Sugar and spice: new ginger beer is hot stuff
A Jewish couple in Antwerp have come up with a ginger-based brew with a fiery alcoholic kick, and they’re already looking to expand production to meet demand
Not your average beer
Sulzbacher was an accountant in his hometown, London, and later in Israel. He moved with his wife to Antwerp 13 years ago. He’s also an orthodox Jew, which means that during Passover he’s not allowed to consume any fermented grains.
And that’s precisely what beer is: grains that have been boiled in water and allowed to ferment. Even after the grains have been removed, what’s left is still considered chametz, or leavened, and chametz isn’t even allowed in the house.
“I’m sure you can understand what it is to live for eight-and-a-half days without any beer,” he says. Absolutely.
Ginger rocket
So Sulzbacher (pictured) only had one choice: invent a beer using something other than grains. Or rather, re-invent it: Ginger beers have been on the market since about the 18th century.
While most ginger beers are non-alcoholic, others do contain alcohol. Ginger beer is still consumed in the UK, with the best-known brand being Crabbie’s of Edinburgh, which has an alcohol content of 4%.
Most ginger beers are not brewed, but Sulzbacher’s is. He followed a brewing course in Belgium before getting started. “Belgium is the beer country par excellence,” he says. “But I wanted to come up with something new.”
The average Fleming when he’s had a few beers picks up the bottle and goes, ‘Ah, Ginger Tripel!’
Experimentation to find the right balance of flavours took some time, labouring in the basement of the couple’s home. But once Sulzbacher found that balance, the drink took off like a rocket.
“The difference is, I don’t cook the ginger,” he says. “You’ve got this very fresh ginger aroma before you even start drinking it.”
His product is called Ginger Tipple, because Belgian law considers the recipe not to be beer. “The average Fleming when he’s had a few beers picks up the bottle and goes, ‘Ah, Ginger Tripel!”
Sulzbacher peels and grates the ginger, mixes it with mineral water, wine yeast and sugars – including some organic and exotic sugars for flavour – and then leaves it to ferment.
Packs a punch
After a first fermentation, he adds dry Cascade hops to give it a touch of citrus. The result is filtered and bottled, and a second fermentation takes place within the bottle, which provides natural carbonation.
Ginger Tipple weighs in at an impressive 8.5% alcohol, twice as strong as Crabbie’s and up there with a strong Belgian beer like Duvel or Delirium Tremens.
The installation started off at home, but demand grew so great that Sulzbacher has moved the microbrewery to a new location round the corner – and it looks like he will be forced to move again. The couple – his wife, Shifra Senderowicz, is responsible for distribution – are not focusing on the Jewish market, which has little or no beer culture, even in Antwerp, he says. “I think we are the first Jewish brewers in the country.”
On the other hand, Ginger Tipple is almost entirely organic, contains no additives and is gluten-free, which opens up another niche market.
Time to expand
Ginger Tipple looks like beer, but don’t expect it to taste like beer as you know it. My bottle was slightly too warm by the time I got to it, and as a result was only slightly effervescent, with a head that lasted only a few seconds. The ginger flavour is prominent without being overpowering, and the effect of the Cascade hops is subtle and interesting.
There’s a slight acidic kick, a fleeting resemblance to a young lambic, with a pleasant astringency. One of the most noticeable characteristics is the heat on the palate of the high alcohol content. This Tipple may seem like a fruity soft drink, but be careful: it packs a punch. You’re not dealing with your average ginger beer, here.
So what’s next? Production at the moment is at maximum capacity of 700 litres a month. It’s quite a lot for a one-man show, but Sulzbacher would still like to expand. First to the UK and the US, he thinks, then to India, Israel and the rest of Europe.
“I’m trying to raise money to move into a larger facility so I can increase capacity to 4,000 or 5,000 litres a month,” he says – a pattern seen all over the craft beer scene in Belgium. In the meantime, he foresees an interest from restaurants for beer and food pairings, and from bars for the creation of new cocktails.
Ginger Tipple is available from various online merchants, which are listed on its website. It’s also sold in the Antwerp area in bars, restaurants and shops, including België Tip Top, Avenue Wines and Grosz Kosher Food.
Photo courtesy Ginger Tipple
