Sharp ginger ale

Wilkinson Ginger Ale

Brand: Asahi Beverage

Price: 80 yen

Place of purchase: Belx Supermarket

Rating:

Asahi's Wilkinson carbonated drinks get their English name from a gentleman who lived in Hyogo Prefecture in the 19th century. On a hunting expedition, John Wilkinson discovered a naturally carbonated spring. Asahi turned the spring water into a brand name about 50 years ago. The brown label on the glass bottle indicates this one is the karakuchi, or spicy version, of Wilkinson ginger ale. It's got a very sharp flavor carried by the carbonation. It's supposedly popular as a bar mixer, and you might see these distinctive glass bottles at pubs.

I like to drink this ginger ale straight, but I can imagine using it in mixed drinks. It's very sharp and reminds me of old-fashioned ginger ale drinks I enjoyed in the UK and Canada, much sharper than typical ginger ale. The volume is low at 180 ml but it's worth it for the snappy flavor preserved better in glass than in aluminum containers. The Asahi Beverage website says the glass bottles are returnable. I usually put the bottles in my domestic recycling collection or the bins at the shops. I haven't discovered if you can return the bottles directly to Asahi.