SoCo Extra Ginger appeared before and won praise for both its packaging and its flavor.  The bottle here hasn’t changed much.  Its unusual shape gives an impression of freshness while the logo offers a bit of style.  Here the seal is a fun pink and unique to the Peach.  The only issue rises with the color of the printing on the label.  The yellow type and line drawing disappear into the color of the beverage, a far cry from the well-chosen pink ink found on the Extra Ginger.

Inside the 16-ounce clear glass bottle, no preservatives can be found.  This is a drink that needs to stay constantly refrigerated.  Sparkling water, lemon, peach, organic cane juice, ginger and lime comprise every ingredient in this ginger beer.  While even the hard-to-pronounce ingredients found in other competitors are perfectly safe, it can be nice to not feel like a Google search is required to enjoy a drink.  The list instills confidence and puts the mind at ease.

Two 8-ounce servings occupy the container at 80 calories apiece.  12 ounces, for comparison’s sake, come to 120.

The gently rotated liquid is permeated with sediment and pouring generates a fair amount of fizz.  The opaque color hints at the peach within, with its orange-yellow tint.  Ginger and lemon float on the nose with perhaps just a touch of peach. 

It’s moderately sweet at first then the flavors step in, tart lemon out front with the ginger and the peach just behind.  Just after that bright punch of lemon at the climax, peach steps forward.  Ginger mixes well the whole time but never in a primary role.  Peach dominates the finish but lemon nevertheless persists.  The barest hint of prickle pitter-pats upon the lips but otherwise heat remains gentle. 

There’s five members to this merry band: heat, sweet, ginger, peach, lemon and each plays a slightly more significant part than the last.  Lemon and peach are the stars of this show, the ginger tying them together.  They do tussle a bit, elbowing to stay in the spotlight but this isn’t a bad thing.  It makes for an evolving progression, a scenic trip through the varied components of this unique ginger beer.  And hey, it’s summer.  There’s no better time to take a trip.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased at Texan Market in Austin, Texas | Check the SoCo website for other locations around the Austin, Denton and Dallas/Ft. Worth areas.

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Orca itself is the brainchild of Mike Bourgeois and began its life with a water-and-juice drink that proved challenging to bottle because of the particles and pulp.  Kicked off three separate bottling lines, Orca determined the best route forward was to find one of their own.  They procured a beat-up Pepsi line that had been totaled in a flood and put in some hard work rebuilding it.  Now, Orca bottles its own specialty sodas along with many others like Moxie and Dad’s, over 100 in total.

Misty Wither’s gets shipped in clear 12-ounce long-neck bottles with transparent labels which show off the crystalline liquid beautifully.  Elegant line work swirls and curls around the elaborate navy-blue type of the logo.  It’s very pretty packaging.  While Misty Wither’s is supposed to be inspired by women of the 1920’s the design is squarely Victorian with its fancy ornamentation and swooping type.  Art Deco dominated the design of the 20’s and it’s a shame not to see it here.  That said, the overall effect is attractive and without reading the bit about the inspiration off the website, there would be no complaints.

Surprisingly, a serving of Misty Wither’s counts only 80 calories.  For the reason why look to the nutritional information.  While cane sugar accompanies the carbonated water, ginger extract and citric acid, stevia extract sits at the end of the list.  Stevia is sweeter than sugar and doesn’t metabolize so it’s worth zero calories.  Mixing it in means a calorie bargain without sacrificing the taste of the cane sugar.  One preservative, sodium benzoate, is present but shouldn’t be the least bit alarming.

As mentioned above, the liquid appears almost entirely clear with just the slightest haze.  The nose brings sweetness with a pop of ginger.  The sweetness comes on first but initially tastes drier than it smells.  The ginger arrives briskly, rich and earthy, while the sweetness continues to crescendo, at this point soft as a Smarties candy.  The ginger protracts for a substantial portion of the progression, hanging on through the finish and accompanied by a final, sharp sparkle of sweetness.  The heat is significant with prickles crackling throughout the mouth and upon the lips. 

The advance of the sweetness sets this ginger beer apart.  Development comes along gradually, gently ramping up instead of hitting at once and fading.  While it strikes as dry at the outset, it ultimately ends up being quite sweet.  It’s unusual without being odd.  The tone of the ginger tastes wonderful too and the above-average heat is more than welcome.  It’s a striking combination that makes for an excellent experience.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased at: Cooper Farms Country Store, a small market in Fairfield, Texas I stumbled into while driving from Dallas to Houston. They offer a very large selection of craft and specialty sodas, deftly arranged by color with a few on tap. | Available online at: Orca Beverage, Antiqology, and Soda Emporium

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Stone jars were used to hold his new drink which he stamped with a picture of his dog Fearless.  He loaded them all up in a horse-and-cart and delivered them door to door.  Popularity quickly came and the business expanded to include several breweries in northern England.  To this day Fentimans remains in the family and though the product line greatly expanded, the ginger beer is still the cornerstone.

Tonics of the late 19^th century inspired the packaging design with its abundance of text, numerous descriptors and vintage silhouette.  A label featuring Fearless encircles the elongated neck of the 9.3oz (275ml) bottle and highlights the inaugural year of the business.  It’s entrancing, drawing in shoppers for a longer look and underscoring the uniqueness of the beverage.  There’s absolutely nothing else on the shelf like it.

Inside that bottle dwells a fascinating list of ingredients for this 130 calorie drink (translating to 168 for 12 ounces).  Into carbonated water go fermented ginger root extracts with cane sugar and glucose syrup as sweeteners.  There’s speedwell, juniper and yarrow extracts for the botanical burst.  Pear juice concentrate gives a depth of flavor and cream of tartar adds tang.  Citric acid is present as well.

Prominent fizz builds when pouring Fentimans.  The sparse sediment drifting in the cloudy, gold-tinted liquid isn’t all ginger.  Some bits hold a darker color, traces of the botanical emphasis on this ginger beer.  The nose is heavy in ginger, with an overture of botanicals and sweetness.  It’s that sweetness which touches the tongue first with ginger trailing close behind.  Alongside come the herbal tones.  The pine taste of the juniper comes through as does a tarragon-like flavor of the yarrow.  Breaths of lemon highlight the climax which also carries notes of pear.  There’s a bit of heat, prickles quietly playing on the tongue.  Botanicals then join the pear and whisper through the mildly sweet finish.

The flavor tells a story.  Pieces are introduced that entwine during the progression, building in intensity before settling into a satisfying denouement.  The herbs, the pear; Fentimans offers up an experience like no other ginger beer.  It’s complex and precise, infinitely creative and must be tried to be understood.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased locally at: World Market. Also available at British Isles | Available online at: Antiqology, British Food Shop, British Isles, BritSuperstore (a variety of options), Soda4U, Soda Emporium (singles & 4-packs), Soda Pop Stop.

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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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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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Powell & Mahoney feel an affinity towards Moscow Mules so this blood orange variety marks an attempt to expand horizons and offer variety on that front.  The can draws eyes to this bold step with its wrought iron logo, rough-hewn type and hand drawn illustrations of ginger root and sliced blood oranges.  There’s a personality to it, classy but fun, and it communicates an expected level of quality.

The can declares an absence of preservatives, artificial ingredients and high fructose corn syrup but citric acid is present.  While it primarily imparts a bit of citrus tang, it also possesses a preservative effect so there’s a bit of a gray area on this one.  Either way there’s a best-by date on the bottom of the can so it can’t be doing much.  It’s worth overlooking.

In addition to citric acid, there’s filtered water and cane sugar for sweetness.  Blood orange juice from concentrate and natural orange extract give the signature flavor while ascorbic acid adds tang.  Vegetable juice imparts color.  The ginger flavor comes from ginger extract and capsaicin adds a degree (or a few degrees) of heat.  There’s 130 calories in the 12 ounces of liquid, ten less than their Original Ginger Beer.

In a glass it appears a soft salmony pink color not unlike a rosé or a pink lemonade.  On the nose is a strong scent of sweet orange with a bit of ginger.  A moment of sweetness precedes the arrival of the blood orange flavor and a bright burst of tart acid.  A ginger weaves its way through, prickling the tongue and back of the throat.  The capsaicin brings a moderate burn throughout the mouth, building with further sips.  The tart carries on through to the finish, gradually fading away until only the heat is left.

Like the original, the heat is strong if not sincere, carrying a different character because of the capsaicin.  The blood orange comes through brilliantly but the ginger is not quite so flamboyant, needing a bit of a boost.  However the result is another solid entry for Powell & Mahoney, a nice change of pace from the standard ginger beer.  There’s an elegance to it with its rich flavors and bright tartness, great for an afternoon in the sun or as a mixer in the evening.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased locally at: Total Wine. | Available online at: Powell & Mahoney

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Newly released is their line of premium mixers, aimed squarely at the upscale market where Fever-Tree and Q reign.  Like those competitors, they eschew artificial ingredients such as sweeteners and preservatives.  The line includes a tonic water with a light version, a club soda and this premium ginger beer.

The elegant clear-glass bottle holding 8.45oz (250ml) of ginger beer resembles some vintage White Rock bottles with its conical funnel shape and allows the liquid itself to become part of the color palette.  It complements nicely the rosy beige of the background field with its slightly more saturated ornamentation around the edges.  For the Premium line the logo has seen a complete overhaul.  While the usual logo looks accessible and established, it does say “mass-produced soft drink” pretty clearly.  This new one presents as upscale with its angular serifs and swooping strokes.  This effect is magnified by the pleasant amount of negative space on each side, giving the design room to breathe and emphasizing the elegance of it all.  The fairy girl who normally sits upon the white rock found above the logo instead perches on the bottle cap, looking closer to renaissance art than the 50’s-style of the classic line.  The final effect looks the part: elegant and upscale and ready to battle it out with Fever-Tree.

There are only four ingredients listed on the label: carbonated water, sugar, citric acid and natural flavor.  It’s a far cry from the oils, gums and starches listed on their standard ginger beer. The 250ml amounts to 110 calories.  That would be 156 for 12oz, just for comparison’s sake.

A soft haze graces the liquid with a nose of strong ginger and a tart zing.  There’s first the gentle rise of a mild sweetness tugging along an enthusiastic inflation of ginger.  Tartness zips about, rising to meet the ginger before ebbing away in step.  Heat sneaks in for the climax, typical in its intensity, leaving prickly footprints tip-tapping upon the tongue.  As the flavor falls away, sweetness and tart are the last to go.

With layered flavor and great-tasting ginger, this is a much better ginger beer than the standard version.  The tart elevates it, hitting just the right pitch to make the ginger sing.  While there’s nothing really ground-breaking or exotic here like Fever-Tree’s three gingers sourced from two continents, this really is a ginger beer done very well.  With it, White Rock now seems poised to wedge into that juicy upscale battle fought on store shelves every day.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased locally at Spec’s

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While it’s not the only ginger beer in town, it’s carved its own niche as extremely fresh, exotically flavored and primarily a standalone drink.  (That said, mixing is certainly encouraged as an array of tempting drink recipes await at the website.)  Locations carrying single-serving bottles span from grocery stores to convenience shops but if you want a growler, visit a local farmer’s market.  It really doesn’t even have to be too local anymore.  Vendors can be found in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area now too.

SoCo, named for the lively South Congress district near downtown Austin, brews a dizzying variety of flavors into their ginger beers, most being seasonal offerings depending on what fruits or vegetables are judged freshest at the time.  Offerings include, but are not limited to, watermelon, jalapeno-lime, cranberry, blackberry, prickly pear and beet-carrot.  None contain preservatives and in fact the ginger beer needs to stay refrigerated at all times.

The packaging is extremely attractive.  The 16-ounce glass holds a milk-bottle shape, giving an impression of a freshness lurking within.  The pink artwork contrasts nicely with the color of the drink and includes the stylish logo, skillful typesetting and a line illustration of a lemon half with ginger root.  A seal bridges over the aluminum cap, another nod to its freshness.

The liquid inside (with 70 calories in each of the eight-ounce servings — that’s 105 per 12oz) contains only a few ingredients: sparkling water, lemon, ginger, organic cane juice and lime.  It’s the kind of list that raises no questions and inspires confidence in the purchase.  It’s near clear when undisturbed with a robust dusting of sediment resting at the bottom.  Rotating it to mix it back up results in an opaque ginger color, very tempting.  Twist off the top and smell deeply of a strong ginger scent with a bright hint of tartness.

Tasting, the initial rush of sweetness so common in ginger beers doesn’t come.  The rush is instead of lemon, joined momentarily by refreshing ginger.  The two sharply peak, hand-in-hand, before fading away, leaving a citrusy finish.   Heat sneaks in during the flavor evolution and lingers afterward, a little on the tongue but the keenest prickles dance on the lips.

The heavy lemon flavor separates SoCo from the pack, nearly that of a lemonade.  The ginger is buoyant though and the two marry well, creating a frisky ginger beer perfect for a warm Texas day.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased at Texan Market in Austin, Texas | Check the SoCo website for other locations around the Austin, Denton and Dallas/Ft. Worth areas.

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Werewolf Howling Ginger Beer, bathed in moonlight, emerges from Orca Beverage in Mukilteo, Washington, north of Seattle.  Orca bottles a ton of retro sodas, over a hundred, many well-known like Dad’s Root Beer.  To be clear, they don’t own many of these brands but they do manufacture and bottle them.  Who owns Werewolf isn’t immediately clear but the smart money is on Orca.

The bottle’s a standard brown-glass long-neck with a generic cap but creativity dwells in the label.  On it the silhouette of a furry werewolf howls at the giant full-moon dominating a green sky.  An ominous castle perches on the mountain behind him (or her).  Red eyes narrow in its skull, the color matching the “Werewolf” logotype.  It’s got a classic horror look to it and is absolutely perfect for Halloween.

A serving generates 160 calories.  As expected, carbonated water makes up the lion’s share of the content.  Cane sugar and honey provide the sweet taste and “natural ginger flavor” gives the natural ginger flavor.  There’s a bit of citric acid too and hot pepper extract (almost certainly containing capsaicin) to add some heat.  Maltodextrin is listed too, usually affecting mouthfeel, and sodium benzoate acts as a preservative.

Generous fizz appears when poured, the liquid a pale pink the hue of a rosé yet cloudy like a proper ginger beer, filtered though, no sediment drifts within.  It smells richly of ginger, sweetness entwined. 

The taste is a treat.  Sweetness comes on but in control, finely tuned, not as strong as the nose would indicate.  Ginger swells quickly with a pleasant intensity as prickles blanket the tongue.  There’s the brief zing of citrus at the climax followed by an earthy sweetness as the progression fades.  A formidable heat persists, strong, yes, but not overpowering.  The hot pepper extract blends perfectly with the ginger’s heat, the line between the two indiscernible.

Werewolf possesses an excellent ginger flavor, tasting not at all artificial.  The balance is bang-on too.  While the branding portends a novelty, something bought for a Halloween party to generate a few chuckles, the quality here is undeniable.  The taste is abounding and flavorful, far better than it needed to be to sell briskly during the season.  Surprises this time of year usually bring on a bit of fright, but in this case there’s a smile, some nodding and an enthusiastic thanks.

Final Decision: Second Tier – Alluring

Purchased locally at: World Market. Also available online at: Antiqology, Soda Pop Stop.

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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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