21 April 2018

The Ginger Grizzly Alcoholic Ginger Beer (Lidl) By @SpectreUK


Likening an alcoholic ginger beer to an angry grizzly bear makes me wonder just how hot the spice will be in The Ginger Grizzly, by Hatherwood Craft Beer Company. Too late now I guess, as I've already started the blog! I've tried a few alcoholic ginger beers in the past and throughout their varying spicy strengths I've never drank a bad one. Having said that, there is always chance of a first! After all, grizzly bears aren't known for being warm and cuddly creatures, hence the name. They have been known to tear people apart with their claws, which makes me wonder if this ginger beer by the same name has its own sharp claws. Well there's only one way to find out…

… it does say on the back of the label "pour over ice and garnish with lemon for the perfect serve", which didn't sound very terrifying. So I began to relax a little whilst opening the 4% volume ginger beer's bottle. There was already an unsubtle citrus lemon aroma mixed in with the ginger spice. In fact it was quite strong and stopped the ginger smell dead in its tracks from tickling my nose hairs like some other ginger beers have in the past. Smells to me like the Ginger Grizzly is all out of puff.

Although I must say that the sheer fizz on pouring this drink sounded like the low growling of a distant bear amongst some dark wooded trees. Maybe the bear had stopped for a back scratch on a tree trunk? More like from the taste of this drink that the bear had been waiting to pounce all along from the shadows. There is certainly a mouth burning hotness to this ginger beer. The citrus lemon smell lulled me into the bear's waiting claws as my tastebuds were buffeted by instant waves of spicy burning ginger. The lemon zest certainly takes a back burner showing its fairer hand into the aftertaste, but when the Ginger Grizzy bear has got a hold of you, it's hard to shake his fiery temper!

5 comments:

Unknown said...

this used to be lovely until they completely changed the receipe!! :(

Anonymous said...

Saw this in Lidl a few months ago and have now tried on two separate occasions.
Firstly there is no ingredients list on the bottle for which I usually check for artificial sweeteners.
The initial taste is of a reasonable level of Ginger but there is an over-sweet aftertaste which make me suspect artificial sweeteners?

I was hoping to find a satisfying Ginger beer but the sweetness is far too great. Simple home made Ginger Beer is far better!

Barry P-W

cinabar said...

I honestly wouldn't know where to start with making ginger beer - we still swear by Old Jamaica Ginger Beer.

pete read said...

Seriously undrinkable - no ingredients, tho I too thought I could taste artificial sweeteners - no fizz, not particularly gingery, and in the most extreme event in this household, had to just pour it down the sink (sorry sink!)

Anonymous said...

The best ginger beer! All the others are too sweet. However my local Lidl haven’t had it in since 2020. Tried lots of others but nothing compares ☹️