Trader Joe's Brewed Ginger Beer

This is day 4 of new products from Trader Joe's.

I've had ginger beer just twice before, and both times it was as part of Moscow Mules. (I almost never consume alcohol, but these were on two special occasions when out with friends.) I had never even heard of ginger beer when I had the first of those, less than three years ago.

So this is the first time I've tried it as a stand-alone drink. It's a lot less gingery than TJ's seasonally available Triple Ginger Brew. (Maybe that counts as ginger beer. If so, ignore my disclaimer above.) That means it's easier to drink a whole bottle, because it's not lacerating your throat with ginger as it goes down.

There's some unpleasant sediment that settles at the bottom, and will get stirred up into the drink if you're not careful. On my third bottle, I tried some gentle inverting and swirling before opening. That was sufficiently successful at dispersing the sediment that it ceased to be an issue.

I kind of like it. It's a lot more complex and interesting than soda pop, and less heavily carbonated.

You can read TJ's own announcement of this new product here.


Will I buy it again? 

Sure, once in a while. It would be an excellent drink to provide at parties, not only as a mixer for various alcoholic concoctions, but as something nice all by itself for the non-drinkers and designated drivers.

Nina's View

You may remember that I was more enthusiastic about the Triple Ginger Brew than Bob. This is much less aggressively ginger-flavored beverage, which makes it more suitable for thirst quenching on a hot summer day. It goes down easily, if perhaps a tad too sweetly for my taste.

I wager that this is the kind of drink that just about everyone—except diehard ginger haters, if there is such a thing—will enjoy. It's refreshing, it's light, and the modest carbonation avoids the burping and bloat that most sodas bestow on those who drink them quickly. 

I approve.