Granite - Ginger Zing product reviews

I like a good ginger drink but I've had trouble drinking anything with a decent amount of ginger in it due this giving me acid burn, so I wanted to give this a try and see if not only could I handle the ginger but that it tasted good. I like the gold font on the front of the bottle and the imagery depicted, fits in line with the drinks promise of being good for you. There are directions for the minimum/maximum amount you should drink per day, age dependant, which I thought was good until you factor in that this is a 330ml bottle and the measurements depicted are 50ml and 100ml amounts... There's also no handy way to know how much you've had, so perhaps some 50ml volume indicators on the bottle.

When I opened the bottle up and took a sniff, all I could smell was the vinegar and that isn't a particular smell that I enjoy. It's also worth noting that you need to give this a gentle shake each time as it gets quite a bit of sediment settling at the bottle each time, a good indication that there are some more natural ingredients in this drink. Tasting it straight and I didn't like the taste at all, all I could taste was the vinegar. I decided to try it watered down and found it tasted like insipid vinegar, so not a drink I could make myself finish. My two daughters tried this and despite stating it was sour, both asked for more to drink, so I may not finish it, they will.

Ginger is one of the essential spices for any kitchen. It is versatile and has a kick to it but it does not overwhelm as chilli can do. I like the combination of the ginger with the cider vinegar as it adds a pleasant tartness and depth to the flavour but does not take over. Incidentally, it is important to shake the bottle before pouring as the sediment will otherwise all end up in the last day's drink!

This is the second variety I have tried in this range, and I am now attempting to decide whether or not it has had a positive effect on me. During the four days I have been trialling it so far, I have been pushing myself to the limit physically - long hours of work including quite a lot of walking and lifting, meals at odd hours of the day, and nowhere near enough sleep. (My normal night's sleep is around five hours or so and has been since I was a teenager, but this last week I have averaged just four.) So the fact that I am still alert and feeling energised may be due in part to the effect of the tonic. It will be interesting to see what happens to my system healthwise if I stop taking it now.

The bottle, like the others in the range, is attractively designed with green bands enclosing gold lettering on a white background It is not fussy as some labels can be. I did find it strange that the website referred to on the label is out of date - when I went to access it I was immediately directed to a new website for Lifeforce Tonics - presumably this is the original website revamped and renamed.

I would like to see some form of measure included on the bottle as it is difficult to work out a 50ml or 100ml quantity without physically measuring it. The measure could be printed on the label which would make it more user-friendly. Also, having a 330 ml bottle meant I was trying to work out whether it was better to make it last four days and have a quarter of the bottle (82.5 ml) each day or just have 110 ml each day for three days, There is nothing on the bottle to suggest which way would be the most effective. The product is quite expensive so clearly it is important that consumers get the best value out of it.

To complete the experiment, I would like to continue for a few weeks and then stop for a couple to see if there is any change in energy levels and general feelings of wellbeing. I don't think that stopping after one bottle is going to prove things one way or the other. But never mind. At the end of the day, it is an enjoyable drink and one which is certainly going to cause no harm!

One of the things that attracted me to this brand was its use of adjectives in the name; Zing, Glow, Blast, they are all rather descriptive and hopefully gives a better idea of what to expect from the beverage. The packaging is rather unique in that it combines a glass bottle with a plastic top; usually you would find plastic bottles with a plastic top, or glass bottles with a metal cap. The labeling itself is spacious and elegant, with gold lettering, and looking at the product head on, there are only 8 visible words. Very minimalistic.

Interesting to read the serving suggestions of 50mL combined with 50mL water for under 5, maximum 100mL for children over 5, and minimum 100mL bottle daily for adults. It's honestly rather surprising to see a company recommend that you restrict your consumption, but it also gives me a positive feel for the company; that they aren't just trying to make me buy and consume as much as possible. It must be said, however, that if they recommend 50mL or 100mL, it would be nice to have some kind of indicator on the bottle as to how much either of those measurements would be as the bottle hold 330mL. Even just a simple set of lines or dots vertically along the bottle.

Best before on the product I received is dated for July 2017. This is another indicator of a healthier product. I generally find the longer the shelf-life of the product, the more preservatives and additives that have been put into it. Although the words "Raw" and "Organic", which are emblazoned across the front of the label are also a good indicator of this.

The drink itself is rather light and cloudy, and comes with some suspended solids, so be sure to mix properly before consumption. I actually had a bit of trouble getting the plastic cap off as it would slip over the thread of the bottle rather than separating from the seal, but once the seal was broken, the cap was very easy to remove and replace (very useful when it comes to getting multiple portions from the one bottle).

The scent isn't immediately obvious, unless you hold your nose right up to the bottle, at which point you can definitely feel the tang from the apple cider vinegar. With 8% Apple Cider Vinegar (the largest constituent of the beverage apart from filtered rain water), the flavour is very different to what I have ever had in a drink. Quite an odd flavour profile, where the senses are immediately attacked by the vinegar. The flavour is incredibly strong and sour, but disappears within seconds, leaving you with a faint ginger taste on the tongue.

In all honesty, I found it to be a little harsh (and I now know why they recommend mixing with water for young children), almost burning when I swallow it. Not the most pleasant drinking experience, but they do tend to say, if you don't like it, it must be good for you. You just have to google "Apple Cider Vinegar" to find a barrage of articles and websites claiming medicinal properties of the ingredient.

The harshness of the vinegar does make it feel more refreshing, and there is little smell on the breath after consumption, which is a big positive if consuming in the workplace. Not my cup of tea though. The ginger is far too weak (only 2.6%) for my palate, and probably needs a bit more honey (4.6%) to balance out the acidity of the apple cider vinegar. Nice to have some variety in drink types. On an ending note, after consuming half of the bottle, I refilled the bottle with cold water, and found the vinegar to be much more palatable. I would definitely recommend diluting beforehand.