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Tipple on the Catwalk

Panningen 2018

About one month ago, Ginger Tipple’s distributor in Herentals asked me if I would like to do an event with a customer in Panningen on Sunday April 8th, I answered positively. It was not on Passover, and my sons would be here to help, so it sounded like a great idea.

Step 1 – Where is Panningen?

Ginger BeerPanningen is a small town of 7,500 people in south-eastern Holland. It is also the location of Wijnhuis Panningen, a beautiful wine, spirits and beer store which also stocks Ginger Tipple. Each year Panningen hosts a classic car and fashion event in the town center.

One upmarket clothing store which was exhibiting in the hourly fashion show is called Ginger, run by Elly van Bilzen, who has ginger hair.

For the first anniversary of her store what could be more appropriate than to offer Ginger Tipple to Ginger’s customers?

Expectations

Ginger BeerWe expected to be in a small shopping mall, but were happily surprised to be outside the shop on the main shopping area right next to the fashion show. There were ballet performances from the local girls’ dance school and a local fitness studio staged an impressive exhibition of weight training and boxing.

It was most probably the first time citizens of Panningen saw orthodox Jews with their skullcaps on their heads, but it did not seem to affect the flow of people to our stand.

The people there were very friendly and open to talking to strangers.

We were really lucky with the weather, a pleasant and sunny 25 Celsius; had it rained, a common occurrence in this part of the world, the whole fashion show would have been a disaster. One of the local wine bars had a notice which read “A meal without wine is like a day without sunshine.”

Feedback

Ginger BeerThis was the first event where we were presenting both the regular 8.5% ABV Ginger Tipple and the 4.5% version, Ginger Tipple 4. Also, the stronger Tipples were older, two years as opposed to two months. The Tipple 4 was considered more refreshing while the regular Ginger Tipple came over as more of a “drinker’s” drink.

Thanks to Caspar and Lindsy at the Wijnhuis for their help in initiating and organizing the event. Hopefully we’ll be back next year.

 

Leiden Leeds the Kriek

Glutenvrijemarkt

One of Ginger Tipple’s regular clients, Glutenvrijemarkt.com in Leiden, Holland, recently ordered the last few boxes of the Ginger Kriek 2017 vintage. This online store is the major player in the gluten free market in the Netherlands and sells gluten free beers including Ginger Tipple.

The Ginger Kriek

Ginger Kriek
Courtesy Wikipedia

We make this particular beverage with regular Ginger Tipple, without hops, into which we add fresh morello cherries known as noordkrieken. These sour cherries are only available for about two weeks  each July and we have to be quick.

We wash each cherry and check it for mold and holes, which could mean worms or other undesirable extras.

The whole cherries with their pits then sit in the Ginger Tipple vat for six to seven weeks while the yeast ferments their sugars and their flavours, aromas and colours impart into the brew.

The 2nd Fermentation

Before we bottle the Ginger Kriek we add some organic honey and then leave the Ginger Kriek to second ferment for two months. During this period the flavours meld and the remaining sugars ferment out to give it a natural carbonation.

The Pour

Ginger Beer
Click on the picture to see the GIF of the Pour

When you pour the cold Ginger Kriek into a tulip shaped glassed, you will be impressed by the synthesis of the ginger and cherries wafting past your nostrils. These aromas can only emanate from fresh natural gingers and fruits.

Most kriek beers are either sour lambics or sweet ones. Ginger Kriek is in between, very mildly sweet and a tiny bit sour.

I know I am biased when I talk about it, but it is really very good.

 

Buy Now

If you want to grab one of the few bottles, click on this link at Glutenvrijemarket.

Remember to drink it by the end of June 2018.

And thanks to my friends at Studio Rauw for designing the label.

One last note, it is also Kosher for Passover.

Stuttgart Flemish Beer Tasting

The German Approach

When the Flanders Investment and Trade Agency advertised the Flemish beer tasting event in Stuttgart a few months ago, I jumped at the opportunity. Breaking into a new market takes time, and every country is different, especially Germany. The timing was difficult, to travel 550km each way a week after returning from Kosherfest in America was tough but manageable.

Flanders Investment and Trade

This agency is efficient and we had to submit our list of invitees and descriptions of our products in German about two months before the event. The agenda included a dinner the night before the event with the Belgium ambassador to Germany. Fortunately, they were able to arrange a kosher meal for me from the local Jewish restaurant.

Ginger Beer

The tasting was held in the Stuttgart Cultural center, and I was proud to be among the 16 brewers there, especially since Ginger Tipple was placed above Duvel  and Westmalle in the program!

The time before the event opened was a wonderful opportunity to meet with some the top brewers and salesmen in the Belgian brewing world.

When they came to taste this newcomer to such an event, I really appreciated their feedback.

The Ambassador

The ambassador really surprised me, first of all he liked both the regular Ginger Tipple and the Ginger Kriek which immediately makes him a good man. He looked at the label and said, “OKp, it’s pareve?” When I told him it was for Passover the replied that he will buy some bottles to take to his friends in Cleveland with whom he will be celebrating the Seder.

Ginger Beer

The Presentation & Tasting

The Agency invited a German beer specialist, Irina Zimmerman, to present all of the breweries. At least she could pronounce my family name properly.

I did not make any secret of being Jewish etc.  and Mrs Zimmerman was very interested in the kosher aspect. However, there were some guests who did not come to the Ginger Tipple stand, even though the trade attaché and Mrs Zimmerman strongly recommended that they do.

Perhaps they don’t like ginger 🙂

As I had to drive back that evening, I was unable to really enjoy the beers on presentation, although I was given a few complimentary bottles.

Ginger Beer

In Conclusion

Unfortunately, only about one third of the people came and there were not many importers and distributors who are the gateway to the German market. However, most of the guests enjoyed tasting Ginger Tipple and Ginger Kriek, and the restaurants, bars and shops were all interested in ordering. One very hip bar wants Ginger Tipple at its annual craft beer festival in March.