Recipe: pear ginger beer co*cktail
Did you go to a Halloween party this weekend? It looked like everyone I know did! Driving through Boulder Saturday night on our way home, we saw a lot of zombies and other characters walking to their presumed social lives. I really love Halloween, but I don’t dress up for it anymore. In fact, the last time I dressed up was in college and I was a (very tipsy) white rabbit. Then the following year I went to a U2 concert at Dodger Stadium on Halloween night and made it back to campus in time for the pumpkin drop (see under annual events). I didn’t see a green flash, but I *did* run into a particular freshman I had been thinking about all day. We went to movie night in the dorm, made sure my housemate got home safely, walked around campus in the dark holding hands, and had our first kiss under the olive trees. Ah youth. Jeremy and I were so young nineteen years ago…
That’s one of the many reasons why I love Halloween.
As promised from my post cards over the weekend, I have some Yosemite photos…
sunset on half dome
fern springs
sunrise from gates of the valley
The whole set is on the photo blog. The snowstorm I missed while I was in California delivered a good 15 inches of snow to our house. This is the snow that will not melt away in the high country, setting up a base for us to play on through the winter and spring. We went to check it out this weekend and Kaweah wanted to come along. Some days she’s slow and stiff, but getting out into the snow always puts a spring in her step. It’s the same for me.
frozen lake and snowy peaks
sunshine, snow, and puppy dog
Winter is coming and my parents are heading back to Virginia soon. We had dinner with them Saturday, but they always want to do happy hour before dinner with us. Their definition of happy hour is wine and cheese, but I brought fixings for a new co*cktail we really wanted to share with them. I’ve tried it on a few friends who have all given it a big thumbs up. It’s Jeremy’s new favorite co*cktail which is saying a lot if it can unseat the Buddha’s hand citron lemon drop martini.
pear liqueur, a bundy, and lime wedges
Yes, it starts with pear liqueur and ginger beer. Beer not ale. It isn’t alcoholic, but it has a far stronger ginger taste than ginger ale. There are a few brands out there and some taste like cough syrup. My favorite mass produced ginger beer is Bundaberg, which comes from Australia. They call it a Bundy. Aussies are great, aren’t they? I get mine from Cost Plus World Market. They aren’t cheap. My favorite small batch ginger beer comes from Seattle and it is Rachel’s Ginger Beer. I met Rachel and sampled her ginger beer at Delancey when it was taking off. Her ginger beer is in huge demand for good reason – it’s the best.
fill a high ball with ice
pour in the pear liqueur
There are just three ingredients if you don’t count the ice, but the flavors are bouncing off one another for that super awesome party in your mouth. Fizzy, spicy, sweet, mellow, fruity, tangy – woohoo! Kat says you can’t really taste the alcohol in it. That can be dangerous. It’s quite drinkable and goes down easy. My parents really liked it too!
squeeze a lime wedge
top it off with a good ginger beer
The pear ginger beer is a perfect co*cktail for fall to sip on your own or toast with friends and family. I kinda want to throw a party just so I can serve the drink!
here’s to autumn
Pear Ginger Beer co*cktail
[print recipe]
2 oz. pear liqueur
1 bottle (~12 oz.) ginger beer (I prefer Rachel’s Ginger Beer which might be hard to find right now, or Bundaberg Ginger Beer)
2 lime wedges (a wedge is 1/6th of a lime)
ice
Fill a high ball glass with ice. Pour the pear liqueur over the ice. Squeeze a lime wedge over the ice. Top off with a good ginger beer (don’t use ginger ale – it is totally different and inferior). Serve with a wedge of lime. Makes one co*cktail.
October 31st, 2011: 12:22 am
filed under beverages, booze, entertaining, fruit, photography, recipes, sweet, travel
FAQs
While we can't speak for all Ginger Beers, a true Ginger Beer is brewed (just like a beer) using real ginger. Bundaberg Ginger Beer is traditionally brewed over 3 days using real ginger, whereas ginger ale is often a version of carbonated water that's flavored with ginger syrup.
Which is healthier, ginger beer or ginger ale? ›
Ginger beer and ginger ale do not differ greatly in terms of nutritional values. Ginger ale is the lighter option, with 125.1 calories and 32.3 grams of sugar per can (12 fl oz). Ginger beer is a bit heavier but nevertheless very close to ginger ale, with 140 calories and 35 grams of sugar per can or bottle (12 fl oz).
What is alcoholic ginger beer made of? ›
ginger beer, beverage, once popular in the United Kingdom, made by fermenting a mixture of ginger, water, sugar, cream of tartar, and yeast. Lemon peel and juice or citric acid may also be added. Ginger beer is bottled before fermentation is complete. It is carbonated and mildly alcoholic.
What's the difference between ginger ale and ginger brew? ›
The Bottom Line: Ginger Ale vs Ginger Beer, What's the Difference? While these two drinks were once identical, ginger ale is typically sweeter, non-alcoholic, and made using artificial carbonation. Ginger beer tends to be spicier and is carbonated via fermentation.
Is ginger beer good for your gut health? ›
According to studies conducted by the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, ginger beer enhances digestion and helps food move smoothly through the stomach. Stomach discomforts and nausea are strongly correlated with one another.
Why is ginger beer so expensive? ›
It is expensive to do it, and ginger juice makes such a big component that to make it it's our highest cost per production beer that we make.
Is ginger beer high in sugar? ›
Much like other soft drinks, ginger beer can be high in sugar. Some brands contain up to 38 grams of sugar per serving. However, there are sugar-free and diet versions available for those who are monitoring their sugar intake.
Does ginger beer have more sugar than co*ke? ›
The average glass of ginger beer contains a whopping 38.5g of sugar - the equivalent of just over eight teaspoons - according to the research by the British Medical Journal (BMJ) Open. A glass of co*ke, on the other hand, contains 35g - that's about seven teaspoons.
How much alcohol is in ginger beer? ›
Today, most commercial ginger beers contain no alcohol or less than . 5 percent. Ginger beer's spicy-sweet flavor profile makes it an excellent mixer and it's a key ingredient in classic co*cktails. Because it contains no alcohol, ginger beer is also a go-to ingredient for spirit-free drinks.
Why is ginger beer no longer alcoholic? ›
Modern ginger beer is not fermented, but is instead carbonated, making it a soft drink. This ginger beer typically contains less than . 5 percent alcohol, and is not classified as an alcoholic beverage.
Adding cream of tartar to simple syrup inhibits the natural tendency for granular sugar to recrystallize, there's also a side benefit that the cream of Tartar gives a smooth mouth-feel finish to the drink.
Does Canada Dry have real ginger? ›
Does Canada dry contain ginger? CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP AND LESS THAN 2% OF: GINGER EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS, GREEN TEA, ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), CITRIC ACID, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA (TO PROTECT FLAVOR).
Can you drink straight ginger beer? ›
Since ginger beer is a soft drink, it's excellent to enjoy by itself. However, it's also a firm favourite when it comes to mixing up popular co*cktails such as Moscow Mules and Dark 'n' Stormy.
Does Canada Dry contain real ginger? ›
Ingredients: CARBONATED WATER, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP AND LESS THAN 2% OF: GINGER EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS, CITRIC ACID, SODIUM BENZOATE (PRESERVATIVE), CARAMEL COLOR.
What brand of ginger ale has real ginger in it? ›
Drink Reed's - Real Ginger Ale & Real Ginger Beer.
Which ginger beer has the most ginger in it? ›
Reed's Extra Ginger Brew
Made with twice as much ginger as its original recipe, Extra Ginger Brew has the right balance of heat and sweet. For the die-hard ginger fan, Reed's also makes a “Strongest” version with three times the ginger.
Does Fever Tree ginger beer have real ginger? ›
Carbonated Water, Sugar, Ginger Root, Natural Ginger Flavoring With Other Natural Flavorings, Tartaric Acid, Ascorbic Acid.
Recipe: pear ginger beer co*cktail
