Christina VarvisBrewery: Innis & Gunn Brewing Co.
Available at: Sherbrooke Liquor Store (11819 St. Albert Trail)
When you were a kid, a bout of the flu was swiftly met with the carbonated richness of a bottle of Canada Dry Ginger Ale. We can all remember when that wonderful beverage was our primary defense against the illness. Times may have changed since you were a kid struggling with the flu, but the remedy remains much the same, the only difference now is that it can get you drunk.
Melville’s Ginger Beer brings back memories of sick days spent playing video games, nursing that stubborn flu in the dead of winter. The pour is an experience that can only be described as bubbly. The head, while appearing frothy, is surprisingly light.The lightness of the head may very well be its downfall, as the pillowy tuft of foam barely sticks around long enough for the drinker to enjoy it.
On the nose we have the unsurprising presence of ginger, other notes are either extremely faint or nonexistent. The taste brings more of the same, a somewhat overpowering abundance of ginger, along with huge amounts of carbonation. The finish is fairly neutral, leaving a light tingle from the carbonation, not a bad feeling, but not particularly good.
Punching in at a fairly light 4.1 per cent ABV, Melville’s Ginger Beer is a good introduction to ginger beers, but by itself is fairly lacklustre. If you’re looking for an adult remedy when you’re nursing the flu, look no further than Melville’s Ginger Beer, it’s not great for much else.
