is supposed to be good for you. There’s nothing about it that feels like an indulgence.

What’s more, the flavor profile is simple to the point of being uninteresting.  Without a unique and attractive taste, to choose this beverage is only to choose the probiotics.  It struggles to compare favorably to otherwise similar ginger soda options, like those low in sweetness or calorie count.  If it’s a practical decision, then it’s not much of a decision at all.  But if it isn’t, then it might be best to explore elsewhere.

Final Decision: Fourth Tier – Passable

Purchased locally at: HEB

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Inspired by a love of Moscow Mules, their ginger beer wears a dapper can, looking both upscale and accessible. The wrought iron logo feels vintage and quality while the soft frame of ginger root illustrations offsets its formality.  The typeface choices look spot-on and the eye flow from top-left to bottom-right is smooth.

Turn to the back and the ingredient list for this 140-calorie beverage offers comfort.  Everything listed is either water or flavor.  Cane sugar provides sweetening while both juice and extract contribute the ginger flavor.  Capsaisin adds a touch of heat.  The foundation is filtered water, not the more common carbonated water.  Perhaps this ginger beer’s bubbles appear through fermentation? (An email including the question went unanswered.)

Pouring reveals a mild carbonation to this pale gold liquid.  The nose is clean, giving off only the slightest hint of ginger. In tasting, we’re greeted by a dry note before an earthy ginger smoothly slides in, landing mid-tongue.  The appearance of tart adds a bit of sparkle.  Prickles pitter-pat the tongue while heat drifts into the throat.  There’s a clean finish with dim echoes of tartness.  Then they’re gone and only the heat remains.  It builds slowly in the mouth but never overpowers.

The capsaisin provides an interesting touch.  It emanates a different heat than that of the ginger, yet integrates seamlessly.  There’s a fullness to it, occupying the mouth.  It’s less active, lacking the dynamic tingle of ginger which allows it to lie just beneath, filling in space like a picnic blanket.

There’s a reassurance when dealing with a concise list of ingredients.  Extremely rarely do complicated-sounding ingredients ever require concern, but their absence is not missed.  Water and flavor.  That’s all there is in this excellent ginger beer. And excellent it is.  Dry and earthy, with outstanding balance, it’s wonderful as both a drink and a mixer and would make a fine guest at your next party.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased locally at: Target | Online availability at: Powell and Mahoney, Amazon, Target

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Today that prized liquid forms the basis for all of Llanllyr Source’s products, including this ginger beer.  The ingredients begin there and don’t go on for long, adding only sugar and natural flavors—no preservatives.  The calorie count remains comparatively low, only 70.8 in this 6.8-ounce (200ml) clear-glass bottle; that’s almost right at 125 per 12 ounces. 

The label design is clean and attractive, unafraid of negative space.  Upon it, black type dresses a milky brown field.  The field color varies with each of the company’s offerings and coordinates with the color of its cap.  In the logo, the “O” is usually filled with red, but on this one product the fill is orange.  The Welsh lion prances on both the label and the cap (which requires a bottle opener to remove).  It all comes together well, communicating elegance and dignity.

A handful of tumps stir the powdered ginger root and spices from the bottom of the bottle and up into the cloudy liquid.  Careful though; carbonation is strong. In fact, the first impression as Source fills the mouth is bubbles.  A froth of them offers greetings.  They part like a curtain, presenting the natural ginger flavor wrapped in tartness.  Sweetness swells but remains reserved.  The ginger’s bite is subtle but there, just a bit on the sides of the tongue, not a prickle but a presence.  The finish is pure ginger snap.

While there’s not much heat, enough is there to generate interest.  This is described as a taming of their Fiery Ginger Beer but it’s not so tame as to register as boring.  The spices and sparkle bring both taste and texture to this excellent beverage.  Llanllyr Source has here crafted something enticing.  Like a fine meal, it begins with cool water and ends with something sweet.  I’ll have seconds, please.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased locally at Total Wine | Online availability at: Amazon

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Since locals look for local fare, where there’s a niche there’s an opportunity.  Pennyback, founded in 2018, looked at a lack of locally made mixers in a town full of locally made liquors and ventured to pack tonic and soda into that lack.  Mixing up a Moscow Mule?  Why not pair Pennyback ginger beer with your Tito’s vodka for fun Austin flair?

The clear glass 9.3 ounce bottle (275ml) is ensconced in an elegant label, cut away at 45 degrees and tracing the Pennyback crest, giving the impression that the liquid itself is part of the branding. A pair of unique details implying an artisanal product with careful oversight: there’s a field for the batch number (mine was 001) and a stamp over the stock number in a table low on the label (mine was 08).

This stunning packaging ports a near-clear liquid with just a tinge of ginger color, built on a foundation of carbonated artesian water.  While there’s no sediment, natural ginger root extract delivers flavor here along with agave and cinchona bark (a source of quinine).  Sweetening comes by way of the agave syrup and pure cane sugar.  100 calories dwell within.  For comparison concerns, 129 calories occupy 12 ounces of this ginger beer, extremely efficient indeed.

A quiet sweetness touches the tip of the tongue before the ginger sings its song.  A pleasant, peppery prickle dances about the mouth and tickles the back of the throat as the sides of the tongue detect notes of agave.  There’s a gentle salt surprise on the finish of this dry ginger beer that tacks a sophisticated coda onto Pennyback’s eloquent verse. 

If there’s an issue, it’s that Pennyback is a bit reserved, dampened a bit.  The flavor is fantastic, but it lacks a climactic intensity as the sensations play out in the mouth.

An experienced ginger beer drinker seeking something new and challenging will appreciate the care and skill taken to make Pennyback.  Anyone looking to mix a drink that escapes a rut should look here too.  It presses the bounds of convention, cruising to the horizon but never traveling so far as to become unrecognizable.  This is an engaging experience and one I anticipate experiencing again.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased at: Twin Liquors in the Austin area | Also available there at: Total Wine  |  Online availability at:  Maybe Amazon

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