Good Juju (Ginger Ale) - Left Hand Brewing Company

denver10

Colorado

2.85/5  rDev -15.2%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.25

Pours an orangish golden with a slight white head. Smell is pretty much straight up pickled ginger, like I what you get at a sushi bar. A touch of sweet malt is hiding out in there too though. Flavor follows suit, A crisp, active mouthfeel. Overall, the beer is bright, crisp and refreshing but you better love pickled ginger to dig this. Unfortunately for me, I don't like picked ginger.

Serving type: bottle

05-15-2013 02:39:03 | More by denver10

swingdjted

Ohio

2.98/5  rDev -11.3%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3

You know, this is rated pretty low outside of Beeradvocate. But you know what? Although it's nothing to write home about, it's a decent beer. I only bought one bottle at a store where I usually buy a bunch of singles, but had I bought a 6-pack, I wouldn't be upset. I don't always have the best vocabulary when describing beers, but I can at least say that I'm not one to favor one style too much over another, and I've tried over a thousand different beers (although I've only rated a few), and this one doesn't belong at the bottom of the list; maybe just below the middle. Not bad.

Serving type: bottle

05-13-2013 02:14:26 | More by swingdjted

ThePorterSorter

New York

3.88/5  rDev +15.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

The beer pours a clear honey-golden color with almost no head or visible carbonation. The nose is spicy, profoundly gingery, with a touch of molasses-like sweetness. The taste is as expected with good malt sweetness playing off the ginger like a ginger snap. Unfortunately, this beer was severely undercarbonated and came across as being a bit too syrupy. It also lacked the ginger bite that I was expecting in the aftertaste. Overall, this beer is tasty, worth trying, probably pairs well with many spicy food options, but isn't a repeat.

Serving type: bottle

05-10-2013 00:34:14 | More by ThePorterSorter

CloudStrife

New York

3.64/5  rDev +8.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.5

12oz bottle poured into a tulip. Best by 10/14/13.

A: Pours a clear amber with a one finger off white head. Lots of tiny bubbles visible in the body. No real lacing.

S: Ginger is very prevalent as soon as you pour the beer into a glass. A bit like a kitchen cleaner.

T: As anticiapted this has a load of ginger in it. There is some malt in the background that evens it out. Reminds me of a ginger chicken.

M: Light to medium body with a decent amount of carbonation. Fairly clean finish from the ginger. Easy drinking.

Overall very refreshing and a good summer beer. If youre not into ginger stay away but worth a try if youre into the flavor. Can only imagine pairing this with some Thai food.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 17:22:06 | More by CloudStrife

BucannonXC5

California

3.65/5  rDev +8.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Type: 12-oz. bottle
Glass: Hotel glass (half pint, half snifter)
From: Wilbur’s Total Beverage in Fort Collins, Colo.
Price: Part of a variety 6-pack for $9.99
Purchased: May 2, 2013
Consumed: May 2, 2013
Misc.: Best by Sept. 18, 2013 (I think, tough to read on bottle)

Poured a copper orange clear color with 1-2 fingers of off-white head. Minimal lacing. Below average retention.

Smelled cough drops, ginger and Lemon Drops. Felt like I was sick, but this is a good smell!

Ginger dominates the taste, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After ginger I still got cough drops, lemon and honey. Not ideal for a beer, but something different for sure. Felt like I was preventing myself from getting sick.

Light body. Thin texture. Soft carbonation. Long, cough suppressant, watery finish.

Probably the first Ginger-type beer I’ve tried, but I didn’t hate it. I’d probably try it again.

Serving type: bottle

05-04-2013 04:54:10 | More by BucannonXC5

Jacurdy60

Alabama

3.63/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.25 | smell: 4.75 | taste: 3.25 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A-Pours a pale orange color with a thin, carbonated white head and poor retention.

S-Ginger (obviously), ginseng, orange spices. Pretty up front

T-The ginger mellows out but comes in strong again in the back of the palate. Simple brew.

MF-Carbonated, crisp, and a dry finish

O-First time I've had the style and it's not too bad. A good, unique session beer

Serving type: bottle

05-01-2013 01:00:55 | More by Jacurdy60

jondeelee

Massachusetts

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Good Juju opens to a fragrant nose that is somewhat reminiscent of the pink pickled ginger slices that come with sushi, for while the ginger is present in here, it’s far more subtle than that fresh off the root, muted and subtly pepper-spicy, though thankfully devoid of the vinegary sushi-ginger notes. Instead, here it comes across more like ginger tea, or ginger cookies, the ginger mixed with brown sugar and lending the fruit esters a darker tone, bringing out dates, figs, and maraschino cherries, as well as bits of orange. Given these aromas, there’s a distinct fruitcake feel here, though a fruitcake devoid of heavy spices. The beer is light and airy despite the dark fruit esters – again, like tea aromas – and bits of toast crust and biscuit do add earthy notes, combining with the ginger to produce bready gingersnap whiffs. As a whole, the aromas are nice, though obviously bearing little resemblance to a beer, and the ginger does mostly overwhelm everything else; a bit more sugary oomph would have helped the balance.

On the tongue, the ginger does have a lesser presence, still detectable, but at least allowing other notes to shine through. The gingersnaps and unspiced fruitcake overtones are still present, with brown sugar, vanilla, date, fig, maraschino cherry, and orange mixing with brown breads, biscuits, and toasted wheat bread. The underlying flavors are rather light, however, and it feels as if the beer would be rather weak on its own, made flavorful mainly because of the ginger. Towards the end of the mouthful there’s a strong sensation of ginger ale, as if this were more soda than beer. The aftertaste is also ginger ale, with bits of toast and grapefruit, and the ginger notes last for a good while. Mouthfeel is medium-light, and carbonation is medium.

Overall, this comes across as a rather watery pale ale into which a large dollop of ginger has been added. The ginger notes by themselves are nice, but could use a stronger support group. On the other hand, the ginger and weaker beer notes mean this would make a good accompaniment to a plateful of sushi, and the overall lightness makes for decent summer fare.

Serving type: bottle

04-25-2013 19:10:43 | More by jondeelee

mattkoon

South Carolina

4.08/5  rDev +21.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

i got my growler filled with this yesterday at my local beer store. i have never had a ginger beer before. i actually like this a pretty good bit. the smell is pretty packed with ginger. the taste is good too...i think there is a nice little ginger taste here also. the only complaint that i have is that there is a pretty week finish. i would like for the flavor to push on through. but over all this is a worthy effort.

Serving type: growler

04-18-2013 21:13:45 | More by mattkoon

Cylinsier

Pennsylvania

3.1/5  rDev -7.7%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.75 | overall: 3

12 oz.

Pours a light gold with a sudsy white head that dissipates quickly.

Smells of light citrus, lemongrass, and ginger root.

Tastes of mild grassy malts, lemongrass, and slight ginger.

Light body with thin carbonation.

A so-so beer, could stand to have more ginger to it. Nothing bad about it, but it just feels bland. Worth trying if you like beers flavored with ginger, but probably not otherwise.

Serving type: bottle

04-17-2013 01:33:36 | More by Cylinsier

Mitchster

Michigan

2.8/5  rDev -16.7%
look: 2.25 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.75

$1.99 for a 12oz bottle @ BevCo. Brewed with Pale 2-row, Munich, Light Crystal, Flaked Barley and ginger. Hopped with Centennial, US Golding and Sterling.
10 SRM, 4.5% ABV, OG=10P, 20 IBU's.

Pours out to a medium golden, forming a small wite head with poor retention and minimal lacing. Carbonation is moderate, ~2.5 carbs. The nose is redolent with ginger and oolong tea, slightly toasty, like genmai rice tea too. Mouthfeel is watery like soda, light and crisp with a very light body. The taste opens with ginger followed by some subtle malts with a hint of toast, giving it a "beer" taste. Bitterness is very mild, just enough to add balance. The ginger is not overwheleming. It's not subtle, but adds a nice dimension while not overwhelming the taste buds. It's not hot either. Finish is literally non existent, watery, with some lingering metallic bitterness and ginger flavor.

An interesting but ultimately not very drinkable beer. I certainly would never buy a 6-pack of this, even if I were looking for a summer thirst quencher. It just doesn't strike that balance. It's not that it's a bad beer, it's just not something I really care for. The body is way too thin and watery and there isn't any malt to back up the taste. It needs more residual sweetness and body. If they adjusted the recipe to do that, it could potentially attract some of the ginger ale crowd.

Serving type: bottle

04-09-2013 00:17:08 | More by Mitchster

Wildeman

Michigan

2.86/5  rDev -14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.25 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 2.25 | overall: 3

I had a little bit of high hopes for this beer cause I am a fan of Left Hand Brewing, but alas I was left unfulfilled and disappointed. There is no body and very little flavor. There was the essence of ginger, but that quickly disapeared. A bit of ginger in the aroma but overall this beer was lackluster. If not for that little essence of ginger this beer would be completely bland. Long story short, I will probably never have this beer again.

Serving type: bottle

03-20-2013 01:58:16 | More by Wildeman

dar482

New York

3.48/5  rDev +3.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.25 | overall: 3.25

It has a stanky ginger smell and a very slight ginger taste to it. Being brewed with ginger, it actually tastes like a regular light pale ale except that little hint of flavor in the beginning. You keep wanting to drink more and more because of how short that flavor lasts. Personally, I would love this beer with more spices and aromatics to it. Something to give it more layering other than a tasting like a plain beer with a gentle gift at the beginning.
You keep wanting to go in to get that initial flavor, but it dissipates so fast and really needs to be more well rounded.

Serving type: bottle

02-09-2013 20:42:11 | More by dar482

AmitC

Indiana

3.63/5  rDev +8%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Well herbs. Ginger is a good one. Beer though gingerish, is not very huge on that.

Very clear, amber copper color. Little head, which goes away soon. I pour very diligently, so it will be way off others. Decent amount of bubbles coming up.

Smells a lot of ginger and some honey. No other distinct smell there. Not of malt, not of other ales.

Taste is a bit disappointing in that ginger is very mild. It is felt when it goes in. Sweeter at the beginning, may be due to use of some honey, to subdue the bitter herbal ginger. Somewhat more ginger and it could have well been a herbal anit cold-cough medicinal ale. You feel more ginger when you go on drinking.

Very light feel. Not a lot of carbonation.

Because of its herbal nature, more than 1 12 ounce bottle is not at all possible for me.

Decent ale overall.

Serving type: bottle

10-13-2012 01:29:46 | More by AmitC

Lare453

Florida

2.3/5  rDev -31.5%
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

12oz into a dfh glass

a clear copper color with a bright white two finger thick head. head dissipates at a medium pace, and there is some lacing left over

s wheat, tin, not very pleasant

t very bland, flat beginning with a light ginger middle. the ending is also bland with some light wheat. almost no aftertasste

m a little too thick, barely any carbonation, feels flat on the toungue

o eh... mediocre at best. i would not actively seek this beer out...

Serving type: bottle

10-05-2012 04:47:48 | More by Lare453

LiquidAmber

Washington

3.43/5  rDev +2.1%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Review from 2/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours a light yellow amber with a minimal white head and little lacing. Aroma of ginger and faint malt. Flavor is very dry with a hint of honey with ginger at the start, then just ginger, finishing with a dry, faint light hop and lager malt flavor. The ginger is nice, but little else going on. Light bodied.

Serving type: bottle

08-07-2012 18:23:53 | More by LiquidAmber

Danny1217

Florida

3.23/5  rDev -3.9%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

Pours orange-amber with a white head that quickly dissipates. Smells mostly just like ginger. Ginger really dominates this beer as a whole. I'm not getting much else from the taste either. Rather light body and medium coronation.

How much enjoyment is had from those beer depends on how Much you like ginger.

Serving type: bottle

08-03-2012 00:46:19 | More by Danny1217

yuenglingfan101

Indiana

4.23/5  rDev +25.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

great beer. smell and taste of ginger really is so soothing. nothing special about the appearance or mouthful but it lives up to the name it is given "good juju" I think i'll be drinking some more good juju soon and often. Left Hand does it again!!!!

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 17:52:33 | More by yuenglingfan101

schlimenhaumer

New York

2.63/5  rDev -21.7%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 1.5 | overall: 3

Poured from the bottle into a Miller Lite pint glass at high altitude outside Denver, CO.

A: Pours a clear pale yellow color with a minimal white head that leaves little lacing.

S: Smells like candied ginger with a little bit of malt body. Almost no hop character here.

T: Basically tastes like a ginger chew in beer form. Ginger up front with some malt body for support. The finish is unfortunately quite watery. A bit of bitterness builds the more you drink.

M: Very thin, watery and undercarbonated. The worst aspect of this beer in my opinion.

O: If you're a fan of ginger, you might enjoy this beer. As a ginger drink, it's actually quite enjoyable, but as a beer, it fails in several respects.

Serving type: bottle

07-21-2012 13:07:15 | More by schlimenhaumer

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.58/5  rDev +6.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3

Picked a bottle of this up at Russell's in Amherst, poured into my Duvel tulip.

A - Pours a deep, clear amber honey hue with a fizzy half a finger head that fades to lave a thin cloud and blanket.

S - Nose is lots of sweet malts, some light honey, and spicy ginger. Wish the ginger was a bit stronger.

T - Lots of malty sweetness, some light honey with some faint spicy ginger in the background. The ginger comes out a bit more as this warms up. Needs more ginger.

M - The mouthfeel isnt too too bad with this, nice for an herbed beer. Crisp, nice and refreshing for a warm day.

O - Overall though I Was rather disappointed with this beer. I was expecting ALOT more ginger but instead I have a much more malt heavy beer than I prefer. Oh well, for the $2 it cost me its not too bad.

Serving type: bottle

07-17-2012 16:27:59 | More by rudzud

Stinkypuss

Pennsylvania

3.4/5  rDev +1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

Good Juju (Ginger Ale)
Left Hand Brewing Company
Style: Herbed / Spiced Beer
ABV: 4.00 %

Pours a hazed golden color, fizzy white foam cap stays a while and leaves some rings of lace. In the smell, herbs, lemongrass, ginger and wheat. A bit of a bready smell lingers and the ginger is right there. The taste follows the nose with a solid dose of ginger, herbal tea, lemon grass, and earthy hop notes. There is definitely some citrus and wheat malt flavors. Lots of ginger and a semi dry clean finish. Medium bodied and well carbonated. Overall, an interesting beer with a unique flavor twist. Had it paired with Asian BBQ wings, pretty decent.

Serving type: bottle

07-14-2012 17:07:42 | More by Stinkypuss

JuicesFlowing

Kansas

3.6/5  rDev +7.1%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured into a standard pint glass.

Looks -- The beer is a dead-ringer for apple juice. Quickly dissipating head that leaves light lacing.

Smells -- Ginger, light sweetness.

Tastes -- Very light herbal sweetness up front, I'm trying to decide if the ginger is about right. I think it is, there are no cloying factors here.

Feels -- Uber light bodied, like water. A dry carbonated finish.

Overall -- Interesting, it almost doesn't feel or taste like a beer in any way. I'll enjoy the sixer, but won't be visiting this one again.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 14:14:39 | More by JuicesFlowing

soju6

Missouri

3.63/5  rDev +8%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Pours a copper color with a decent head that fades to some lacing.

S: Aroma of ginger, fresh grain with some malt sweetness and spice.

T: Taste of mild malt sweetness with a tart lemony nip and some spice in the background. Nice bitterness and a very clean finish.

F: Fairly medium body, very crisp and refreshing. Interesting character.

O: Not a bad beer, much better than I expected. Seems to go best with the summer weather.

Serving type: bottle

06-29-2012 11:59:01 | More by soju6

ChrisPratz

3.38/5  rDev +0.6%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

A: Nice amber coloring, pours to about a fingers worth of head that dissipates to a blotchy patch of lace across the top and around the edges.

S: Some hoppyness with a light ginger aroma as well. Not very aromatic.

T: Nice malty sweetness at the start makes way to a very nice combination of piney hops and ginger spicyness. Flavors are nice and crisp and your left with a very very mild bitterness.

M: Light carbonation, works well with the piney spicyness of the ginger and hops tag team. Left with a slight biscuit flavor on the palette that gives the impression of dryness however its not very dry. Hard to describe.

O: Not a bad brew overall. Nice mix of ginger spice with the piney hops. Wouldn't wanna have more then one or two at a time but another good job by the guys at Left Hand Brewing walking the wire and experimenting with different flavor combinations.

Serving type: bottle

06-26-2012 04:34:04 | More by ChrisPratz

DavidST

Texas

3.5/5  rDev +4.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz bottle into a pint glass, oddly the freshness date is blank on this one. This pours a fizzy short lived white head, this color is an almost golden color. The smells are of ginger, a little sweetness, no real hop presence. The feel is medium to light. The taste is okay, a nice amount of ginger, a little bitterness from the ginger, okay not bad.

Serving type: bottle

06-25-2012 05:30:41 | More by DavidST

DrDemento456

Pennsylvania

3.35/5  rDev -0.3%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A - Color is a very light amber brown, clear with a 1/4 inch of head that quickly reduces to a mild lace ring.

S - Smells of mild ginger, touch of honey, and some lager yeast.

T - Well it's kind of like a real ginger ale, with less sugar and some hops. It is a step above your typical lager base and even if the ginger is quite mild it works well. Surprisingly refreshing.

M - Light bodied and carbonation was good.

Overall its not really distributed around here (like every left hand brew) but it wasn't as bad as I thought. Worth trying if you like ginger ale.

Serving type: bottle

06-22-2012 16:17:53 | More by DrDemento456