Gosling's Ginger Beer

2009 seems to be the year of the Dark & Stormy. Obviously wanting to capitalize on the rebirth of this superior cocktail, the good folks at Gosling's (makers of Gosling's Black Rum, the perennial favorite for the aforementioned potion of ginger beer & rum) have taken it upon themselves, in conjunction with Polar Beverages of Mass, to produce their own ginger beer. Now the main difference between ginger beer and ginger ale, is the lactic fermentation that traditional ginger beer goes through to produce natural carbonation, a cloudy appearance, and a spicy ginger bite.

My first, and to date best, exposure to ginger beer in relation to the world of mixology was Barritt's Bermuda Ginger Beer in its classic orange can with a rich spicy bite and smooth sweetness.

Gosling's ginger beer comes in a gold 12oz can emblazoned with Stormy, the Gosling's mascot Seal. A quick review of the ingredients has me a little doubtful, the high fructose corn syrup especially. But, undeterred, I picked up two cans at my local Wino Mart. Upon opening and pouring, the drink is very effervescent and pours a cloudy, milky, light yellow. The smell is just about perfect, nice and gingery, the taste however it a different story. There is an up front and persistent dustiness to the flavor that throws a wrench into the works, and a notable lack of depth of flavor, as compared to other ginger beers. The ginger brings a nice spicy bite to keep you drinking it however, and when mixed with dark rum, the flaws are easier to overlook.

In the end, I feel like I am drinking an imitation of ginger beer, something mass-produced with a lot of cut corners. If you are stuck for ginger beer and have to choose between ginger ale and Gosling's ginger beer, then by all means grab the Gosling's, however if you have any other choices of ginger beer, go for that instead. Just as a side note, however, if you’re stuck between Gosling’s and any Jamaican ginger beer, go for the Gosling’s; Jamaican ginger beer is way too hot and sharp to make a pleasant cocktail. Gosling's Ginger Beer has no excuse to be, but is pretty close to the bottom of the barrel and that's just too bad.