Whilst preparing for an upcoming Alcoholic Ginger Beer tasting, Mr Hartley (from the IAE) and I found ourselves invited to event that would give us as sneak preview of the most famous Alcoholic Ginger Beer of the moment, Crabbies.
The event was held at The London Cocktail Club on Great Newport Street, where I finally got to see the fabled bottle of “ancient” Miller’s (nothing to do with the more contemporary Martin Millers, this was flavoured with Bahua leaves.
The event was held to launch a Crabbie’s non-alcoholic ginger beer but we were lucky enough to try some other bits to, here are some notes:
John Crabbies Traditional Cloudy Ginger Beer
I quite like the new Crabbie’s it has a good amount of fieriness and is pleasantly effervescence, neither too fizzy nor to flat. The balance of sweetness is about right and it’s popular with a few folks I’ve shared a sample with.
Diet John Crabbies Ginger Beer
There are similarities with this and the above variety. I’m typically not a fan of diet drinks as the sugar substitutes seem to through the sweetness off and tend to cling to the mouth. This variety’s seem lighter and I definitely prefer the sweetness of the non-diet version. As diet versions go though it is quite good.
John Crabbie’s Fiery Ginger Beer
Pow! A good fiery kick at the beginning (interesting, because Hartley felt the kick at the end), full of flavour and one of the most fiery ginger beers out there. This comes in a 200ml mixer-size bottle for use in Moscow Mules or to mix with Gosling’s Rum for a Dark ‘n’ Stormy.
John Crabbie’s Ginger Beer with a Twist of Orange
My favourite of the ginger beers that we tried, this was a very unusual combination and one that I think may well catch on. The orange flavour was quite strong and could be described as “confectionery orange”, reminding me of orange boiled sweets or orange Starburst (Opal Fruits). As I drank more, the orange flavour reminded me a bit of orange flower water and, finally, faintly brought back memories of Still Fanta.
This was a tasty variety (Hartley agreed) and is one to look out for in the future.
John Crabbie’s Dry Ginger Ale
This was my favourite drink of all that I tried that evening. Why? Because here, finally, is a commercial Ginger Ale with some kick to it. Those that attended the Graphic Ginger Ale evening will be aware that some varieties taste a bit washed out, with few having much of a fiery kick. This delivers that along with a sweet spiciness reminiscent of cinnamon and nutmeg. The strong ginger flavours of Crabbie’s Dry Ginger Ale are a nod toward the old “Belfast style” of Ginger Ale and is a very welcome addition to the market. I’ve had it again since the launch and it was even better.
Shhhh!
And, as if that was not all, we also got a sneak preview of Crabbie’s 12yr Old Blended Scotch, their new Speyside-based product. It was all rather hush-hush and I wasn’t even allowed to take a photo, but, having tried a dram (or two!), I can say that I rather liked it and that it is up there with the better blended scotches in its price range. To me, it seems a good way to expand the brand and go back to Crabbie’s whisky roots. I look forward to using it with their Ginger Wine to make a freshly mixed Crabbie’s Mac.
My thanks to Jennie and all the folks at Crabbie’s for inviting us and to team at the The London Cocktail Club and Wayne Collins for helping to have a fun & tasty evening.
Summer Fruit Cup 