Ginger Beer Taste Test: The Dark & Stormy Winner Is...
I’m a seasonal drinker with few loyalties. Changing temperatures inspire me to rotate my spirits and by the time summer is in full-swing, I’ve traded my martinis and single malts for rum and bourbon-based cocktails. But none have as tight a hold on a season as the Dark ‘n’ Stormy has for summer, with its equal parts spice and nostalgia.
A combination of dark rum, ginger beer and (an optional) wedge of lime served in a high ball, the Dark ‘n’ Stormy packs a gingery bite, conjuring salty ocean breezes, sailing trips and the island nation of Bermuda, all in a single sip. Much of the dark rum we drink hails from small island nations in the Atlantic and Caribbean Oceans, distilled from molasses (a sugar cane by product) and aged in charred American oak bourbon barrels with its dark rum finale reeking of spice and molasses. Paired with ginger beer, this seductive summer drink is the definition of the season and I cling to them until the autumnal equinox pries them out of my increasingly cold, sticky, rum-soaked hands.
When it comes to selecting the right rum for this cocktail, specificity is paramount. Repeat after me. A Dark ‘n’ Stormy is only a Dark ‘n’ Stormy when served with Gosling’s 80 proof black seal Bermuda rum. So say two trademarks as well as my own decades-long research into the drink.* If you’re a bartender and claim to serve a Dark ‘n’ Stormy, as one of the few cocktails to be protected by law, it must be served with Goslings. Or cease and desist.
For all that exclusivity, the choice for the Dark 'n' Stormy's ginger beer mate is a wide-open playing field. If you're not familiar with ginger beer, think ginger ale with a spicy kick. According to the Gosling's website, "Ginger Beer was originally produced in the 1700s, brought to North America by the British colonists where it was brewed locally in homes and taverns."
With the drinks popularity growing, the list of contenders has grown from the hard-to-find but classic Barritts which can be found on-tap in the motherland of Bermuda, to a dozen or so brands vying for its summertime fling with its Gosling's rum mate lining the shelves of Whole Foods and local package stores. I'd even recommend trying your hand at making your own (I've used this recipe, from mixologist Jeffry Morgenthaler) with excellent results.
With so many ginger beers to choose from, what's the best ginger beer for the perfect Dark ‘n’ Stormy dalliance?
Rather than answer this question myself with my already stiff allegiances to a few stalwart brands, I enlisted the help of some friends who share my obsession with the cocktail as well as my ambition to crown a ginger beer king.
First, a disclaimer. I am not a professional taster nor are my guests. This was by no means a double-blind test, there was no control group, and the last time I employed the scientific method I was in a college lab, determined to change my major so I would never have to enter one again. We wanted an informal setting (my back yard) with real palates sharing our experience based on what we could find on our nearby shelves. And yes, it was a loosely-veiled excuse to throw a party with my favorite summertime cocktail.
The Contenders
Let's meet the contenders: Goslings, Reeds, Regatta, Elis, Maine Root, Goslings Diet, Fever Tree, Powell & Mahoney, The Ginger People, Saranac with honorable mentions to Barritt’s and D&G which we couldn’t source at the time of the tasting but are beloved. Weeks after the taste test, I found Barritt's back on the shelves and D&G as well.
Goslings
Reeds
Regatta
Eli's
Goslings Diet
Fever Tree
Powell & Mahoney
The Ginger People
Saranac
The Ratings
When coming up with a way to test and capture responses from our tasting, we came up with a series of profiles we thought rang true to the spicy, gingery, bubbly soda that is ginger beer, including: Flavor, Spice, Finish, Fizz and Ginger. Each taster ranked the ginger beer on a scale of 1 to 5 based on these qualities. I then compiled the ten completed sets for the following results.
The Results
Overall rankings:
1. Maine Root
2. Goslings
3. Fever Tree
4. Powell & Mahoney
5. Regatta
6. Elis
7. Goslings Diet
8. Reeds
9. The Ginger People
10. Saranac
Popular vote:
In addition to ranking each ginger beer based on the profiles, guests were invited to place their top three. Although Maine Root took the top spot in both, surprisingly, the rest didn’t coincide with the above tallied votes.
1. Maine Root
2. Fever Tree
3. Regatta
Overall Flavor:
1. Fever Tree
2. Gosling’s
3. Eli’s
Spice:
1. Powell & Mahoney
2. Fever Tree
3. Maine Root
Ginger:
1. Powell & Mahoney
2. Maine Root
3. Fever Tree
Finish:
1. Maine Root
2. Powell & Mahoney
3. Fever Tree
Fizz:
1. Gosling’s
2. Gosling’s Diet
3. The Ginger People
Superlatives:
Based on the group’s tasting notes, with interpretive liberties taken by me.
Most likely to lead a rock band: Powell & Mahoney ( “spicy, peppery,” “epic finish”)
Most likely to succeed: Maine Root
Class Book worm: Saranac (“plain,” “tastes like ginger ale,” “boring”)
Class burn-out: The Ginger people (“cloudy,” “bland”)
Most likely to become a doctor: Reed’s (“tastes like medicine”)
Most likely to go into politics: Gosling’s Diet (“sickening,” “fake sweet”)
The Conclusion:
When tasting, I often come to the same conclusion. To each their own. A tasting like this will elucidate good qualities and bad qualities, weeding out some real stinkers. For example, I will never purchase a Diet Ginger Beer for the way it wrecks an already sweet cocktail. And unless it's the last ginger beer on the shelf on the verge of a hurricane, you will not find me near Reed's which I find way too medicinal. If you're a fan of this cocktail, I encourage you to try a few brands yourself and find which one strikes the ideal balance. For my palate and money, I'll most certainly be reaching for Maine Root or Gosling's as the summer winds down and I enjoy the last vestiges of this season's most perfect cocktail.
* By research, I really mean ample tasting. And by tasting, I really mean drinking. Many on land, several at sea and the best, by boat.
References:
http://www.goslingsrum.com/discover_howrum.asp
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/05/fashion/05shaken.html
Cocktails, Entertaining
Reader Comments (8)
I'm touched that my tasting note made it in the blog! And I was thrilled to be a part of this adventure. Clearly there need to be more of these Highly Scientific Events.
p.s. Maine Root or bust.
D&G has always been my go-to for my favorite shandy, Moscow Mule. It gives just the right kick, unlike some of the brit ginger beers. I'm surprised you couldn't find it, I've bought it off the shelves of ShopRite, especially those in Jamaican neighboorhoods. I know that Stratford SR carries for sure. The great thing about a ginger beer is that the flavoring is natural (no one has ever synthicized ginger flavor), there are purported medicinal benefits, maby even a touch halucinatory, and it's like ginger ale on turbo charge, unless it's home made ginger ale.
I am not familiar with Maine Root, where can I buy it?
Yes, please post a Connecticut sourcing guide for these brands. I did find Maine root at tjmaxx once, should have snagged it all!
I'm surprised Reed's scored so low on the list of Ginger beers. Reed's is the real deal!
Drinking some Reed's now and I must say that I'm stunned by the popularity of this brew. The medicinal taste is overwhelming and unpleasant.
Maine Root is a quality product. D&G is available in abundance at Food Bazaar in Bridgeport:
http://www.myfoodbazaar.com/StoreLocator/Store36.html
I recently picked up some Maine Root at Mrs. Green's Natural Market in Fairfield.
The adress is 1916 Post Road Fairfield, CT 06824, (203) 255-4333.
Best mixer for D&S I've had yet.