Review: Granville Island Ginja Ninja Ginger Beer

Review: Granville Island Ginja Ninja Ginger Beer by Cody La Bière
Ginja Ninja is one of the newest seasonal beers by Granville Island, a Ginger-style beer, which is supposed to be perfect for quenching in the hot hot summer heat.

Appearance: Pours a caramel amber lager, very clear. Good amount of carbonation, a bit tad fizzy like a ginger ale, minimal white head. Looks like an amber lager to me.

Aroma: Slight ginger aroma in there, kind of like a flat Ginger Ale aroma that is in a pop bottle in a back seat of a car for a few days in the height of summer. Pretty light, lagery, pretty lacklustre for a ginger beer.

Taste: Boooooooring. How in the hell is this considered a ginger beer? I smelled a HINT of ginger in the aroma but for flavour? This is similar to a Creemore Springs lager, with a bit of caramel maltiness added for sweetness. I don't notice even a hint of ginger in the flavour.. and I'm trying.

Overall Thoughts: Uninspiring and not worth the $13 for a 6 pack. For a beer that puts ginger front and centre on the label, this fails to even go anywhere near a ginger beer. A lager with a hint of ginger extract for aroma? Sure.. but Ginger beer? Hell no. If you want a lager, sure, go for it, but if you want a ginger beer? Check out Crabbies' Ginger Beer or Royal Jamaican, they'll be much more satisfying for the Ginger Ale & beer loves out here. 5.5% ABV


gib.ca/beer/ginja-ninja-ginger-beer/

1 comment:

Tessa said...

Even as a lager ... it's pretty uninspiring. The "ginger beer" thing is a misnomer, though, as a ginger-flavoured beer was never going to have the full-on taste of say a Royal Jamaican. Anyway. I gave the 5 other bottles to my little brother.