Bundaberg Root Beer

Made by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks P/L

Origin: Australia

Imported into the UK by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks UK Pty Ltd

Root beer originates in Philadelphia, USA, where it was first developed as a herbal tea formula and then as a soft drink marketed to miners and the mining community, from where it's popularity grew. Root beer is still strongly associated with North America, however related drinks made using roots, tree barks, herbs and spices exist in many countries (examples being Ginger beer and Dandelion & Burdock in the UK). The original flavouring components of this drink were Sassafras tree root bark, together with Acacia bark. As health concerns gradually surfaced with the use of Sassafras, Sarsaparilla and other complementary herbs, spices and fruits were introduced to flavour the brew.

Bundaberg Root Beer is a dark chocolate brown colour, fading slightly at the rim of the glass. The drink is sparkling and as with other Bundaberg drinks, the bubbles here are very small and rise gradually to the surface from specific points in the glass (as with a fine sparkling wine). There are some small particles floating in suspension.

On the nose a reminder of the medicine cabinet, with a creamy menthol scent: Muscle rub ('Deep Heat' cream), plus notes of vanilla, treacle and malt extract.

Moving to the palate, the initial taste is of a herbal cola, with vanilla and creamy menthol, followed by dark sugary flavours (molasses, treacle, malt..). A refreshing bite evolves towards the finish, bringing grassy, salted caramel and leaving a trace of liquorice in the aftertaste.

There is a lovely restrained balance at work here, with supple, round flavours loaded with nuance, and just the right amount of bite to cleanse the palate.

As with other Bundaberg drinks, this is a real 'thinking man's' soft drink, whereby the quality of ingredients used allied to traditional production methods produce a captivating experience.

Packaging claims: Naturally brewed to be better, traditionally brewed, plus tbc

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, sasparilla root, vanilla bean, ginger root, liquorice root, molasses, sasparilla flavour, caramel, acid (citric acid), yeast, preservatives (E211, E202), Antioxidant (E300)

Price: Should be about £1.40-£1.50 for a 340ml glass bottle, available from Waitrose and selected supermarkets, and specialist retailers

Bundaberg Ginger Beer

Made by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks P/L

Origin: Australia

Imported into the UK by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks UK Pty Ltd





Bundaberg Brewed Drinks have been making traditional soft drinks using natural ingredients since 1960. They are based in the town of Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia. Due to overwhelming popular demand we present our review of perhaps their most well known product, the Bundaberg Ginger Beer...

This is a pale, cloudy off white colour. When poured out the drink is gently sparkling, translucent and with a light yellow tint to the colour.

The aroma is fresh, up front and citrussy at first, with a distinct lemon barley theme. The warmth of ginger follows some way behind. This is quite subtle and restrained for a ginger based drink, appetising and with a moist gingercake sweetness.

On to the palate, where citrus flavours (lemon and orange) and the light-medium body make a fresh, fluid impression. The ginger notes arrive in fine understated style, with a controlled force, and without the raw burn or aggression found in some ginger beers.

There is a long finish to this, with rolling ginger now and a subdued pepper bite, recalling more sweet fruit than fiery spice. As with its stablemate, this is a soft drink that clearly demonstrates what can be done with a dedication to quality ingredients and deft handling.

Packaging claims: Naturally brewed to be better, always cloudy, full of real ginger pieces, traditionally brewed, the natural flavours of ginger

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, ginger root, natural flavours, acid (citric acid), yeast, preservatives (E211, E202), antioxidant (E300)

Price: Should be about £1.40-£1.50 for a 340ml glass bottle, available from Waitrose and selected supermarkets, and specialist retailers

Bundaberg Lemon Lime & Bitters

Made by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks P/L

Origin: Australia

Imported into the UK by: Bundaberg Brewed Drinks UK Pty Ltd

This sparkling soft drink is a pale pink colour, clear and bright, with fine bubbles that rise steadily to the surface from various points in the glass.

On the nose a deep lime aroma: Key lime pie, dusted with allspice, plus notes of ginger and quinine. This is very appetising. As with many lemon & lime drinks, the lemon struggles to compete with its more delicate freshness.

On the palate a juicy and nicely concentrated lime flavour, followed by soft cinnamon. Persistent, mouthwatering and with a lovely tart balance...this is refreshing stuff. The bitters flavours add a spicy dimension: Cloved orange, ginger and quinine. They bring a light bitterness with them, perfectly balanced between the sugar and citrus. The cinnamon note that made an early appearance now lingers on the finish.

Packaging claims: Naturally brewed to be better, crafted from real lemons and limes, [naturally brewed] from real herbs and tropical spices

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, lime juice from concentrate (6.3%), bitters brew (4.8%) (water, cane sugar, tropical spices, gentian root, yeast), lemon juice from concentrate (0.8%), acid (citric acid), antioxidant (E300), flavour, colour (E120), preservatives (E211, E220)

Price: Should be about £1.40-£1.50 for a 340ml glass bottle, available from Waitrose and selected supermarkets, and specialist retailers

Pony Malt

Made by: Bavaria S.A.

Origin: Colombia

Imported into the UK: (tbc- sample bought in Spain)





This sparkling malt drink is a dark chocolate brown colour. The fine bubbles create a light 'head' on the drink, like a stout. The colour fades at the rim of the glass and takes on a greenish hue.

The aroma on the nose is pure malt extract, and there is a lovely scent of caramel. To add to this there is a treacly sweetness akin to a dark porter ale. As the drink warms up the aroma changes shape and becomes much drier, like cereal husks, and we detected more savoury notes of instant coffee granules and Marmite.

On the palate this drink starts dry, light and with a pronounced cereal husk flavour (think of a hay barn). Malt soon takes over, adding a little richness, with the taste of caramel, burnt sugar and a roasty note (reminds me of stout). A fresh, acidic quality now emerges to add a sense of balance, before the ride ends in a short finish.

Packaging claims: Nutritious and refreshing energy; refreshing drink of extracts

Ingredients: Water, Sugar, barley malt, carbon dioxide, colour caramel E150c, citric acid E330, flavourings, Niacin, Riboflavin and Thiamine

Price: Should be about €0.80/£0.70 for a 330ml glass bottle. Availability in the UK tbc

A & W Root Beer

Made by: F & N Coca-Cola Pte Ltd

Origin: Singapore

Imported into the UK: Cadbury Schweppes plc

Root beer originates in Philadelphia, USA, where it was first developed as a herbal tea formula and then as a soft drink marketed to miners and the mining community, from where it's popularity grew. Root beer is still strongly associated with North America, however related drinks made using roots, tree barks, herbs and spices exist in many countries (examples being Ginger beer and Dandelion & Burdock in the UK). The original flavouring components of this drink were Sassafras tree root bark, together with Acacia bark. As health concerns gradually surfaced with the use of Sassafras, Sarsaparilla and other complementary herbs, spices and fruits were introduced to flavour the brew.

This root beer is an intense chestnut brown colour, bright and clear, lightly carbonated and fading to a slightly lighter shade of brown at the rim of the glass.

The nose is fragrant and very particular: Menthol (reminds me of Deep Heat cream), while aromas of sticky toffee, vanilla and milk chocolate Digestive play supporting roles.

The palate is sweet at first, with very light (read well-diluted) flavours of molasses, soft brown sugar and earthy caramel leading to menthol and lavender. These then disperse in a short finish, leaving behind a lightly mouth-numbing sensation of menthol and clove in the aftertaste.

Packaging claims: Since 1919, Product of Singapore

Ingredients: Carbonated water, sugar, caramel colour, flavourings, preservative (sodium benzoate), citric acid

Price: Should be about £0.70 for a 330ml can, from specialist retailers

Laziza ‘Apple’ non-alcoholic malt beverage

Made by: Brasserie Almaza SAL

Origin: Lebanon

Imported into the UK by: Heineken UK Ltd





Laziza is a golden yellow carbonated drink. In this version the initial aroma of ripe 'Golden Delicious' apple peel is followed by the slightly heavier scent of warm cereal grains, and finally a sharp note (almost pleasantly acetic).

On the palate there are flavours of caramelised baked apple, then a sprinkling of brown sugar on top of biscuity malt (think of a crumble topping), with the sugars balancing the bitterness of hops on the finish.

Packaging claims: 0.0% alcohol, Since 1931, product free from genetically modified ingredients

Ingredients: Water, malted barley, maize, sugar, hops, citric acid, nature identical apple flavour

Price: Should be about £0.90 for a 330ml glass bottle, from specialist retailers

Laziza ‘Regular’ non-alcoholic malt beverage

Made by: Brasserie Almaza SAL

Origin: Lebanon

Imported into the UK by: Heineken UK Ltd





Laziza is a golden yellow carbonated drink. The nose is clean and direct, beer-like with a pronounced aroma of freshly malted cereal grains.

The light but clean palate is moderately bitter, with flavours of roasted cereal grains, malt extract and containing a warmer piquant citrus note (imagine a Seville orange). The lingering bitterness on the finish fades to leave a citrusy aftertaste.

Packaging claims: 0.0% alcohol, Since 1931, product free from genetically modified ingredients

Ingredients: Water, malted barley, maize, hops, citric acid, nature identical malt flavour

Price: Should be about £0.90 for a 330ml glass bottle, from specialist retailers