Real Farm Grown Ginger in Every Bundaberg Ginger Beer

When people ask what the secret is behind Bundaberg Ginger Beer tasting so incredibly good, the answer is actually quite simple. We use the world’s best ginger. Not just a ginger flavouring – the real thing! That’s why you can turn a bottle of Bundaberg Ginger Beer upside down before popping the lid and actually see granules of finely ground ginger swirling through the brew. When you start with a raw, real natural ingredient this good, half the job is already done. But there’s still much, much more crafting to come!

It’s no coincidence that world class Ginger Beer comes from here in Australia. The land down under boasts the perfect climate for growing ginger, with rich fertile soils, clean open fields and fresh blue skies. Together, these ideal conditions set the stage for a world-renowned ginger flavour to flourish.

The Australian ginger growing industry is mainly located in South-East Queensland on the East Coast of Australia. The majority of Queensland’s farms are located along coastal areas between Bundaberg and Gatton. Ginger grows best in wet tropical and subtropical climates and will also grow well in the tropical regions that have a dry season if irrigation is available. Well-drained, friable coastal soils are ideal for growing high-quality, healthy, flavoursome fields of ginger.

A crop is established by planting seed, in the form of golf-ball sized pieces of the rhizome from the ginger root. This takes place from August through to mid-October, with mid to late September being the optimal planting time.

Fast facts:

• Ginger was first grown in Australia in the early 1900s, in south east Queensland, to supply the fresh ginger market
• The Australian industry produces about 8,000 tones each year, and is centred in south east Queensland
• Around 60% of Australian production goes to the domestic fresh market, and the remainder to processing.

Ginger crops are a seasonal root and traditionally picked in April. Every batch tastes different because of natural changes in ginger, just like fruit and vegetables.

The 5 stages of growing ginger:

1. Planting – Ginger Rhizomes (Roots) are planted in early spring or late winter based on the local climate
2. Sprouting – Ginger roots start to sprout green shoots out of the soil
3. Growing – The sprouts continue to grow taller until early winter when they flower
4. Dormancy – Once the plant becomes dormant in winter and the top stems die, the ginger root beneath the ground matures a stronger flavour
5. Picking – Once matured the Ginger root is picked and prepared for drying and grounding, ready to make your next Ginger Beer.

Once the finest ginger has been picked, there’s still more work to do. The root is then sliced, dried, and ground into a course flour that forms the flavour-base for our famous brew. At this point it is brewed for up to 3 days to extract maximum real ginger taste. The final result is then taste-tested against our exceptionally high standards. It’s then bottled, packed and sent around the world to satisfy Ginger Beer lovers on every corner of the planet.

They say that good things come to those who wait, and with Bundaberg Ginger Beer, that’s certainly the case.

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