Crabbie's Alcoholic Ginger Beer

For those of you who have never tried ginger beer, it's like an extra-pungent ginger ale. The ginger is usually pretty spicy and it makes a great cocktail mixer, as well as a drink on its own. I often wondered why, since it's called ginger "beer," that there's not an alcoholic version of the stuff.

And then I discovered Crabbie's.

Crabbie's was started in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the 19th century by grocer Miller Crabbie and his son, John, but it's only been available in the US fairly recently. We were offered some samples to try, and as fans of regular ginger beer, we couldn't pass them up. Crabbie's tastes like the perfect spicy ginger soda, nicely carbonated, sweet but not too, with a little kick (4.8% ABV). You can't taste the alcohol, but you'd certainly feel it after drinking a couple.

As you can see from the pic,
 I like Cruzan Black Strap,
which once upon a time was bottom
 shelf but with recent popularity
 has worked its way up closer to the top)

Ginger beer is perfect in a classic Dark & Stormy, but the drink is even better with Crabbie's.

Dark & Crabbie's
1/2 oz dark rum 
1 bottle Crabbie's Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer
Fresh lime wedge

Method: Fill your glass with plenty of cubed ice. Pour over ½ oz of dark rum. Then add your Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger beet to create the perfect drink. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Crabbie's can also be used in a pretty tasty Moscow Mule. Serve it in a copper mug, if you can.

Crabbie’s Moscow Mule
3 – 4mint leaves
¾ oz lime juice
½ oz simple syrup
1 ½ oz vodka
Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Method: Muddle the mint gently in the bottom of your glass. Add the lime juice, simple syrup and vodka, along with 3 – 4 ice cubes. Then add a splash of Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

Here's a third recipe, using the Spiced Orange flavor. I suppose you could use the Raspberry flavor to make a Crabbie's Raspberry Punch, too.

Crabbie’s Orange Punch 
1 oz dark rum
1 oz gin
1 oz vodka
2 oz fresh lemon juice
1 ½ oz cranberry juice
Crabbie’s Spiced Orange Alcoholic Ginger Beer

Method: Add the spirits and fruit juices to a cocktail shaker. Shake well and stir into a pitcher filled with ice. Then add a generous hit of Crabbie’s Spiced Orange Alcoholic Ginger Beer. Garnish with slices of your favorite fruit.

Crabbie's is available at places like the Wine Source, Eddie's, Total Wine & More in Towson, Dulaney Liquors, and at some restaurants. Use the locator tool on Crabbie's website for more.

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Carma's Cafe

When I'm not fulfilling my duties as Mr. Minx, one half of the Dining Duo, I toil as a fiction writer of modest repute. Since writing is a solitary vocation, it's nice to get out once in awhile and meet with fellow writers to share stories, commiserate about the dismal state of publishing, and generally talk about the craft of writing. That's why I enjoy getting together with friend and poet, Shirley Brewer, from time to time to have a cathartic chat. We usually meet at Belvedere Square, but they were doing some remodeling recently, so we decided to meet somewhere in her neighborhood of Charles Village. We ended up at Carma's Cafe.

Located on the corner of St. Paul and 32nd Streets, this tiny cafe has limited seating inside and some outdoor tables. Fortunately for us, the Johns Hopkins students were on summer break and it was not raining, so we got to enjoy our lunch outside. Carma's Cafe offers a wide selection of soups, salads, and breakfast items served all day. In addition to the regular menu, specials featuring seasonal ingredients are listed on plates hanging from the wall. Since it is tomato season, many of the specials featured that savory fruit. I opted for the Sourdough Grilled Cheese (apparently a perennial favorite) with a cup of their creamy tomato basil soup, while Shirley chose the BLT with a side salad.

After paying for our order, we were given our drinks and we went outside to scout for a table. We both ordered ginger beer and I believe this is exactly what ginger beer is supposed to taste like. I've had commercial products in the past that were disappointing because they tasted like ginger ale. Carma's ginger beer had the sharp ginger flavor I was expecting, like biting into a ginger snap. It also had just a hint of sweetness and the right amount of lemon to make it refreshing.

BLT with side salad

A few minutes after sitting down, our food arrived. Shirley's BLT held crispy bacon, ripe tomatoes, and mesclun greens between two slices of lightly toasted sourdough bread. The side salad provided another dose of mesclun. I thought it rude to ask for a bite, but Shirley seemed to enjoy it greatly.

Sourdough Grilled Cheese with Creamy Tomato Basil Soup

My sandwich was also on lightly grilled sourdough bread. The bread itself was hearty and held together well with the extremely gooey cheddar and Swiss cheeses. The soup had a rustic chunkiness to it and a good balance between the acidity of the tomatoes and the richness of the cream. The addition of basil gave it that fresh-from-the-garden quality that's perfect for a warm summer day.

If you're not in the mood for a meal, Carma's also offers coffee, frozen drinks, and cookies. It's a great place to spend some time relaxing, chatting, and watching the bustling activity along St. Paul Street.

Carma's Cafe
3120 Saint Paul St
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 243-5200
www.carmascafe.com





Posted on Minxeats.com.