Housemade Ginger Beer?

[lipoff]

I had an excellent dinner at the Highland Kitchen earlier tonight. I love their sparkling limeade, but after a glassful, I wanted something else to drink. They have A.J. Stephans Ginger Beer by the bottle --- one of my least favorite ginger beers. It substitutes excessive spiciness for depth and complexity. But their cocktail menu lists the Mark N Stormy as being made with a spicy homemade chili infused ginger beer. So I asked for just a glass of that. It was so flavorless I wonder if I was even served the right thing, or perhaps the chili and ginger hadn't infused enough. I could barely taste it. Oh well --- everything else to eat and drink, as well as the service, at Highland Kitchen was as spectacular as ever.

But does anyone else serve housemade ginger beer, or serve particularly memorable bottle?

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Highland Kitchen
150 Highland Ave, Somerville, MA 02143

[galangatron]

i second the recommendation for the homemade ginger beer at izzy's in cambridge

[SaraASR]

Russel House Tavern's ginger beer is decent, but not as good as Drink's!

[DowntownChick]

Have you tried Fever Tree's Ginger Beer? Fantastic. Really spicy and gingery but not overwhelming. It definitely has the depth you are looking for. South End and Cambridge Frommagio sell it.

[lasixta]

Izzy's in Cambridge (sometimes) has exceptional housemade ginger beer - the best I've ever had with an amazing aftertaste.

[zach272]

How do you order it/when is it available? I've eaten at Izzy's several times and have never seen homemade ginger beer, or signs/menu listings for it. When I asked once at the counter, they directed me to the bottled Goya stuff.

[galangatron]

it's usually always available. look for it in the cooler on the right as you enter the restaurant

[barleywino]

Drink has a great housemade ginger beer, although they usually use it as an ingredient in their drinks, they would probably be willing to serve it straight

[okra]

Sadly, the one exceptional ginger beer I've had was at Ortanique, the Jamaican place on Huron that closed a couple years back.

From what I understand, if you can mix a few ingredients, it's not that hard to make yourself. Chow even offers instructions.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/10683-cho...

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Ortanique
370 Huron Ave, Cambridge, MA

[litchick]

re DRINK:
Oh, they ABSOLUTELY serve it straight. Also, they make some exceptional non-alcoholic libations with that ginger beer. It's a great thing to get between cocktails since it's super flavorful, and is something you can drink slowly and enjoy on its own.