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It’s the dog days of summer here in Hamer, SC, the home of Good Ole’ Blenheim Ginger Ale, and it’s hotter than blue blazes around here. We even saw Pedro from South of the Border sweating! We know from our last post what a cool refreshing treat Blenheim Ginger Ale can be in the summer time. This time, we head in the opposite açai direction to show you how to beat the heat with the heat.
On hot days, we often think of cool and refreshing foods like ice cream, cold sodas and watermelon. But in many of the world’s hottest regions, the food itself is fiery like Good Ole’ Blenheim #3. Consider Indian curry, spicy Thai soup, or Jamaican jerk sauce. These places are where hot chile peppers grow, so they know about heat. They eat super spicy foods all summer long, as well as in the winter. Ever wonder why? Well now you know.
The reason for this comes from a thing called “gustatory facial sweating”. Those are some pretty big words, but we have an expert to explain it to us. Luke LaBorde, a professor of food science at Penn State University explains that this happens when we eat a spicy food, or drink a fiery Blenheim Ginger Ale. The spicy heat of the food causes a person’s face to sweat. The sweat is then evaporated from the skin, which has a cooling effect.
There are other more involved explanations involving digestion, blood flow and such which are way above our pay grade. But take our word for it, some very smart doctors and food scientists have it all worked out. We like to concentrate on the flavor part of the equation. That’s why we take the time to brew Blenheim Ginger Ale in small batches from our secret recipe that has been perfected over the course of our 100+ years.
Until next time, take it easy out there, keep plenty of ice cold Blenheim Ginger Ale around, and drink the heat to beat the heat. As always you can check the Blenheim Store Locator to find it near you. You can always find it in stock at the shops on the South of the Border Tourist Complex grounds, and be sure to check out their new Reptile Lagoon attraction.
Our Official Facebook page and Twitter feed will keep you up to date on the latest info and news about Good Ole’ Blenheim Ginger Ale.
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As Memorial Day gets closer and the summer vacation season begins, Blenheim Ginger Ale is the perfect soda for the hot days outside grilling with friends and family. That spicy kick of Old #3 is perfect on a hot day and #9 Diet is just the answer for those who are watching calories to show off their hard work at the gym. If you are traveling along Interstate 95, the best place to buy Good Ole Blenheim is right where it’s made, the South of the Border Tourist Attraction at the North Carolina/South Carolina border.
Memorial Day cookouts are a great American tradition. Burgers, dogs, Cheap Jerseys from china chips and punch make for a fun backyard gathering for the entire family. One of America’s most famous Southern Cooks, Paula Deen has a delicious recipe for Lime Sherbet Punch with ginger ale. We think it would “punch” up the flavor by using Blenheim #5 Not as Hot for the ginger ale. If you love Paula as much as we do, be sure to show your support by purchasing one of her collections of Southern classic recipes to enjoy in your home the way we do.
Ingredients
- 2 quarts lime sherbet
- 6 bottles Blenheim #5 Not as Hot Ginger Ale
- 1 (46-ounce) can pineapple juice
- Lemon slices
- Lime slices
- Maraschino cherries
Directions
In a punch bowl, add 2 quarts of lime sherbet. Then add the Blenheim Ginger Ale and pineapple juice. Decorate with the lemon and lime slices, and then top with the cherries.
For a complete list of where you can get your Blenheim Ginger Ale fix, be sure to visit our Store Locator page. You can follow us on Twitter, @goodoleblenheim is our name. You can become a fan of our Official Page on Facebook, or sign up to follow our blog by RSS or email. Coming soon, we will be adding online ordering to our site so you can get the fix for your Blenheim Ginger Ale addiction shipped directly to your home!
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The recent global cooling in Blenheim, South Carolina has our minds turning to a way to stay warm and enjoy a hot, spicy Blenheim Ginger Ale. A sip of Blenheim Old #3 is usually enough to fire up your sinuses, but these extra chilly winter nights have been causing us to think about adding a little flourish to our Good Ole Blenheim.
Vodka is one of the most popular liquors in the world. It is especially popular in the frigid climates of Russia and other northern European countries. Vodka is made by fermenting such items as grain, rye, wheat, potatoes, or sugar beet molasses. Traditionally the finest Russian vodkas have been made with potatoes, but today most vodka is made from grain or wheat. Vodka shares a certain history with Blenheim Ginger Ale in that both were originally produced and utilized as medicines. Vodka is an excellent antiseptic, and promotes increased blood flow through the blood vessels. A few sips of vodka will instantly heat up the esophagus on the way down, and soon after your belly gets its own pleasantly warm glow the same way ginger-blasted Blenheim Old #3 makes you feel after a big gulp.
A great cocktail that contains vodka and Blenheim Ginger Ale is a Moscow Mule. The Moscow Mule was invented in 1941 by John G. Martin of Heublein Brothers, a spirit and food distributor, and Jack Morgan who owned the Cock ‘n Bull Tavern on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood, California. They created the Moscow Mule by mixing ginger beer with Smirnoff Vodka in order to increase the market for both ginger beer and Smirnoff vodka. Their drink is credited with causing a boom in vodka sales during the 1950’s, which had been dominated by gin as the American’s choice for white liquor. A Moscow Mule was traditionally served in a copper mug, although it’s rarely done today.
Here is our Moscow Mule Recipe using Blenheim Ginger Ale instead of ginger beer:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 oz Smirnoff vodka
- 3 oz. Blenheim Ginger Ale
- 1 tsp. sugar syrup-(equal parts water and sugar melted together)
- 1/4 oz. lime juice
- 1 sprig mint
- 1 lime wedge
In a cocktail glass, pour vodka over crushed ice. Add sugar syrup and lime juice. Top with your favorite Blenheim Ginger Ale and stir. Garnish with mint sprig and lime wedge.
Of course, as with any alcoholic beverage, vodka should only be consumed in very moderate amounts. Always drink responsibly and savor the flavor; we want everyone around to enjoy Blenheim Ginger Ale for a very long time to come! (It’s O.K. to drink as much Blenheim Ginger Ale as you want)
Follow Blenheim Ginger Ale on Twitter with the tag @goodoleblenheim, and check our Official Facebook page for updates on ordering, availability and retail locations that carry Good Ole Blenheim Ginger Ale.
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All of us here at Blenheim Ginger Ale in Hamer, South Carolina are blessed to have the most passionate, creative and loyal fans of any soft drink on the planet. Our addictively spicy ginger ale warps the senses on the first taste and traps the drinker in a state of bliss that lasts beyond the borders of South Carolina. We receive notes, order requests and fan mail from all over the globe, and today we will recognize some of our hardcore followers.
Our biggest fan is undoubtedly Blenny from Blenheim Shrine. He has developed an entire website devoted to Blenheim Ginger that has been around much longer than our own site. For many years he has carried the torch for the fire of Blenheim on the web with a comprehensive history, blog and list of suppliers. He also has a Facebook fan page devoted to Blenheim. Another small site that has been around for a decade, Brent Aliverti has a page on his Antimatter Containment Field site with the original flyer copy that used to come with every order of Blenheim Ginger Ale.
Sydney Vaughn is big Blenheim Ginger Ale junkie as well. His email said “I’ve been drinking Blenheim since living in eastern NC in the 70s and it is truly incomparable.” He was kind enough to send us a drink recipe he calls the “Jim and Ginger.” His cocktail consists of half a tumbler of ice, a generous jigger of Jim Beam whiskey, a squeeze of orange wedge, and then he fills the rest of the glass with Blenheim Ginger Ale. Sure sounds like a great mix of refreshing fruit juice sparked up by Blenheim’s ginger heatwave.
We have received generous notes of support from such far flung places as Japan and Saudi Arabia, and emails from around the corner here in South Carolina and North Carolina. Watch this space for more of your letters, recipes and thank-you notes in the future. As always if you have a favorite drink, food or memory of Good Ole Blenheim Ginger Ale feel free to drop us a line because we truly appreciate our fans.
You can follow us on Facebook; it’s our official page and we’ll have updates on all the new developments on Blenheim Ginger Ale as they happen. You can also follow us on Twitter for news, notes and other bits about what’s going on with Blenheim Ginger Ale.
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We’ve explored the possibilities of mixed drinks using Blenheim Ginger Ale and now we have a drink recipe for the whole family using Good Ole Blenheim, South Carolina’s native soft drink. We will also talk a bit about a Grand Strand and Low Country traditional meal that would go great with our drink.
Bog punch is a popular non-alcoholic party drink, suitable for kids and adults alike. It’s a refreshing, zippy blend of fruits, juices and ginger ale. We think substituting Blenheim Old #3 instead of your usual boring ginger ale will brighten up the taste even more!
INGREDIENTS
- 8 oz. Cranberry Juice
- 8 oz. Pineapple (Chunks in juice)
- 8 oz. Sugar
- 4 oz. Lemon Juice
- 1 pint Apple Juice
- 1 pint fresh Cranberries
- 1 pint Water
- 1 bottle Blenheim Ginger Ale- #5 for a bit of extra kick, #3 to really punch it up
INSTRUCTIONS
Bring the cranberries, the sugar and the water to the boil, then let simmer until the cranberries are soft and the sugar has dissolved. Strain and let the juice cool. Then mix the juice with the remaining ingredients and chill. Serve in punch cups and garnish with lemon slices.
This bog punch would be a right at home beside another type of bog, a Low Country chicken bog. There is a festival dedicated to the chicken bog in Loris, SC every October. Many people outside of the Grand Stand and Horry County have never had the pleasure of eating this spicy blend of smoked sausage, chicken and rice. This dish, as well as Blenheim Ginger Ale, is unique to South Carolina. Celebrated Southern chef Paula Deen’s recipe shows how this easy one-pot stew can be tasty time-saver for a busy cook.
So this weekend, try out some new recipes for the family. Put a chicken bog on the stove; then brew up batch of bog punch to enjoy while your meal cooks. And don’t forget the Blenheim Ginger Ale to give your bog punch and your dinner a South Carolina kick of ginger goodness.
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For over a century now, Blenheim Ginger Ale has been a powerful cure for everything from an unquenchable thirst to a bad hangover. The mineral springs located in Blenheim, South Carolina have been renowned for their soothing effect on upset stomachs since the 1800’s. To tame the strong taste of the spring water, a local doctor added Jamaican ginger root to the water as a flavor enhancer and as a healing boost. This heady potion would go on to become the Blenheim Ginger Ale we all know and love today.
My first encounter with ginger’s healing properties came over 15 years ago. I worked at a Chinese restaurant in college, and anytime I felt a bit under the weather, nauseous or hung-over Mrs. Wang would come to my rescue with her special ginger soup. It was a mix of sugar, water, broth and plenty of ginger slices boiled together for a bit. She explained to me that ginger had been used for thousands of years in Chinese herbal medicine as a treatment for stomach ailments. The earliest written record of use in Chinese medicine came more than 2000 years ago. The Chinese certainly had it figured out a while ago. That warm, spicy soup would always bring me back to life and have me feeling right in no time.
Many Moms and Grandmothers in the South have known for generations about ginger and ginger ale’s ability to calm an upset stomach. Now modern research has shown Dr. Mom had the right prescription all along. Studies have shown ginger to be an effective way to prevent seasickness and motion sickness. The popular “Mythbusters” TV show on the Discovery Channel did an episode about home remedies, and confirmed that a ginger pill would cure seasickness without the drowsy side-effects of drugs. A different study found that ginger would solve the terrible “morning sickness” that many pregnant women experience. There have even been some studies that suggest ginger may ease the symptoms of chronic arthritis.
You must admit Mom sure knew what she was talking about when she handed you a Blenheim Ginger Ale. She recognized its blazing ginger heat and zesty taste would relieve the grumbling and rumbling in your belly, and tickle your taste buds at the same time. So always keep plenty of Good Ole Blenheim Ginger Ale on hand during this cold nasty winter season to warm you up, ward off those evil colds, and keep your tummy happy.
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We’re back again this month with another delicious recipe or two using Good Ole Blenheim Ginger Ale, brewed and bottled on the grounds of the world famous tourist attraction South of the Border in Dillon, South Carolina. Our old fashioned ginger ale is the perfect complement for a variety of adult beverages, and today we have a recipe for the Light ‘n’ Stormy, a version of the traditional Dark ‘n’ Stormy highball.
First, let’s begin with the origins of the Dark ‘n’ Stormy. It’s a popular mixed drink in many of the former British Colonies and Caribbean Islands, and it’s traditionally been a mixture of ginger beer and dark rum. The smoky and sweet molasses notes of the dark rum make an excellent combination with spicy heat of the ginger beer. It’s so well-liked in Bermuda, it’s been dubbed the “National Drink” and its recipe has even been trademarked by rum producer and bottler Gosling’s Brothers Limited. Whether that’s even possible with a drink recipe is debatable, but it’s a suitable place to begin our quest for a Dark ‘n’ Stormy recipe. Gosling’s formula calls for 2 oz of Goslings Black Seal Rum in a glass of ice, then enough Goslings Ginger Beer to fill the glass, and a slice of lemon or lime to top it off as a garnish. There are myriad versions with different flavored rums and other ginger drinks, but that’s the official trademarked recipe and it sure sounds good to us after a hot day in the South Carolina sun.
The overwhelming popularity of Blenheim Ginger Ale among the hip and trendy mixologists in America has lead to some new versions of the Dark ‘n’ Stormy made with Blenheim Old #3 Hot, that’s the one with the red cap, in place of the ginger beer. The good folks over at 10 Cane Rum, who produce very high quality premium golden rum, have come up with a version that they call the Light ‘n’ Stormy. Here is their recipe:
- 1½ oz 10 Cane Rum
- 1½ oz Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice (Approx. 1 Lime)
- 6-8 oz Blenheim’s Pink Cap Ginger Ale (Blenheim Old #3)
- Garnish: Lime Wedge
- Fill a highball glass 3/4 with ice. Combine all ingredients and stir. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Blenheim Ginger Ale isn’t just South Carolina’s favorite soft drink; its popularity extends all the way to the Left Coast where the exceedingly knowledgeable wine editor Jon Bonne of the San Francisco Chronicle came up with a fancy, but yummy sounding, cocktail using Blenheim Old #3. It is another variation on the Dark ‘n’ Stormy that he has renamed the Last of Our Sea Sorrow, which is a quote from a Shakespeare play. We’ll have to take his word on that one because we don’t know much Shakespeare, but we sure do recognize the makings of a fine cocktail when we read it:
- 2 ounces Ron Pampero Aniversario or other dark, aged rum
- 1/2 ounce Domaine de Canton ginger liqueur
- 1/4 ounce lime juice
- 4 oz Blenheim Ginger Ale (hot, preferably)
- 1 slice lime for garnish (optional)
Mix rum, Canton and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. Either strain over fresh ice cubes into a highball glass and top with ginger ale, or strain into a small goblet and add chilled ginger ale. Garnish with lime.
We hope these fine cocktails and highballs made with Old Timey Blenheim Ginger Ale will enhance your fanatical love and devotion to our products. We would love to hear your favorite uses of Good Ole Blenheim around your kitchen or bar to include in upcoming posts. Thanks so much for all the emails we have received so far and we are working very hard to update our supplier list, develop an ecommerce system, and get Blenheim Ginger Ale into the hands of everyone who craves our fine South Carolina soft drink.
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One of our loyal and long time Blenheim Ginger Ale fanatics sent us this recipe for his favorite mixed drink. He calls his cocktail creation “The S.O.B;” surely named after where our production plant is located on the grounds of the famed South of the Border tourist attraction in Hamer, South Carolina. Ok, we’re not really sure about that fact, but that’s our story and we are sticking to it! His recipe for the “The S.O.B” is pretty simple, but has a very complex flavor combination that provides equal parts of sweet, spicy and sour which come together to form a drink that kicks back like an angry mule.
The recipe:
Using a standard old-fashioned glass or a Collins glass with a couple of ice cubes in it, add a jigger (1.5oz) of your favorite anejo or gold tequila, a ¼ cup (4oz) Blenheim Old #3 Hot, and .5oz of fresh lime juice and stir slowly so you don’t lose all the bubbles and fizz of the soda. Add a slice of lime wedge on the rim, then sit back, relax and sip away with your favorite Mexican food, some Buffalo wings, or a big juicy steak hot off the grill.
Do you have a favorite recipe that calls for Blenheim Ginger Ale? How about the memory of your first sip of our spicy brew and how you were instantly hooked? What’s the craziest thing you have done to get a taste of Blenheim in your life? Send us your story and we might just add it to our Blog in the future.
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Penn Jillette is a fan of Blenheim Ginger Ale and wore a Blenheim shirt on the cover of Wired Magazine.
Text from Penn Jillette during Wired Magazine interview:
A few weeks later, I drop by Penn’s apartment to hear him rant. I figured ranting – really showing passion about certain topics – is the blood test of the truly wired. I find Penn going through his e-mail at his desk, sipping a Blenheim Ginger Ale, from Blenheim, South Carolina – his new cult-fave drink – and Colin is hovering around, fetching him stuff. The Voice Organizer is recharging in its holster. And Penn pauses, his eyes gleaming, his hair electrocharged, his heart pounding, and Blenheim Ginger Ale coursing through his veins. Penn says: “I have nothing to say about her.” Clearly, even Penn Jillette has his limits.
By Joshua Quittner
© 1994-2003 Wired Digital, Inc.
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By WILLIAM GRIMES
Published: Wednesday, February 25, 1998
THE first swallow brings on a four-sneeze fit. The second one clears out the sinuses and leaves the tongue and throat throbbing with prickly heat. John T. Edge, a food scholar with the Center for the Study of Southern Culture at the University of Mississippi,has compared it to ”a slap in the face from a spurned lover.” Blenheim Ginger Ale, the sweet-hot pride of South Carolina, pulls no punches, and its feisty approach has propelled it from modest regional fame to cult status.
The beverage was created in the 1890’s by a doctor named May in Blenheim, S.C., who added Jamaica ginger and sugar to the local spring water and dispensed it as a tonic for dyspepsia. In 1903, Dr. May and a partner created the Blenheim Bottling Company, which chugged along until 1993, when it was acquired by the company that owns the South of the Border amusement complex. In addition to moving the bottling plant to the amusement park, the new owners developed a milder formula, known as No. 5, which is a shade lighter than the original and has a brass-colored bottle cap rather than a raspberry one.
Pour Blenheim’s over ice, which helps cut the sweetness, or use it to kick-start a couple of cocktails. Mixed with Gosling’s Black Seal rum and a wedge of lime, it makes a wicked Dark and Stormy, and just a few ounces of Blenheim’s does wonders for a cheap bourbon. WILLIAM GRIMES
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