Here’s the thing, I have never tried ginger beer. I’d never really given it much thought.  Imagine my surprise when some of the toughest craft beer enthusiasts I know responded with more zeal than a hophead hunting down a 1000 IBU IPA.

What is ginger beer?  According to Wikipedia, ginger beer is brewed by leaving water, sugar, ginger, and ginger beer plant (composite organism of fungus and yeast) to ferment.

Produced in the UK, Crabbie’s is the most popular of alcoholic ginger beers. All this week Crabbie’s is introducing their newest flavor, Spiced Orange.  They have scheduled a week full of tastings around town as well as a special night at Burger Bach.  See all the details in the full press release below:

RICHMOND, VA – From Monday, March 24 through Saturday, March 29, Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, a 4.8% ABV, refreshing ginger beer – only for grown-ups, will host, “It’s Time for a Crabbie’s Week” including complimentary tastings and a special event to showcase the already popular Original and introduce the newest flavor, Spiced Orange.  Crabbie’s, which Bon Appetit hailed “a ginger beer that lives up to its name,” is ideal served chilled over ice with a slice of citrus.

“The people of Richmond have been incredible supporters of Crabbie’s since it first became available so we are really excited to launch Spiced Orange in the area,” says Phil Clarke, general manager of St. Killian, the exclusive US importer of Crabbie’s.  “We look forward to the week and hope to meet new friends and fans and enjoy these delicious drinks together.”

Crabbie’s is the United Kingdom’s number one selling bottled beer and has established, and is leading, the alcoholic ginger beer category in the United States.  Crabbie’s Original is carefully crafted from a recipe that combines ginger shipped from the Far East with four secret ingredients that are cold steeped for up to six weeks.  The result is a refreshing, light bodied ginger beer with a spicy fresh ginger flavor, notes of citrus and a warming finish.  The newest addition to the Crabbie’s portfolio is Spiced Orange which offers the same refreshing taste as the Original but with a lighter ginger profile and a zesty orange flavor.

The line-up for “It’s Time for a Crabbie’s Week” includes:

• Monday March 24
  • Kroger – 3507 West Cary Street, Richmond – complimentary tasting from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
  • Kroger – 1601 Willow Lawn Drive, Richmond – complimentary tasting from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday March 25
  • Fresh Market – 1527 N Parham Rd, Richmond – complimentary tasting from 4 to 7 p.m.
  • Fresh Market – 1200 Huguenot Road, Midlothian – complimentary tasting from 4 to 7 p.m.
• Wednesday March 26
  • Whole Foods – 11173 West Broad Street, Glen Allen – complimentary tasting from 4 to 7 p.m.
• Thursday March 27
  • Burger Bach Carytown – #Crabbiestime party at 10 South Thompson Street 4 to 8 p.m.  (see below for more details)
• Friday March 28:
  • Total Wine – 10036 Robious Road, Richmond – complimentary tasting from 12 noon to 4 p.m.
• Saturday March 29:
  • Total Wine – 8809 West Broad St, Richmond – complimentary tasting from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m.

On Thursday, March 27, Burger Bach will feature both Crabbie’s Original and Spiced Orange as it is meant to be served, over ice with a slice of citrus, for just $4.  For guests who’d like a bite with their Crabbie’s, the kitchen will prepare a special “Crabbie’s Burger” for the evening:  New Zealand Grass-Fed Beef Burger topped with roasted jalapeno remoulade, NZ organic cheddar cheese, onions caramelized in Crabbie’s Original, chipotle Crabbie’s Spiced Orange bbq sauce and uncured bacon.  Burger Bash was voted “Best Burger” by Style Weekly in its annual “Best of Richmond” issue.

Since Crabbie’s entered the U.S. market, it has received high praise from Huffington Post and The Dallas Morning News.  Huffington Post’s “Taste Test” concluded that “the UK’s best-selling ginger beer is finally available in the U.S., and we are quite pleased about it.”  The Morning News called Crabbie’s “moderately gingered and not too sweet…a smooth, refreshing drink,” and Crabbie’s was named “Best in Show” by greater San Francisco’s Fairfax Beer Festival, where it stacked up against some of the nation’s top domestic craft breweries.

The Crabbie’s adventure dates back to 1801 in Edinburgh, Scotland and the shipping port of Leith.  Pioneering drink merchant John Crabbie began creating new offerings to sell in his shop at 99 Giles Street.  He looked to the Far East to source the best ingredients including the finest ginger and exotic spices;  elephants were traditionally used to transport these goods to ships to import to Scotland.  More than 200 years later, Crabbie’s elephant logo symbolizes its heritage and search for ingredients which are still used today to develop the one-of-a-kind flavor of its alcoholic ginger beer.

Crabbie’s is available for purchase in two formats:  a four-pack of 11 ounce bottles and a larger 16.9 ounce bottle.  Ideal for sipping, it can also be blended into a variety of ginger beer cocktails, such as a Dark and Crabbie and the Moscow Mule.

Crabbie’s is currently available throughout Virginia where it is distributed by Specialty Beverage.  For more information on Crabbie’s, please visit them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and Instagram(@CrabbiesUSA) #icewithaslice.