Good Juju (Ginger Ale) - Left Hand Brewing Company

Hopswagger

Oklahoma

3.05/5  rDev -9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

P:  Light Golden copper color with loads of carbonation flying to the top. No head but delicate and airy lacing on sides. 

S:  Sweet dry malts, gingersnap cookies, tangerines, sour dough, sea salt, toasted sesame seeds, and timid spiced hops. 

T/M:  Ginger and herbs backed by a subtle sweet malt. Once warned artificial lime, and a metallic taste becomes apparent. Light body kinda watery with prickly carbonation. Not as complex as the nose.  Some dried grains but mostly muted flavors. Finish is wet with a touch of building dryness and lingering honey and banana peels. 

O:  I didn't really know what to expect seeing that this was my first herb beer.  I think it was successful but boring at the same time.  Flavors were good but lackluster. I really want to try more of this style to truly see how this stacks up an I will revisit it in the future. 

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 00:48:42 | More by Hopswagger

kojevergas

California

2.5/5  rDev -25.4%
look: 2.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

12 fl oz brown glass bottle with standard pressure cap served into a nonical pint glass in me gaff in high altitude Castle Rock, Colorado. Expectations are below average; it's a ginger beer. Reviewed live.

Paired with pretzel rods.

Served straight from the refrigerator and allowed to warm over the course of consumption. Side-poured with standard vigor as no carbonation issues are anticipated.

A: Pours a half finger head of white colour, bad thickness, okay cream, and rather bad retention. Colour is a transparent light copper. No floating yeast particles are visible. No bubble show.

Sm: Ginger, tea, herbs, lime, and stale overdone malt. A pretty strong aroma, but far from an appealing one.

T: Ginger, herbs, clean malts, and a hint of artificial lime. Simple and poorly constructed. Structurally brief. Sans balance. Badly built, even for the style. Not at all complex or subtle.

Mf: Smooth and wet. A bit too thick. Sharp and overcarbonated. Doesn't suit the flavours all that well.

Dr: Drinkable but boring and bland. Not unique or special. Priced okay. I wouldn't have it again.

A poor candidate for aging.

Very High D+

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 05:09:03 | More by kojevergas

TubaManJack

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3

$2.50 loose bottle

I must put as a disclaimer that I love ginger and have had some great experiences with Ginger Ales in NZ.

Appearance
The colourful bottle yielded an average light yellow body. The head is rather drab and quickly falls away. The carbonation was quite apperaent.

Nose
A little fresh ginger on the nose along with some plain malts. There is also a bit of herbal hops tossed in there. Overall a bit weak in the nose.

Taste and Mouthfeel
The bulk of this beer's taste is similar to a generic non- adjunct lager with a slight ginger aftertaste. The ginger presence falls off after the halfway point and is hard to taste. I liked the mouthfeel it contained the right carbonation level and satisfying light.

Overall this beer seems best suited to follow mowing your lawn or after being in the hot sun. It has the right balance of a standard lager with a slight ginger twist. It's weaker than a shanty and leaves a bit for any ginger beer lover.

Serving type: bottle

06-11-2012 03:12:59 | More by TubaManJack

BeerForMuscle

New Jersey

3.85/5  rDev +14.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

A - Completely clear, bright golden body. Bubbly, thin white head. Looks like a drinkable lager.

S - Plenty of fresh ground ginger root in this bouquet. A sweetness that reminds me of candied ginger, or pickled ginger. There is a tropical fruit aroma maybe like guava and mango.

T - A great mouthful of ginger itself. They hit the nail on the head here. I'm glad to be able to taste plenty of the showcased special ingredient. The ginger profile is as close to the real thing as possible, as if it had been grated into my beer. The only thing is the spice factor is low, and the hop character of the beer is mild too, but very complimentary. A fruit sweetness is there, but non-distinct.

M - Light, effervescent and refreshing. Crisp and clean with a clean finish. Drinkable.

O - Once again, I love that the ginger shines. The main ingredient should be showcased and presented in its most natural form in my opinion. Well done.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 03:48:07 | More by BeerForMuscle

cincyfan90

Rhode Island

2.6/5  rDev -22.4%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 2 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Aroma: appealing, non overbearing ginger

Appearance: golden hue

Taste: slight ginger, however it has a watered down malty taste that is distracting. It is moderately dry.

Overall: This beer left no positive impression on myself; it is comparable to a ginger flavored mainstream lager such as coors light, etc

Serving type: bottle

05-28-2012 01:36:14 | More by cincyfan90

Traillama

Colorado

1.85/5  rDev -44.8%
look: 3 | smell: 1 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | overall: 1.5

I love anything with ginger but could not detect any ginger flavor. Metallic smell that affected the flavor. I'm fairly forgiving but this is a real disappointment. In order to get to my character minimum will add that it is a beautiful evening along the front range in Colorado.

Serving type: bottle

05-05-2012 04:19:19 | More by Traillama

gatornation

Minnesota

3.1/5  rDev -7.5%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

from 12 oz bottle

A- pour a mostly clear light amber color with very little head and a small white collar

S- ginger and malt with spice

T- was ginger first with malt and spice a little baked bread

M- was thin with low carbonation a little watery

O- spice and ginger lead this brew in a watery way its just average and uneventful low ABV makes it drinkable but not much going on here

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 22:25:10 | More by gatornation

jwhancher

Pennsylvania

3.6/5  rDev +7.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

Bought a variety pack last year. Had a bottle of this in my beer fridge stashed away. Bottled on date read 4/18/11. Popped the top and poured into a standard pint glass for review.

A: Pours a hazy copper with light amber tints. Not sure if the haze is from yeast or sediment or something else. Had a nice white head that eventually fades into a thin lacing.

S: Aroma screams ginger through and through. Some underlying malt sweetness but the ginger takes the cake here.

T: Again a strong ginger presence. Reminds me of making a pumpkin pie and sniffing the ginger spice right before adding it in with the rest of the ingredients. The ginger either lends or melds with a floral presence in the beer. Perhaps this is due to hop character or some other unknown. A very interesting taste - it's sort of like ginger tea in beer form.

M: Feels light & dry with an assertive hop bitterness at the tail end. Low alcohol makes this somewhat easy drinking if you can tolerate the ginger presence.

O: It's an interesting take on a spice beer. I don't mind it, but I'm not sure I'm a huge fan of ginger. With that being said, it's a well made beer that is mostly either love it or hate it. With me, I'm a bit in between. Then again, there's probably a reason this one sat in my fridge for close to a year.

Serving type: bottle

05-03-2012 00:49:44 | More by jwhancher

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.55/5  rDev +6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

very interesting brew, made with potent fresh ginger in high quantities. pours a clearish golden color with the slightest copper hue and an average thin white head. smells like fresh ginger, like a canada dry ginger ale softdrink. no hops to speak of here, just a sugary syrupy ginger essence. flavor is definitely featuring the ginger, but there are some pale malts in there to give some body, and a gentle hopping that combines with the ginger for a crisp refreshing finish. this isnt my favorte lefthand beer, but because of its bright carbonation and refreshing flavor, it would make a nice summer afternoon session. i also like it better than any other ginger beers ive had.

Serving type: bottle

03-26-2012 18:19:33 | More by StonedTrippin

RickS95

Indiana

2.9/5  rDev -13.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Pours an apricot/orange color. It's just cloudy enough that it's not clear. There is no head to speak of, the bubbles seemingly dissipating as they're poured.

Has a unique smell. The ginger is faint, with some hay and candied sugar.

The taste is unique as well, and not necessarily for the best. I wouldn't have guessed ginger, tastes like carrots and tomatoes.

It's a lighter bodied beer with little alcohol. There's no sweetness and only moderate spiciness. There's a slight tart bitterness in the finish that lingers.

Too strange for me. Maybe after I finish all of the six pack I'll have developed a taste for it, but not so far.

Serving type: bottle

02-25-2012 04:58:13 | More by RickS95

rfgetz

New Jersey

3.35/5  rDev 0%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Pours a hazed gold, lots of bubbles, prickly white head, gone quickly. Scent brings fresh ground ginger root and citrus rind, little touch of acidity hinted at, but little malt. Taste brings strong, fresh ground ginger root, mildly refreshing, touching on harsh, adequate citrus and lightly sweet malts, splash of acidity. Lighter side of medium bodied, very bubbly. Alright brew, not as refreshing as I would have hoped from the style.

Serving type: bottle

02-18-2012 16:38:02 | More by rfgetz

JizackFH

New York

2.7/5  rDev -19.4%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

I found this review in one of my old beer notebooks. I got this beer from a Left Hand mixed 12-pack.

A - This beer pours a slightly hazy orangish copper color. There is about two fingers of off-white bubbly head resting on top. The head has decent retention, and it leaves some scattered lace behind on the glass.

S - The nose has a lot of ginger as spice to it, as I expected. There are also some fruit aromas like peach, as well as some light malts and a pretty mild hop presence.

T - The taste is basically what the nose indicates. It starts off with light malts and a big ginger presence. There are some fruit flavors and a mild hop flavor. There is some sweetness on the back end. The finish leaves some lingering ginger behind on the palate. The ginger is a little much for me overall.

M - This has a medium body and average carbonation. It goes down easy and has a pretty smooth feel to it. There is some tingling on the tongue form the spices. Also, There is some sweetness and a mild hop bitterness.

O - This doesn't have the best drinkability. It goes down pretty easy, but the flavor just doesn't quite work for me. There is an odd sweetness at the end and just too much ginger for me. Overall, I think this is a unique beer that I'm sure some will enjoy, but it just wasn't really for me. It is worth trying though.

Serving type: bottle

01-23-2012 15:00:08 | More by JizackFH

scruffwhor

Illinois

2.68/5  rDev -20%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Coppery hue with justa slight haze. Quick head and no residual foam. Bubbling was sub-par.

Lightly toasted mlats, musty water?, minerals, and maybe some spice notes.

The toasted malts mixed with some earthy, musty hops and the ginger make for a musty, earthy and light bodied beer. Easy to drink thanks to teh watery mouthfeel, but lacking in flavor.

Serving type: bottle

12-29-2011 20:45:01 | More by scruffwhor

tsauce2

Indiana

3.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

P: 22 fl oz bottle in to a globe glass

A: SRM is harvest orange. Head is white, 1/4 in, dissipates to cover top of beer. Medium/heavy carbonation. Heavy lacing.

S: Ginger comes right off the top, followed by malt and hop. Slight carmel notes.

T: Malt and hop of an american ale, middle of the palate is hit with a gingerbread taste. Aftertaste is minimal.

M: Slightly chewy, sits lightly on the palate. Light body.

O: Interesting beer. Tastes like a good standard ale infused with gingerbread or ginger candy. Being that I like ginger, I like this beer.

Serving type: bottle

11-15-2011 14:22:04 | More by tsauce2

osusullins

Illinois

2.95/5  rDev -11.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

I'm honestly not impressed with this beer.

The look and smell of it are just blah. Pours a hazy gold with light head. Smell is faint of ginger and honey. Very subtle though. Not very aromatic.

Taste is just as boring. I get some almost metallic undertones and the ginger doesn't show up until the back end. Not my favorite offering from the good people at left hand.

Serving type: on-tap

10-31-2011 04:27:25 | More by osusullins

Florida9

Illinois

3.53/5  rDev +5.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: Gold in color. Clear. Forms a smallish white head that quickly fizzes away to the slightest ring around the edge. No lacing what so ever.

S: First note is of ginger. Ginger beer ginger. Light sweetness with a little citrus and a little honey.

T: Tastes remarkably like Reed's ginger beer. Really tastes much more like a "ginger beer" (the soda version) than I expected it would. Light honey sweetness. Ginger is the dominate flavor, but it is not overdone. Orange and sugar to a lesser extent, with a slight note of cream soda. Finishes with a slightly spicy sweetness.

M: Lighter side of medium in body with fairly heavy carbonation. Mild bitterness.

O: A pretty good beer. Rather refreshing. Sweetish and soda-like. Low ABV. Can't say I'd drink it again, but it wasn't bad. Just not my type of beer.

Serving type: bottle

10-29-2011 02:24:10 | More by Florida9

yemenmocha

Arizona

2.53/5  rDev -24.5%
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 2.5

Poured pale golden with thin head that didn't last. I found a light honeyed quality on the nose but then a hint of those hockey pucks in the men's urinals. On the palate, the ureic element was there as the ginger just wenttoo far and evoked a urine quality. Too much ginger. Light otherwise, with little to enjoy if you don't dig the ginger whollop.

Serving type: bottle

10-15-2011 04:07:03 | More by yemenmocha

womencantsail

California

3.58/5  rDev +6.9%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Thanks to Jeff for sending me this one.

A: The pour is a fairly clear golden color with a finger of white head.

S: Definitely has some ginger smell to it. Fairly citrusy as well, mostly sweet oranges. Some pale malt and bread aromas with a little bit of brown sugar.

T: Flavor-wise, it's not too bad. There is a nice sweetness to it of bread, brown sugar, caramel, and maybe even a little bit of vanilla. The ginger is mild at first, but comes on very strong toward the end.

M: Light to medium in body with a medium level of carbonation.

O: Was expecting a much more intense ginger flavor, but this wasn't overdone.

Serving type: bottle

10-09-2011 02:46:42 | More by womencantsail

Blueribbon666

Ohio

3/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Reviewed from notes. Had on-tap at a bar in downtown Columbus. I was eager to try this as I am a fan of Left Hand's stuff and wanted to try before buying a six of Good Juju. Appearance upon arrival was golden in color with very little head that left lacing around the glass. Smell of ginger is distinct and I'm wondering if this will be ginger overload or what as I take a sip...everything is present in the front, though no where near the ginger I was expecting, clean yet flat finish. Wow, I was not expecting this to be underwhelming, mild taste of ginger and a quick crisp honey like taste and even a little hop before a rather bland drop off...I'm very surprised with the mildness of the ginger, it's like a hint of ginger more smell then taste even. This was a one and done for me, not bad, just wanted a little more.

Serving type: on-tap

10-01-2011 13:57:54 | More by Blueribbon666

kylehay2004

Florida

3.68/5  rDev +9.9%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Enjoyed at the brewery.

A: Golden, clear nice lace with only a thin head

S: spicey and minty.

T: very light, semi sweet caramel malt. ginger notes.

M: light body and moderate carbonation.

Overall: Very drinkable beer. Nothing truly special otherwise.

Serving type: on-tap

09-29-2011 01:03:56 | More by kylehay2004

ZenAgnostic

Texas

3.4/5  rDev +1.5%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

Appearance - Clear gold body. Frothy barely off-white one-finger head with decent retention and low-moderate stick.

Smell - Faint banana and grainy musk. Can't really pick out the ginger. I take that back. After warming for a few mintues, the boquet really pops, with the ginger at the forefront.

Taste - Very light. Floral and sharp, but not astringent.

Mouthfeel - Light and watery.

Overall Drinkability - Almost worth trying once. Not a bad beer, just not terribly noteworthy. Would be interesting if it weren't so watery.

Serving type: bottle

09-28-2011 01:44:14 | More by ZenAgnostic

DaveBlack

Virginia

3.05/5  rDev -9%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

A: Light, honey colored beer with a 1/2 finger's width of head that goes away quickly and leaves no lacing worth mentioning.

S: Malts and a sweet ginger flavor. For how powerful ofva spice ginger is, the nose on this beer is almost non-existent. There is nothing beyond the malt and ginger and I find myself searching even to find that.

T: Taste is almost as mediocre as the nose. The malts hit up front along with a spiciness, then the beer fades into almost nothing, nothing to balance out the initial hit of flavors. It does leave a nice taste of ginger in my mouth, though, so it has that going for it...

M: This is one of those beers that the mouthfeel further hurts the beer. It just feels thin, and watery and out of balance. Light body, pretty light on the carbonation.

O: An underwhelming beer in almost every regard. Small on aroma, small on flavor, small on substance, no complexity. When I write that it sounds worse than it actually is. The fact is that there is just nothing to recommend this beer. Honestly, I would rather drink a normal (good) ginger ale, like Vernor's

Serving type: bottle

09-20-2011 22:09:09 | More by DaveBlack

tgorgz

Pennsylvania

3.95/5  rDev +17.9%
look: 3 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

P: Into a pint glass from a 12ozer.

A: A light amber colour. Almost nothing in terms of carbonation trails, no lacing or anything of the sort.

S: Ginger. Ginger. Ginger.

T: Well...like a lagered-out ginger ale. However, the ginger is more subtle than expected. You certainly get the yeast and a small bit of malt, then the ginger hits you. It's gentle and lends a very refreshing note.

M: Very light, crisp. This is (naturally) followed by refreshing. The carbonation actually pops in here and helps to enhance the ginger.

Will certainly have again! Good idea for a ginger ale substitute.

Serving type: bottle

09-05-2011 02:30:48 | More by tgorgz

PicoPapa

Connecticut

3/5  rDev -10.4%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

12oz bottle. Pours a translucent golden color with very little head. No lacing. Aromas of malt and spices. A bit earthy and floral. Taste is very thin and watery. There is some ginger flavor to it along with some malt. Doesn't pack much punch in the flavor department but I guess too much ginger would be tough to take. Bit of an odd aftertaste as well. Slightly metallic. I guess this would be alright in the summer, but I can see drinking more than one of these a day due to the spice flavor. Overall, I'm glad I tried it and I'm even happier that it was in a mix 12 pack and I didn't buy it on its own. Not really worth having again.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 15:05:23 | More by PicoPapa

bmwats

Louisiana

3.38/5  rDev +0.9%
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Poured from a 12 oz. bottle into a standard pint.

A: Amber hue. Plenty of bubbly carbonation clings to the sides of the glass. Pours a very slight, bubbly head; which quickly disappears altogether.

S: Light malty flavor, with a very light smell of ginger.

T: Light flavor of baked bread with ginger... not overwhelming though. There's some other indistinct spice notes in there, too. Very subtle.

M: Light (there's that word again), subtle body. Refreshing.

D: Goes down easy, nothing off-putting.

Atmosphere is okay. No real head or lacing to speak of. Nose is light as is the flavor. Overall, this is a good quaff.

Serving type: bottle

09-02-2011 04:54:14 | More by bmwats