Harriott’s Legacy Islander Ginger Beer (and More!)
The tropics: in a glass
You may notice a new face on the ginger beer block these days, adorning the aisles of local beer and wine shops in the area. Harriott’s Legacy Islander Ginger Beer, brewed with tastes and backgrounds straight from the Caribbean, takes the craft beverage game to an entirely new level.
Authentic, spiced, and sitting pretty at 5% ABV, it may even make a ginger beer snob out of you. You’ve been warned.
Freshness, Quality, and Flavor in Every Single Bottle
“We don’t need more stuff. We need high quality and meaning,” says Georgia Dunn, the founder (and brains) behind Harriott’s. The brewing process of her ginger beer consistently prioritizes quality over quantity, utilizing only simple components and a simple brewing process. In fact, there are only five ingredients that make up each batch: fresh ginger, sugar cane, citrus, Caribbean spices, and water.
As the president, CEO, and self-proclaimed “bottle-washer” of the company, Dunn works hard to ensure each product she puts out features superior taste and quality. “I’m not just trying to add something new to the beer aisle,” she explains.
If you’re seeking a bubbly, syrupy, “ginger-flavored” kind of ginger beer, look elsewhere. Unlike many ginger beers on the market, this one doesn’t rely on a saturation of sugar to boost its flavor profile.
In fact, you ginger enthusiasts will go effervescent at the snappy bite of this beverage. If your taste buds are a bit more wary, however, you may be well-suited to tamper it down in a dark ’n’ stormy or a mule of some sort – or give another one of Harriott’s products a shot. (Mango lovers: stay tuned.)
Ginger Beer Is Thicker Than Water: A Legacy Carried On
But there’s more to this well-made beverage than fresh ingredients and quality flavor; Harriott’s ginger beer sprouted from an entire legacy. The very recipe used in each batch has been around since 1585 – passed through Dunn’s family for numerous generations in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
“I didn’t choose the ginger beer, the ginger beer chose me!” she says, describing the inspiration to leave her job and focus on preserving the culture and community of generations before. “I felt this moral imperative to keep this food and beverage culture intact … It almost felt like I had 11 generations of people compelling me to do this.”
And everything about the product, in fact – from the packaging to the design to the name itself – pays homage to her ancestry.
And Now for the Twist…
After perfecting the world of ginger beer, Dunn expanded her product line to include hard lemonade (made “on accident”!) and mango mimosa (a nostalgic throwback to memories of her grandmother).
As you may have suspected by now, these beverages are also made with the purest of ingredients; in fact, each one only consists of filtered water, cane sugar, and its respective fruit. They’re both sweetly tart; plant-based and gluten-free; and – at 5% ABV – dangerously, dangerously delicious.
Mix It Up!
While all three beverages in the Harriott’s line of products are blissfully sippable on their own (especially when combined with a porch of some sort), they also make premium cocktail mixers.
Add bourbon, vodka, or tequila to the ginger beer for your preferred type of mule. Substitute your go-to margarita mix with Harriott’s hard lemonade for an upscale take on this classic cocktail. Pour a bottle of mango over a splash of coconut rum for a taste of “tropical paradise.”
Or blend any of the three drinks with Prosecco for a mimosa experience like you’ve never had before.
There are even food recipes – from ceviche to salad dressing to stew – enhanced by these beverages. Find all of the recommended Harriott’s recipes here!
Where to Get It…
Ready to get your hands (and your lips) on a taste of Harriott’s? Find their products in any Harris Teeter across the East Coast (more locally, in Williamsburg and Newport News), or pop into any of the following Richmond-area spots:
Cary Street Mini Mart
1317 W. Cary St.
City Dogs Fan
1309 W. Main St.
Corks & Kegs
7110 Patterson Ave.
De Fles Winkel
11355 Nuckols Road
Ellwood Thompson
4 N. Thompson St.
Oxford Cellars
2817 Hathaway Road
Total Wine
3500 Pump Road
Also available at the following grocery stores:
Kroger
14101 Midlothian Turnpike
Food Lion
13530 Waterford Place
Food Lion
2584 New Kent Highway
