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Bundaberg Spiced Ginger Beer | A Review

brett — Wed, 11 Dec 2019 11:00:34 +0000

One of the giants of the ginger beer universe, Bundaberg brought their famous ginger beer to market sixty years ago. But in 2013 they began development of a limited brew inspired by the flavors of the holiday season. A year later their Spiced Ginger Beer hit store shelves and became an immediate success. Ever since, it has appeared as Christmas approaches and, like Santa, disappears afterwards, leaving the anticipation to build until the following year.

The tear-away cap is a Bundaberg staple.

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 will probably give you a sugar rush.

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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Llanllyr Source Ginger Beer | A Review

brett — Wed, 01 May 2019 13:00:59 +0000

Nestled in central Wales, Llanllyr boasts of its remarkably fine natural spring water, inspiring the name Llanllyr Source. The result of glacial melt and rainfall, the water ships around the world to be served in fine restaurants and hotels. A unique assortment of minerals flavor the fluid which the community keeps organic. Llanllyr Source, itself a carbon-neutral company, feels strongly about environmental responsibility, owing largely to the owner’s family building a connection to the earth and local water through hundreds of years of farming.

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.

There’s a sweet, gingery nose on this refined ginger beer.

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.

The prancing lion is a reminder of Llanllyr Source’s Welsh origins.

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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