Go For the Burn:
A Ginger Beer Primer BY LUCY HAINES
really all about the burn. We carry up to a dozen brands, and they are popular yearround because the warmth of ginger works in all seasons,” says Francis. “I have been a fan of the cane sugar sweetened ginger beers since childhood, often treated at my grandmother’s place to the non-alcohol version from her ginger beer plant that bubbled away in the kitchen. A resurgence in popularity of recent years has seen a number of new craft soda ginger beers being produced here locally such as Grizzly Paw and Annex,” said Andrew Paulsen, sommelier coordinator at Calgary's Coop Wine Spirits Beer. “Our nearby Alberta distillery, Eau Claire, has a cocktail in a can EquineOx Mule - that combines Annex ginger beer with Eau Claire's Prickly Pear Vodka. It's a delicious treat on a warm day.”
The local option
H
ave you ever wandered the beverage aisle at the grocery store, or beer section of the liquor store and been a bit confused over the ginger beer offerings? What's the difference between ginger beer and ginger ale, for example? And if it's alcoholic, is ginger beer a 'beer'? It can be a bit confusing admit consumers and even ginger beer makers. But with warm weather months here, and aficionados anxious to enjoy this refreshing, spicy and versatile mixer at the next backyard get-together - on its own or in a classic cocktail (Moscow Mule, anyone?) – it's time to get the 411 on this bold beverage. Edmontonian Alison Phillips knows what she likes - and it's ginger beer. Tops on Phillips’ list, especially on a sweltering summer afternoon, “it’s the best drink 26 Culinaire | May 2022
to enjoy with fish and chips," she says. “I'm not a big beer drinker, so one of my favourite ways to use ginger beer is in a shandy; half a regular-type beer in a glass, topped up with crisp, fragrant ginger beer. For me, the spicier and hotter the gingery taste, the better.” At Edmonton's Sherbrooke Liquor Ottewell, which specializes in craft and imported beers, partner Erica Francis says she loves the kick of ginger beer too, whether it's the uber-strong, spicy likes of Royal Jamaican (Crabbie's from the UK is another popular choice) or a smoother, closer-to-home version, from makers like Phillips Brewing out of Victoria, BC Though some fermented brews use hops and malt, thus qualifying as 'beer', there isn't wheat or barley in ginger beer, Francis explains. “For those who love ginger beer, it's
Calgary's Annex Ale Project is finding success with its soft-drink-style ginger beer. Using just whole, natural ingredients - ginger, lemon juice and cane sugar small batches of ginger beer are made in a two-day process for tap room customers and those who find the canned artisanal brew at Sobeys/Safeway, Co-op, and Freson Bros. “We follow the company ethos for all our products - handmade, small batch brews,” says Andrew Bullied, Annex co-owner. 'It's a citrus forward ginger beer, with less of a burn than other brands. For the younger set or those who prefer a nonalcoholic option, it's a refreshing option.”
Ginger beer origins
Originating with the colonial spice trade in Asia and sugar-producing islands of the Caribbean, ginger beer first became popular in Britain in the 18th century. Though ginger has been lauded as a treatment for medical ailments for thousands of years - as a digestive, to stimulate circulation and more - the ginger root plant also found favour as the basis
