It wasn't too long after The Crafty Pint launched that there was something of a summer of ginger beers. It was probably around the time of the Rekorderlig-led flavoured cider boom, and saw a significant proportion of the then far smaller beer industry release their version. A few stuck around, although not many, but now there's another flurry arriving as we close in on the end of 2023.
Whether it's brewers backing a second summer of gingers or, more likely, part of the ongoing diversification into other beverage types – alcoholic and otherwise, it is certainly noticeable, with Wolf of the Willows joining in the fun with Ginger Beer. It's a release with which they're pushing the "ultra low sugar" aspect hard; we're told there's less than 0.1g of sugar per 100ml, which they say is less sugar than a 20cm stick of celery (as if anyone needed another reason not to eat celery).
The liquid itself isn't as pale as some of its peers, although is certainly drier on the nose than most. And there’s still a fair bit of that familiar sticky-sweet backdrop to the ginger fizz 'n' prickle despite the absence of sugar.
It reminds me somewhat of my late Grannie and her “medicine” from trips to visit her in Scotland as kids. And remembering that kindly, rather bonkers woman is never a bad thing.
James Smith
Published November 14, 2023 2023-11-14 00:00:00
