Mount Desert Island Ginger
Atlantic Brewing Company - Town Hill / Mainely Meat BBQ

Mount Desert Island GingerMount Desert Island Ginger
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From:
Atlantic Brewing Company - Town Hill / Mainely Meat BBQ
 
Maine, United States
Style:
Herb and Spice Beer
ABV:
5.2%
Score:
77
Avg:
3.35 | pDev: 16.42%
Reviews:
134
Ratings:
218
Status:
Active
Rated:
Jul 03, 2021
Added:
Nov 04, 2002
Wants:
  3
Gots:
  14
A refreshing wheat beer spiced with fresh ginger root. The process of making this wheat beer has been nicknamed "special ginger tea", due to the fact that we add over 20 lbs. of fresh ground ginger root into the boil.

We use pale malt, and wheat, as well as Target and Whitbread Goldings Variation hops to flavor this light, summer ale.

Island Ginger is particularly popular during the warmer summer months, though thanks to the ginger kick it has, it would also be warming in the cold winter months.
Recent ratings and reviews. | Log in to view more ratings + sorting options.
Ratings by Gavage:
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Reviewed by Gavage from Nevada

3.8/5  rDev +13.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5
Appearance: pours a clear light orange with a nice fluffy 2" head. Some spotty lacing develops.

Smell: ginger is easily detectable.

Taste: green grapes, ginger, and some granny smith apples. Malt levels are lighter than expected, and there was a bit of lite bitterness.

Mouthfeel: crisp from start to finish. Lighter in body. Short aftertaste as onl some ginger linger briefly.

Drinkability: Not bad, but not great. A different beer that would probably go good with some Chinese stir fry. Interesting.
Apr 16, 2006
More User Ratings:
 
Rated: 2.5 by trickynicky from Maryland

Jul 03, 2021
Photo of cbutova
Reviewed by cbutova from Massachusetts

3.79/5  rDev +13.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
A- 12oz bottle pours a mostly clear golden brew into a glass with a small white cap. The head is about a cm tall at its highest with decent retention.

S- A malty base brew with plenty of fresh ginger to be found in the aroma. The grains suggest a sweetness and this is obviously a good pairing for the root. Ginger sweets with crackery and bready hints. A sheet of lace here and there.

T- A little bit less dynamic as compared to the aroma as the ginger loses some steam and there is less flavor from the malts and sweetness becomes more pronounced but nowhere near too sweet. Ginger root leads the way with a fresh and spicy flavor, medium sweetness and just a touch of light barley flavors. Ginger picks up with time.

MF- Light to medium overall body. The carbonation comes in at a moderate level and the brew has a foamy and frothy texture. Ends with spiciness on the palate.

A simple yet clean and well brewed ale that brings a fresh and spicy ginger flavor and most importantly a balanced drinking experience.
Nov 05, 2018
 
Rated: 3.38 by Justinprintz from New Jersey

Sep 27, 2018
 
Rated: 3.63 by Supergenou from Canada (QC)

Jul 30, 2018
 
Rated: 2.84 by kdivers from New Hampshire

Jun 04, 2018
 
Rated: 4.44 by Vylo from New Jersey

Oct 23, 2017
Photo of SABERG
Reviewed by SABERG from Massachusetts

3.83/5  rDev +14.3%
look: 3.75 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75
Poured from a 12 oz bottle into the test glass.
A - Slightly hazy amber/orange color. steady carbonation feeds a quick to leave cap.
Small residual clusters cling to the glass.
S - Surprisingly a bit of citrus, then the malt/wheat and the capped by ginger in the best way. Spicy white pepper and a hint of clove. With a change in yeast. add some esters this would border on Trappsist territory. Which I quite like.
T - Semi sweet start, then the balance swings to summer grain and ginger, real ginger. There is some citrus, orange skin and hints of lemon.
M - A bit thin, starts gently sweet, then a delightful spicy thread runs through, finish is again semi sweet with a mild ginger aftertaste.
O - The body of this offering is light-ish and the carbonation keeps things prickly. In warm months I could see having a few. The ginger addition to a wheat based beer is spot on. The hops and their schedule add a nice citrus component.
Oct 08, 2017
Photo of Lone_Freighter
Reviewed by Lone_Freighter from Vermont

3.99/5  rDev +19.1%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4
The appearance was a hazy orange amber body leaving a small half finger white head lasting for less than ten seconds. Small streams of carbonation were seen rising. There was barely any lacing. The smell had the ginger up front with some light malts coming out as the beer warmed, not much else going on. The taste was basically the same. On the palate, she sat about a medium and was sharp as hell, probably due to the ginger, so its expected (it tells me the ginger is real and not fake). For 5.2, I’d say this is fairly drinkable, but the sharpness of the ginger helps to bring it down a bit. Overall, I’m a big fan of ginger and actually really liked this.
Jun 11, 2017
 
Rated: 3.45 by rderedin from Maine

Mar 12, 2017
 
Rated: 3.58 by 22Blue from Kansas

Oct 17, 2016
Photo of Sabtos
Reviewed by Sabtos from Ohio

2.74/5  rDev -18.2%
look: 3 | smell: 2.75 | taste: 2.75 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5
Amber with a low retention head of peach-hued bubbles.

Smell is apple first, then light ginger--not spicy, sadly so.

Taste is bread, caramel, and that really light ginger again.

I like ginger, and I'm surprised to see that this has fresh ginger root in it, because ginger can often give you a kick like wasabi can, and while I wouldn't want to scorch people's taste buds, this just isn't what I expected and hardly has any ginger kick at all. I thought it was more like sprinkling some stale powdered ginger spice into the brew.

Medium body. Slightly fizzy. Meh.
Sep 19, 2016
 
Rated: 3.78 by Mikexw from New York

Aug 28, 2016
 
Rated: 3.71 by ChipChaight from New York

Aug 22, 2016
 
Rated: 3.08 by cuvtcuv from Florida

Jul 04, 2016
 
Rated: 3.42 by zimm421 from Ohio

Jun 25, 2016
 
Rated: 3.56 by leprechaunandfatman from Ohio

Jan 05, 2016
 
Rated: 3.27 by mmmbeerNY from New York

Oct 07, 2015
 
Rated: 3.59 by chicagoish from Pennsylvania

Sep 19, 2015
 
Rated: 3.33 by aknalley from Texas

Sep 09, 2015
Mount Desert Island Ginger from Atlantic Brewing Company - Town Hill / Mainely Meat BBQ
Beer rating: 77 out of 100 with 218 ratings