POP OF THE DAY: Bundaberg Ginger Beer

Category: Ginger Ale
Ratings (out of 5)
Taste: 5
Fizziness Factor: 3
Bottle/Can Design: 5
Availability: 2

Tasting Notes: I never would have heard of Bundaberg if it weren't for the splendiferous Anita, my sassy Australian paramour. Anita hails from Queensland, which is not only the ideal setting for the Eddie Murphy/Arsenio Hall fishes-out-of-water-search-for-second-wives sequel Coming to Australia, but also the home of the Bundaberg brewery, maker of an enticing line of sodas that includes a Horehound Beer. The best adjective to describe Bundaberg Ginger Beer is gingeriffic. If you want something sweet and bubbly to settle your stomach on an airplane, reach for the Schweppes. If you want a drink that is so full of actual ginger root that you can't see through it, Bundaberg's your only man. It's the kind of soda that manages to taste a bit hot even when it's ice cold. I love me some ginger, so I'm a Bundaberg booster—even the bottle feels charmingly archaic, with its quirky pull-tab and suggestion to "Invert bottle before opening." If only you didn't have to schlep to Cost Plus World Market to buy some... By the by, if you're a fellow ginger enthusiast and happen to be anywhere near LA, try the gingerita at Buddha's Belly. For my money, it's the best non-soda beverage in the universe. (Total Score 15/20)

Suggested Food Pairings: Tim Tams, pad thai, a Bloomin' Onion