Ginger beer

[Moonraker]

Better stock up before the sugar tax!!

I only drink sugar-free GB!

[KEVP]

These days, in the 21st century, almost all Ginger Ale is "dry". This type of Ginger Ale was made popular by the "Canada Dry" company. This modern "dry" Ginger Ale does NOT taste very much like Ginger Beer.

However, there is an older style of Ginger Ale that I think is technically called "Golden" Ginger Ale.

It's like tennis. A long time ago, tennis was a sport played indoors, in a special court, and you could bounce the ball off the walls and so on. Then someone invented a new style of tennis called "lawn tennis". And that became so popular that when people said "tennis" they almost always meant "lawn tennis". And so the older version of the game was renamed "real tennis" or "royal tennis".

So first there was "Ginger Ale", and then there was a new kind of Ginger Ale called "Dry Ginger Ale". But that became so popular it became the default. When people said "Ginger Ale" everyone just assumed they meant "Dry Ginger Ale". The older style is now called "Golden Ginger Ale."

It is very hard to find the older style of "Golden Ginger Ale". But here in the state of Michigan, in the USA, there is a company called "Vernor's" that still makes the old style Ginger Ale. When we order this here in Michigan, we just ask for a "Vernor's".

My point was that Ginger Beer tastes very similar to this older style "Golden" Ginger Ale, like Vernor's. It does not taste very much like the more common "Dry" Ginger Ale.

But to describe the taste to someone who has never tasted either Ginger Beer or the old style "Golden" Ginger Ale, the best description I can come up with is that it tastes like a very very strong Dry Ginger Ale.

Also note that alcoholic versions of Ginger Beer have been available since the 19th century, it isn't a new thing for Ginger Beer to be alcoholic. But our Enid Blyton heroes are definitely not drinking the alcoholic version! (The kids in Arthur Ransome's book "Swallows and Amazons" also drink Ginger Beer, but they pretend it is "grog")

I think that technically Ginger Beer is supposed to be brewed, similar to the way beer was brewed. But I think nowadays it's often made by adding flavoring to carbonated water. I think this then is technically "Ginger Beer Soda" or "Ginger Beer Flavored Soda".

KEVP

[Rob Houghton]

Better stock up before the sugar tax!!

I only drink sugar-free GB!

I refuse to eat or drink anything laced with Aspartame!

I know some people argue that there's no proof - but if we are using a chemical sweetener that even the USA have banned, then there's something iffy about it!

[Courtenay]

I had such high expectations for Ginger Beer after reading the Famous Five books.
I badgered my Dad to buy me some when I was little.
I was really surprised and quite sad to find I didn't really like it at all.

I don't drink ginger beer, can't drink ginger beer, have never had the slightest desire to drink ginger beer, but that doesn't in any way lessen my enjoyment of Enid Blyton!!

(Actually, when I was little, apart from ginger beer, the thing we always noticed as a recurring staple for the Famous Five and other characters was not only ginger beer, but tinned tongue. "Tinned tongue and ginger beer!" is still the catchphrase in my family for all things Blytonian. )

[Rob Houghton]

I must admit, although I've often drunk ginger beer, it's not one of my favourite drinks.

[IceMaiden]

(Actually, when I was little, apart from ginger beer, the thing we always noticed as a recurring staple for the Famous Five and other characters was not only ginger beer, but tinned tongue. "Tinned tongue and ginger beer!" is still the catchphrase in my family for all things Blytonian. )

What exactly is tinned tongue anyway? You read it a lot in Enid's books, but I've never seen it, at least not to my knowledge. Never been tempted to try it though, it doesn't sound very nice compared to the other food all her characters eat.

[pete9012S]

Mmmmmm...

Actually,I do like Tesco's delicatessen fresh tongue that they slice for you at the meat counter.

[Moonraker]

Better stock up before the sugar tax!!

I only drink sugar-free GB!

I refuse to eat or drink anything laced with Aspartame!

Tesco Sugar-Free Ginger Beer contains no aspartame.

[pebe]

In the French editions from 60s and 70s, the Five drink BEER in the Treasure Island!
It's a mistake for the translation of ginger beer

Would you have pictures of old bottles of 1942 "ginger beer" or "ginger pop" (named by Julian in Five On A Treasure Island)? I don't find anything by google.

[Moonraker]

I remember bottles such as this one in the 1950s:

[Eddie Muir]

I remember them with great fondness, Nigel.

[Moonraker]

Yes, so do I, Eddie. I am sure this was what the four would have bought from village shops.

[Courtenay]

In the French editions from 60s and 70s, the Five drink BEER in the Treasure Island!
It's a mistake for the translation of ginger beer

All the more reason for her books to be banned or censored, hmmm? Look what dreadful habits she could lead young children into...

[Rob Houghton]

No wonder the Five went on to have another 20 adventures - it wasn't their cousin George or the island they were interested in - just the beer George sneaked away to store on Kirrin Island!

[KEVP]

Something occurs to me.

Children in France start drinking alcohol at a very early age, at least that's what I have been led to believe. Would it be very strange for French children the age of the Famous Five to be drinking beer? Or other alcoholic beverages?

But in another thread you told us that the translations into French took out a scene where they visited a church. Perhaps this is the conspiracy of continentals to portray all English as irreligious beer-drinkers, and imply that they get that way at an early age?

kevp