Everywhere you turn right now there’s someone doing something nifty with ginger. Wigram Brewing in Christchurch have added to their seasonal range the ‘Ginger Jerry’ a wheat beer (or Wit Bier) infused with ginger, honey and lemon – it’ll clear the nose and soothe the throat. Hawke’s Bay Independent Breweries are fizzing over their Ginger Fusion, an alcoholic ginger beer tweaked with fresh mandarin, which is splashed with spice. The talented team at Harrington’s Brewery have embraced their inner Royal with the ‘Prince Harry’, a ginger beer given a 4.8% abv tickle-up worthy of any polo match or spa-pool skinny-dip. And Speight’s have also just released their very own pimped-up ginger beer in a 330ml serving which is super-tasty if you drink it, but also the business as a marinade for pork shoulder or sticky ribs. Crafty Trout Brewery in Taupo produce a zero-alcohol ginger beer called “SMOKEY” using ginger smoked with Pohutukawa and Cherrywood then added honey and lemons. East Imperial, (the boutique tonic people) have released one naturally brewed with a blend of gingers from East Africa and Asia inspired by stories of the original Mombasa Ginger Beer plant. Mix with 30ml vodka and a squeeze of lime for a magic Moscow Mule.
