495539 Mon Mar 03 21:58:40 -0800 2008 79 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 3457438 The message about root beer made me think about the great ginger ales I have had. The best was Jamaica Dry, which came in a green bottles with red and white printing. Mon Mar 03 21:58:40 -0800 2008 169994 pengcast 1 3457460 I like the classics: Canada Dry, or Schweppes, When I was a kid I always mixed with oraange juice or pretty much any other fruit juice. Now, I "cut" juice with lemon lime seltzer. Mon Mar 03 22:07:12 -0800 2008 3457438 20921 Tay 1 3457465 The bite-ier the better. I like the hot Jamaican styles. Reed's will do for an everyday. And when I'm in Canada, a drink a few Old Cockerel ginger beers. Mon Mar 03 22:12:35 -0800 2008 3457438 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 2 3459371 If you like hot ginger ales, you should also try Blenheim Extra Hot. It's a southeastern regional ale (made in South Carolina). Alas, I love it, but it doesn't love me back, it's almost too painful to drink. Tue Mar 04 12:27:42 -0800 2008 3457465 88792 jazzy77 3 3459589 Blenheim is in a class by itself. That is one spicy drink. Interestingly, it's now owned by the folks who own famed tourist trap South of the Border (the bottling plant is just a couple miles away). You can pick up Blenheim if you make a pit stop at SOTB. Tue Mar 04 13:09:29 -0800 2008 3459371 12829 Bob W 4 3467368 Blenheim's is my favorite of all time! That hot ginger ale is something else! I like Vernors a lot, too. When I was a kid, it always seemed more gingery or something than the regular supermarket brands, so it's the brand I look for at the grocery store. Thu Mar 06 15:04:35 -0800 2008 3459589 124908 jeanmarieok 5 4330627 I heart Blenheim Ginger Ale. Thu Jan 15 18:36:41 -0800 2009 3467368 11854 LaLa 6 4676233 I think my favorite thing about moving to sc is the ability to have Blenheim all the time. Tue May 12 07:23:41 -0700 2009 4330627 11854 LaLa 2 4324164 I finally found Blenheim in San Diego!! I was so happy. Of course, all my friends had to try it. I "neglected" to warn of the bite and got to watch them all choke and cough. :) Tue Jan 13 20:23:32 -0800 2009 3457465 166787 beth1 2 4758834 Where in Canada are you able to find the Cockerel ginger beers? Tue Jun 09 22:24:06 -0700 2009 3457465 1082122 jordan99 3 4758907 Mostly in bodegas around downtown Toronto. Any neighborhood with a Caribbean population will be likely to have 'em. Tue Jun 09 23:25:50 -0700 2009 4758834 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 1 3457487 Vernors! Mon Mar 03 22:27:45 -0800 2008 3457438 67548 azhotdish 2 3457810 Stirrings. Made with real cane sugar and real ginger. It has Champagne style bubbles. Unfortunately it only comes in 7.5 oz bottles... Tue Mar 04 06:09:13 -0800 2008 3457487 24648 Sean 2 3457891 Vernors...especially before the HFCS was added. It seems too sweet now. Tue Mar 04 06:37:15 -0800 2008 3457487 109573 coney with everything 3 3458050 Third for Vernors, although they weakened it a bit when RC Cola bought it. Do you know this website? http://www.beveragesdirect.com/ Some great ginger ales there, although I would recommend against the Stewart's. Tue Mar 04 07:31:14 -0800 2008 3457891 145206 SSqwerty 3 3460823 I miss the older Vernors recipe that was called ginger beer. Blenheims is very good, so I always buy a case to take home when I visit my sister in Asheville. Tue Mar 04 19:40:03 -0800 2008 3457891 22220 Kelli2006 3 4677767 My mom loved Vernors so much I was well into my 20's before I even thought to try a different brand. It's still my fave, even though I don't drink pop much if I see it around I always get one. Tue May 12 14:51:07 -0700 2009 3457891 215278 corneygirl 4 4678100 I love it, the only one I drink Tue May 12 16:34:33 -0700 2009 4677767 232829 kchurchill5 2 3458020 Another vote for Vernors...although I haven't had it in 6 years or so since my last visit to Michigan. Tue Mar 04 07:20:55 -0800 2008 3457487 14710 heathermb 3 3460796 Vernor's is actually available in Toronto these days, although it varies from store to store (and day to day). Tue Mar 04 19:29:39 -0800 2008 3458020 48210 KevinB 2 3462264 love vernors. remember vernors ice cream? Wed Mar 05 09:41:19 -0800 2008 3457487 12267 xman887 3 3467272 I used to enjoy a drink made from half chocolate milk, half Vernor's. Add the Vernor's slowly, as it fizzes like crazy. Incredibly tasty. Thu Mar 06 14:38:41 -0800 2008 3462264 48210 KevinB 4 4324559 Ginger ale is supposed to have a bite? I didn't know that. I only remember Canada Dry as a kid, my father used to cut his wine with it. And Kevin, I had milk, Bosco, and Canada Dry g/a as a kid! My mother's version of an egg cream, I guess. Wed Jan 14 02:27:33 -0800 2009 3467272 11104 dolores 5 4325512 i do like the jamacian types as well. for those here in new england who would like to try an ale that is 1 step up up from the typical aks can dry shweppes polar etc.. try one called chelmford g-ale it is put out by can dry, polar, maketbasket, it is brown in color and to best describe the difference it is the diff between vanilla ice cream and french vanilla ice cream still sweet just more intense Wed Jan 14 09:40:38 -0800 2009 4324559 113619 foodperv 6 4329176 I 'never' knew there were two types of ginger ale! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginger_ale Thu Jan 15 10:57:30 -0800 2009 4325512 11104 dolores 1 3457829 Growing up I used to love Sussex Golden Ginger Ale. It's got a nice gingery flavour that's a bit different than Canada Dry. Unforunately, I think it's only available in Eastern Canada so I haven't had it in a while. Tue Mar 04 06:17:17 -0800 2008 3457438 101907 ms. clicquot 1 3458024 G.U.S - Grown up soda Ginger ale. I think it uses really sugar cane and real ginger. Quite tasty without being sticky sweet. Tue Mar 04 07:22:07 -0800 2008 3457438 13105 john 2 3459542 I like GUS as well because it's not too sweet. Also like the really spicy ones such as Blenheim. Tue Mar 04 12:58:44 -0800 2008 3458024 10763 Miss Needle 1 3458045 My favorite is Polar, which might only be available in New England. It's dry and refreshing. I like Canada Dry also, which is much sweeter, but not Shweppes or most other brands. Tue Mar 04 07:29:34 -0800 2008 3457438 29614 dude 2 4324491 I agree. Polar is a good GA, and it's available in NYS. Wed Jan 14 00:13:38 -0800 2009 3458045 226942 al b. darned 1 3459395 Another vote for Vernors. I remember my grandma pouring it out of the glass bottle for me. I had to wait a couple of minutes before drinking or the bubbles would go up my nose. Tue Mar 04 12:32:22 -0800 2008 3457438 139180 Blush 1 3459505 I will always love Cotton Club Ginger Ale, I think it's a midwestern brand. Tue Mar 04 12:52:26 -0800 2008 3457438 124701 Gingerleen 1 3459612 President's Choice Ginger-ale (Available in Canada) Light refreshing taste. Tue Mar 04 13:14:24 -0800 2008 3457438 17403 easily amused 2 3460556 I like Carver's Ginger Ale from Virginia. It has real ginger root flavor, cane sugar and it comes in 12 oz. bottles. As a treat, I'll have a case shipped to me from VA to NYC and savor it over a period of a few weeks. For a while, it wasn't available because they couldn't find a bottler. But they're back in business now! http://www.realgingerale.com Tue Mar 04 18:06:46 -0800 2008 3459612 35557 Kris 3 3461994 Second Carver's. A case won't last more than a week at my house. Wed Mar 05 08:44:43 -0800 2008 3460556 18385 CDouglas 4 3462028 Agreed. Carver's is VG ginger ale. Among the many great products made here in VA. Wed Mar 05 08:53:22 -0800 2008 3461994 12829 Bob W 5 3467247 carvers is very good, i actually went to highschool with the carvers. northern neck gingerale is also quite good. a commercial ginger ale, but it still uses real ginger. and it's available in those cocacola 12 packs so it's great for bbqs. it's the only way i drink a bourbon and ginger and it's the only thing anyone around here will accept for ginger ale. Thu Mar 06 14:31:43 -0800 2008 3462028 52834 tinymango 6 3468314 Agreed. I like to buy VA products if they're good, and NN ginger ale definitely qualifies. I also like the old school lettering on the label. Thu Mar 06 20:12:33 -0800 2008 3467247 12829 Bob W 6 3469238 I was going to mention Northern Neck also. Its definitely one of my favorites-- Its nothing fancy, but personally, I think it beats the taste of Canada Dry any day. Fri Mar 07 08:08:24 -0800 2008 3467247 166196 KarenG 7 3473563 absolutely. i've been quite spoiled by it. everything else tastes like water. it doesn't have that ginger bite, but it definately has a "pure" ginger taste. it's too bad about the whole high fructose corn syrup thing. Sat Mar 08 15:40:25 -0800 2008 3469238 52834 tinymango 7 4325454 Second Northern Neck, but I can't find it in the Valley anymore! And, can you buy Vernor's in VA anywhere? Wed Jan 14 09:26:56 -0800 2009 3469238 233294 cuccubear 3 4324112 Where do you buy Carver's? The website only says where to buy Northern Neck. I haven't seen Carver's in Charlottesville in years. I frequently drive down I-95 from DC to NC, though, so any leads in that corridor would be helpful. Tue Jan 13 19:54:22 -0800 2009 3460556 118063 kagi 4 4325095 Click on "Products" then "Purchase Northern Neck", enter your Zip and Carver's should be the last choice on the list (24, 12oz bottles). Wed Jan 14 07:50:38 -0800 2009 4324112 18385 CDouglas 5 4328947 Yeah, I saw that, but I'm not really interested in paying to ship it. But I am in Virginia frequently -- so does anyone know any retail stores that carry it? Thu Jan 15 10:01:50 -0800 2009 4325095 118063 kagi 6 4413976 Wegmans carries Vernor's as does Magruders and Sniders in Silver Spring.There's a brand called Maine Root that makes a killer ginger ale. It's kinda hard to find, but I have had luck finding it in health food stores.Last year in Vermont I had a pineapple ginger beer. Had I know what a killah taste it had I would have bought a case. Unfortunately I threw out the bottle, so the brand is a mystery. Bought it in a gourmet shop in Stowe. May have to return just to procure a bottle of what I now consider to be my holy grail of ginger ale!!! Fri Feb 13 08:30:24 -0800 2009 4328947 22894 hmrlovr 7 4562434 It's official: THEY'RE NOT MAKING CARVER'S GINGER ALE ANY MORE. I called the Northern Neck Co. to confirm -- they're pretty sad about it, but they couldn't resist the suits at Coca-Cola. Man, that's a shame. Thu Apr 02 16:03:17 -0700 2009 4413976 118063 kagi 1 3461113 Another vote for Vernor's. Yum! Tue Mar 04 22:34:20 -0800 2008 3457438 40697 Brioche For The Girl 1 3461281 Vernor's. Hubby likes to pour it over ice and sniff the fizzy. I know, wierd. Wed Mar 05 02:52:51 -0800 2008 3457438 29820 SweetPea 1 3461286 There was the really great ginger ale in the NY area made by HOFFMAN"S Beverage but like anything else great, it is not around any more Sorely missed !!! Wed Mar 05 03:04:50 -0800 2008 3457438 89792 surgeon 2 3461420 When I was a kid there was Canada Dry Royal Amber. It was so good it was reserved as a treat when you were ill. Wed Mar 05 05:28:12 -0800 2008 3461286 112335 mexivilla 1 3463248 Canada Dry of course. Vernor's... ick. Wed Mar 05 13:12:10 -0800 2008 3457438 76226 Oh Robin 1 3466585 I grew up drinking Temagami Dry Ginger Ale. I forget where it was manufactured, exactly, but it was in northeastern Ontario. It was spicier than Canada Dry, but not as spicy as a ginger beer. I don't know whether it is still being produced. God, that was good stuff. Thu Mar 06 12:08:13 -0800 2008 3457438 91415 hungry_pangolin 1 3467349 Has anyone tried Barritt's ginger beer? I bought some at my local liquor store for a round of Dark n Stormies, simply because I was attracted to the lovely old-school graphics. Interestingly, when I looked it up online just now, I discovered that it is the official ginger beer of this most delicious drink, and that it's distributed in the US by the folks who distribute Gosling's, the official dark rum of same. I'm extra excited to try it now! Thu Mar 06 15:00:09 -0800 2008 3457438 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 2 3467687 actually, my friend brought some back for me from bermuda last year. that stuff was absolutely DELISH. Thu Mar 06 16:42:40 -0800 2008 3467349 52834 tinymango 3 3468197 It was great! Not super-hot, but a very nice, well-rounded flavor. I loved it. The drinks were magnificent as well. Thu Mar 06 19:30:03 -0800 2008 3467687 17548 BarmyFotheringayPhipps 1 3467900 There was a thread last year around this time on ginger ales. I've posted it below. For the record, my all-time favorite is Bundaberg, from Australia. http://www.chowhound.com/topics/388074 Thu Mar 06 17:41:40 -0800 2008 3457438 11028 DanaB 2 5182277 Yech, Bundaberg tastes soapy and odd to me - not really a ginger flavor at all. Sorry I wasted my two bucks a bottle on this stuff. Sat Nov 14 19:10:05 -0800 2009 3467900 12522 glbtrtr 1 3473588 Best commercially available ginger beer I know is Fentimans. Amongst other things, they make a great lemonade and a dandelion & burdock. All good drinks for those of us who can't or don't drink alcohol and don't want something too sweet. Sat Mar 08 15:54:02 -0800 2008 3457438 154102 Harters 1 4324175 Vernos, a true Michigander ... love the stuff. Can't get enough of it. Tue Jan 13 20:29:05 -0800 2009 3457438 232829 kchurchill5 1 4324395 I second the Bundeberg Ginger Beer. Yumm-O!! Get it at CostPlus. They do a sugar-free version that is not too bad either especially if it's icey cold. Tue Jan 13 22:30:40 -0800 2009 3457438 253318 toastnjam 1 4324536 fentimanns (sp?). I don't like ginger, or ginger ale (or so I thought). It has a subtle, blended flavour, and a lovely kick of heat. *edit* oh, same as Harters post Wed Jan 14 01:40:57 -0800 2009 3457438 180623 Soop 2 4731719 Well, I picked up 8 of these for £2.30 - they were reduced massively. So I've been drinking ginger beer all weekend! It's brewed really long, this one. Mon Jun 01 04:39:40 -0700 2009 4324536 180623 Soop 1 4325324 Still love Vernor's, even after the change in formula. When did they start selling outside Michigan, the '80s? They made it milder for a broader audience. Before that, you should not breathe in with the open bottle near your face, or be ready to hack and cough. There was another around in the midwest in the 70s, which called tself "Ginger Brau". It was also excellent, but haven't seen it since then. Wed Jan 14 08:53:30 -0800 2009 3457438 227202 vtnewbie 2 4329086 I grew up in N-E Ohio and glass bottles of Vernor's were always very common, but it was known as ginger beer, and the ginger bite was much stronger. Thu Jan 15 10:34:55 -0800 2009 4325324 22220 Kelli2006 1 4325663 Vernors, again. I used to be able to find it easily in California and Washington (and of course Michigan) but now I'm in Vermont and ...nothing. Wed Jan 14 10:17:57 -0800 2009 3457438 43623 chilihead 1 4329804 Best Ginger Ale in the world is Red Rock. Small brewer started in ATL many moons ago. Spicier than Blenheim with more carbonation - but made w/ real sugar. Thu Jan 15 13:37:15 -0800 2009 3457438 249859 Oneiron 1 4330000 Jamaica Dry is/was the best ginger ale ever. It fell somewhere between Canada Dry and ginger beer. Alas it is no more. Thu Jan 15 14:28:16 -0800 2009 3457438 169994 pengcast 1 4330459 I haven't had it in years [and I don't think they even make it anymore], but I remember being obsessed with Schweppes raspberry ginger ale. Thu Jan 15 17:26:38 -0800 2009 3457438 109450 Smorgasbord 1 4330526 Blenheim. It's amazing stuff and, alas, it is unobtainable in Canada. I used to like Vernor's, but the version sold in Toronto was debased some years ago and is no longer very gingery. Thu Jan 15 17:56:07 -0800 2009 3457438 23411 embee 1 4332058 Seagrams is my favorite. Fri Jan 16 09:53:24 -0800 2009 3457438 171261 LadyCook61 1 4414035 Fever Tree first had it in London, now i can find it occasionally in the US. Their Tonic water is superior too. I did a side by side taste test with Stirrings tonic and Fever Tree won hands down. Fri Feb 13 08:43:23 -0800 2009 3457438 10285 Candy 2 4734018 Vernor's used to be #1 until I tried Fever Tree. Their Tonic and Bitter Lemon are both great, too. Mon Jun 01 17:49:08 -0700 2009 4414035 92003 socaldesign 1 4414171 If you are looking for Ginger Ale as a mixer, you are probably better off using the commercial "dry" or "light" ginger ales. But if you want it to drink on its own, try making some yourself. I never thought about making a "soft drink" (its all secret formulas right?), but ginger ale is really easy to make, and much better tasting than anything out of a bottle. here are a couple of sample recipes: http://www.recipesource.com/side-dishes/beverages/ginger-ale1.html http://homecooking.about.com/od/beveragerecipes/r/blbev7.htm there are fermented varieties, but thats a much more involved process. Fri Feb 13 09:15:53 -0800 2009 3457438 57890 KaimukiMan 1 4726968 Vernor's. The bubbles would tickle my nose and make me cough if I tried to drink it before they settled. And the nicely warming sensation just blew other commercial ginger ales away. Fri May 29 20:18:42 -0700 2009 3457438 290845 KristieB 1 4727017 Vernors used to be thebomb.com but now adays I dream of the bite it used to possess. Now it's but a fond memory Fri May 29 20:56:46 -0700 2009 3457438 23096 iL Divo 2 4727559 I wish they'd do a Vernor's throwback like they did with Pepsi... Sat May 30 07:36:54 -0700 2009 4727017 109573 coney with everything 3 4727615 I recently noticed that Vernor's now labels itself ginger soda. Sat May 30 08:04:16 -0700 2009 4727559 25616 Delphine 1 4732429 vernors - still has a great bite. Mon Jun 01 09:31:35 -0700 2009 3457438 187704 mess 1 4734056 ooh - Vernors - grew up with the stuff back in upstate NY - finally started seeing it out in AZ so I can get my fix again! Mon Jun 01 18:03:48 -0700 2009 3457438 322055 writeressence 1 5182528 Woman named Dorothy used to have a cabin and trading post on a lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (I think it was on Lac Lacroix). She made homemade ginger ale and root beer. I guess it was fermented to get the bubbles, but in any case, I must have been in my early teens, and the stuff was great. We had had a catastrophe when some of our camping gear caught fire, so we managed to canoe to Dorothy's, and while we were picking up what we needed, she treated us to the drinks. Sat Nov 14 22:52:51 -0800 2009 3457438 23013 ganeden