Holiday Mocktails and Cocktails to Liven Up Holiday Parties

November 23rd, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

The holidays are our favorite time of year. Besides the fun time spent with our family and friends, we also get to create new exciting cocktails to bring to holiday parties. Here are a few of our favorite mocktails that are kid friendly and ready to share with everyone.    And for a more “festive” cocktail we have included a list of extra ingredients to liven up the recipe with our favorite spirits.   We want to hear about the recipes that you break out on special occasions to impress your friends. We know you have them! Share them on our Facebook page or email us at info@reedsinc.com and we will give you the credit you deserve.   Happy Holidays!   The Reed’s Crew

Reed’s Holiday Mocktails   Reed’s Ginger Snap Ingredients Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew Ice 2 tsp. ginger juice Pinch of cinnamon Pinch of ground cloves 1 egg white Cinnamon stick Reed’s Crystallized ginger square Finely ground gingerbreadcookie   Directions Pour enough ginger beer into a saucer to cover and dip amartini glass into the saucer to coat the rim. Dip into a saucer with ground cookie. Scoop ice into shaker. Pour ginger juice, and splash of ginger beer into a shaker. Add a pinch of ground cloves and cinnamon. Separate an egg and add egg white to shaker. Shake vigorously for at least 20 seconds until drink is frothy and foamy. The longer you shake, the foamier the drink. Add ginger beerand stir slightly. Pour into glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and crystallized ginger square, and sprinkle the top with finely ground gingerbread cookie. Alternative:  Add 1.5 oz dark rum and 1tsp cinnamon schnapps before shaking.     Reed’s Cherry Ginger Sangria Ingredients Ice cubes Reed’s Cherry Ginger Brew Maraschino cherries Fresh or frozen raspberries or mixed berries       Directions Fill a tall glass with ice cubes. Pour in the Cherry Ginger Brew. Drop a few maraschino cherries and raspberriesinto the glass. Drink. Alternative: Add 2 oz gin and 1oz red wine before stirring.   Cranberry Sparkler Ingredients 1-ounce cranberry juice (sweetened) 1 wedge lime 750 bottle of Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew Cranberries (frozen) Directions In a chilled Champagne flute add cranberry juice and a squeeze of lime. Top off the glass with Champagne. Garnish with 3 or 4 cranberries. Alternative:  Add 2 oz Veev Acai liqueur and stir.     Jack Frost Cider Ingredients Ice cubes Reed’s Spiced Apple Ginger Brew Cinnamon Sticks         Directions Fill a tumbler with ice cubes. Pour in the Spiced Apple Ginger Brew. Stir with a cinnamon stick. Drink. Alternative:  Add 2 oz pressed apple liqueur and a splash of grenadine.

Reed’s Ginger Brew In Japan

August 5th, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

This flier is given to all tourists who visit Japan. It includes Reed’s Ginger Brew.

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Reed’s Ginger Candy Japanese Press Release

August 5th, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

Reed’s July 2011 – Reed’s Ginger Candy Japanese Press Release by Sakura

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Be Adventurous – There’s More to Cinco de Mayo than Margaritas

May 5th, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

We’ve all had Margarita regret. Sitting there after 4 margaritas and a basket of chips (or three) and wondering what happened… for all those calories – where was the taste?

Don’t make that mistake again – it’s not worth it. But get some of your greatest friends together and mix up this bad boy.

Also, the Extra Ginger Brew is packed with 26 grams of ginger. The amazing root is known for curing nausea, headaches and muscle soreness so you are loading up on hangover remedies before it hits. We’ve tested this theory on hundreds of Dark & Stormy’s so we are confident that it’s true. We want you to enjoy Seis de Mayo as much as Cinco de Mayo!

Ingredients

Directions

 

Thanks to Food Porn Daily for the cocktail idea!

St Patrick’s Day-After Cure

March 18th, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

There is a mathematical rule that applies to St. Patrick’s Day. The amount of fun you have on March 17th, no matter how infinite, is directly proportionate to how terrible you feel the next morning. But Reed’s Ginger Brew is here to fight this unfortunate rule and get you back to your life.

 

The properties of ginger have been known throughout history to battle the unfortunate side effects of a long night of drinking: pounding headaches, nausea, and dehydration. Our Ginger Brews are water-brewed from fresh and spicy ginger.  The Extra Ginger Brew has the biggest punch with 17 grams of ginger in each bottle. That is enough to fight any angry Irish hangover.

 

 

 

 

 

Ginger has been tested as a natural anti-vomiting action and has been shown to reduces all symptoms associated with motion sickness including dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and cold sweating. In a double-blind trial, ginger brought about a significant reduction in both the severity of nausea and number of attacks of vomiting in 19 of 27 women in early pregnancy. If it can combat morning sickness it can combat the 4 Irish Car-Bombs your stomach is regretting this morning.

 

And you’ll probably remember your mother recommending a carbonated ginger ale for your tummy ache as a kid. The rule still applies (sort of) to nausea. The carbonation breaks up the stomach acid and helps relieve your stomach but grabbing just any carbonated beverage can be dangerous. Most sodas are packed with chemicals and artificial sweeteners and can make symptoms worse. Even most other ginger sodas don’t have fresh ginger and won’t do much for relieving your nausea or headache.

 

 

Ginger is also an anti-inflammatory which helps relieve the pounding headache that you are experiencing. It eases inflamed blood vessels and stops the unbearable loud noises and yelling.

 

Reed’s Ginger Brew’s tries to keep the recipe simple with only ginger, fresh spices and sweetened with honey and pineapple juice which are also known to be strong nausea fighting ingredients.

 

Pick up a 4-pack of Ginger Brews and a bottle of water on your way to the office this morning and you’ll be ready for Margarita’s by Happy Hour.

 

Happy St. Patrick’s Day!

 

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March 2nd, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

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What the heck is Stevia?


February 24th, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

 

The first time you heard the word whispered at the gym or at the doctors office you didn’t know if it was the secret code for an underground weightloss club or the newest pop group your daughter will be listening to. Either way- there was a mysterious excitement whenever someone started talking about it, and they whispered the word like it was too good to be true.

Well – it IS almost too good to be true – but now we are shouting the word. STEVIA! There we said it…

We recently released our diet line of Virgil’s sodas- Virgil’s ZERO. The sodas are as delicious as the original but with no calories and no fat. Stevia is the most natural calorie-free sweetener we have found and is calmer on your digestive system than any other chemical sweeteners, many of which contain neurotoxins which can cause serious damage over time.

History and Fun Facts:

• Stevia is an Amazonian plant that has been used for centuries for it’s “sweet leaves”.
• It was first officially discovered by the Spanish botanist Petrus Jacobus Stevus who gave the plant its name.
• In 1931, the first research on stevia was done by French botanists. They discovered that the plant was 250-300 times sweeter than table sugar.
• The Japanese, always ahead of the curve, have been using stevia as an alternative diet sweetener since the 70′s. Stevia currently makes up 40% of its sweetener market. Not just diet sweeteners but OVERALL – they use as table sugar, cooking and as a beverage sweetener.

 

Why it’s good for you:

• Stevia, aside from lacking in calories (think the dreaded swimsuit season that is right around the corner) has also been shown to help treat obesity and hypertension.
• Stevia is also great for diabetics, as it actually lowers the amount of glucose in your blood, even increasing glucose tolerance. This makes stevia a perfect sweetener for those with diabetes or people on carbohydrate-controlled diets.

 

• Also, for all you ladies (and some men too) out there, stevia is an excellent sweetener for those at risk for osteoporosis. Stevia helps raise your calcium content as well as strengthen your bones. Which means no more nasty supplements!!
• Stevia also helps ease heartburn, gas, lowers uric levels, and helps your body fight bacteria. All around, this plant is a healthful choice for anyone!

 

How Reed’s makes use of this nifty plant:

 

Reed’s has always been committed to providing you with the best tasting AND healthiest ingredients, so it was a natural choice for us to make Stevia the sweetener that we use in our delicious diet products. Whether you’re choosing a diet soda for health reasons, or just for dropping those pesky 5 pounds before you don your itty bitty bikini (or speedo, for that matter), there’s no better choice than a Virgil’s ZERO diet drink.

See you at the beach!

Ginger is for Lovers

February 14th, 2011 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

Ginger has been used throughout history as an aphrodisiac. And anyone who has tried a Reed’s Extra Ginger Brew knows that ginger has just the amount of heat to warm up this chilly February holiday.

The aphrodisiac powers of ginger are supported by philosophy and scientific medical fact, but the stories and legends that are told throughout history prove that ginger can increase lustful yearnings, stimulates sex drive, increases sexual performance, and aids in the feelings of love, lust and attraction.

The history of ginger dates as far back as 500 B.C. in writings from the Chinese philosopher Confucius.  It’s been attributed with having positive physical affects on the sexual relationship.  Aviceena, an Arab physician credited ginger with “increasing lustful yearnings.” Even Greek and Roman medical philosophers Discorides and Pliny in the first century A.D. agreed with the active aphrodisiac powers of the spice, concluding that it had a stimulating affect on the male sex organ. It is even mentioned in the Koran (circa 650 A.D.), the sacred writings of Islam, as being served at feasts in Paradise.

French legend has it that Madame du Barry, who was an official royal mistress to King Louis XV, served ginger to all her lovers, including ‘the beloved’ king. The legend goes that this would drive her men to a state of complete and utter submissiveness. When a truly Vanity Fair-esque rise to society, Madame du Barry inserted herself into the French royal class with her beauty and a slew of successful sexual encounters. Upon her execution from charges of treason, the courtesan was able to arouse her executioners to pause.

Here are a few ways we think ginger can heat up your Valentine’s Day:

Share a steamy ginger soup as an appetizer to get things warmed up:

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup minced onion

1/4 cup minced peeled fresh ginger

3 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth

4 cups sliced peeled carrots (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 cup orange juice

1/2 cup half and half

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup matchstick-size strips peeled carrot (for garnish; optional)

1 tablespoon matchstick-size strips peeled fresh ginger (for garnish; optional)

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and 1/4 cup minced ginger and sauté until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken stock and 4 cups sliced carrots. Cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30 minutes.

Working in batches, puree mixture in blender or processor. Return soup to saucepan. Mix in orange juice, then half and half. Cook over low heat 5 minutes. Mix in ground cinnamon. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing, thinning with more stock if necessary.) Ladle soup into bowls. Top soup with carrot and ginger strips, if desired, and serve.

Mix a sexy ginger cocktail:

Ginger is for Lovers

1 part Pomegranate Vodka

1 part Extra Ginger Brew

Splash of Lime Juice

Top with pomegranate seeds and a lime

Finish your meal with a sweet and spicy ginger candy:

Nausea, Ginger and your pregnancy.

November 17th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 1 Comment

Many women suffer from terrible nausea during their first trimester. As their hormones change and the baby begins to grow, morning sickness begins. A rather debilitating condition, morning sick sounds like a little hurdle to have to get over first thing as you wake up. Some refer to it so flippantly that one may be forgiven for thinking that it is simply a trial to eat toast, a snack or a full meal, but I assure you, if you are experiencing morning sickness for real, you will NOT be fine in a second.

Morning sickness is actually jokingly referred to as “ALL DAY sick” by many women suffering LONG hours of nausea, and it can affect your life completely.

The harsher version of morning sick is known as hyperemesis gravidarum and is recently thought to be hereditary, and can actually cause hospitalisation.

What can one do about nausea? Well, the problem with Pregnant nausea as opposed to say motion sickness, is that you do not want to put anything unnatural in your system as it can severely affect your unborn innocent child.

So what to do when you feel like throwing up your toes?

Ginger and B6 have long been used separately to help get rid of nausea, but when put together, you have a dastardly little nausea beater that won’t take yuck for an answer.

All natural with honey and lemon you can sip on it when you need to get rid of that icky feeling, while still getting on with your life.

#trc

The Sailor Jerry Festival in Boulder Colorado

November 10th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

Tips to help you get rid of your nausea

November 5th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

Chemotherapy can make you feel like your nausea will never end.

With Chemo there are a few different types of nausea that can set in, from mild to all day and night. With Nausea of any type it is wise to avoid a few things that can trigger the icky feeling and try and grab a hold of it early, especially since doctors say that if you get ahold of your nausea early on it will bode well for you getting through the treatment better and with less nausea in the long run.

Helpful tips:

• Stay as far away from scented lotions and soaps as possible. Certain scents can have a massive effect on your gag reflex.

• Sorry, that also means aftershaves and perfumes. I know your man may want to smell like the old spice guy but not while you are going through treatment.

• Chemo can literally leave a bad taste in your mouth, so brushing teeth or making sure your mouth is clean and not feeling yucky is always a good idea. Drinking Ginger in a brew is excellent for this.

• Keep hydrated. If you can’t drink water or ginger tea/brew try freezing your juices and drinking them as a popsicle.

It is very important to keep your fluid levels up. Remember your body needs fluids to help you fight.

Ginger is a “magical” root that can help you in a time of need. It can calm the stomach and help you get through to the point that you are able to fight back. And fight back you will.

#trc

curb your nausea not your enthusiasm

November 3rd, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

Finding out that you have cancer is a bad enough experience to go through, however it is the reaction to the news that is important. In my life I have lost a few people to the disease, and have also seen the most unlikely little ladies beat it hands down with nothing more than determination, grit and a sprinkling of prayer.

Learning one has cancer is not the end of the road. Not yet. It is only the beginning. Years ago being diagnosed with cancer in most forms was pretty much a death sentence, aside from the occasional miracle.

Nowadays we have Chemotherapy. Chemo works by killing rapidly growing cells. Unfortunately the chemo doesn’t only damage the cancer cells, but has an effect on all fast growing cells in your body, which has side effects.

One of the main effects on the body is Nausea and vomiting. It can be an incredibly harsh ordeal to go through on top of the depression that can set in. However according to studies at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York, if a patient can reduce their nausea from day one on chemo, then patients generally have reduced nausea throughout their chemo treatment.

Good news then that ginger has shown in many studies to drastically reduce the nausea experienced during chemotherapy. Not only does ginger help curb nausea, but it improves overall digestion and energy. So if you know anyone that is undergoing chemo and you want to help: try giving them ginger. You may be surprised how much the root can help. Even Doctors who have contracted Cancer have tried our brews and sent us amazing letters to let us know how they were helped by our drinks.

#trc

The face of innocence.

October 15th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

Winter is coming and that means coughing season. Just ask @BarefootMomma . Her little one has been keepin’ her on her toes with a cough.

A common cold is an inflammation of the upper respiratory tract caused by infection with common cold viruses. Colds occur more often than any other disease – which is why it is called a “common cold”. The leaves are changing and there are a huge amount of germs in the So Cal air. As the leaves change, so too do the seasons. It is getting colder and windier, and the cold season is rearing its head. While a person may get a cold more than once a year it is usual for it to last 3 to 10 days. The patient feels miserable for the first three days or so, which is when you should be upping your ginger intake.

More and more often over the next few weeks and months, you will hear “there’s a bug going around”. And that’s not good news.

Getting a cold these days isn’t like it was even 50 years ago. Times have changed.

Besides the strains of virus changing and becoming more virulent, a lot of kids are dealing with systems that have been compromised by OTC (over the counter) meds.

Over the last few weeks I have been dealing with a lot of sick kids. Up at all hours as well as trying to keep them away from all the friends kids.

Your kids might miss their friends but when one of them has a cough or croup watch how quick they are on lock-down quarantine.

There is nothing quite like looking into the eyes of a child and seeing the panic set in when they can’t breathe.

If you have never experienced it – I pray you never will. Terror cannot compare. I would take a full on haunted hay ride on a full moon on Friday the 13^th before even wishing that on my worst enemy. When an adult is struggling to breathe or is coughing it is bad enough but when it is the very face of innocence it can be too much. A child has not had the experience of being sick very often and to them, it feels like they are going to be “sick forever”.

Keep Ginger in your home. You will be glad you did. When a nasty cold shows up full of violence and hate, remember to make a hot tea with chopped ginger root, throw in honey and lemon for good measure and a whole lotta love and you are halfway there.

For kids that are very congested try running a steamy shower or bath to get some of the mucous to move, allowing them to breathe.For nausea try our new RX all natural Ginger. lemon and honey with B6 remedy in the stomach aisle at CVS, or once again try brewing up a tea.

Feel better soon.

#trc
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chilean miners to surface with nausea

October 12th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 2 Comments

Chilean miners copper mine: SAN JOSE MINE, Chile

If you havent heard about the Chilean miners trapped underground you have been living under a rock or have been trapped in some alternate universe for the last while.

For over 2 months they have been trapped underground after the mine they were working in collapsed on Aug. 5.

After drilling, inspecting and working out the best way to get the miners out, engineers have finally completed a nearly 2,050 foot-long shaft that will ultimately carry the 33 men to the surface. The 28-inch escape shaft has a capsule that fits inside it. The rescue capsule will rotate up to a dozen times as it spins up through the shaft like a bullet in a gun barrel. Nausea is fairly certain. In an effort to quell their nausea they have been given compression socks and a high-calorie liquid donated by NASA.

Has no one thought to give em Ginger? Especially in a brew? I mean we all know the benefits of Ginger. Even the navy knows about it, darn it. The Chinese knew about Ginger thousands of years ago.

But seriously my friends, am I really being silly by suggesting they use their collective brains and come up with a solution? Send them RX immediately. They will hydrate and feel stronger and better for it. I envisage a 500 days of summer movie moment as a miner comes up out of the mine and begins dancing with the rescuers, like a moment from Grease, or okay Glee.

500 days of summer dance sequence

I know that that is a kinda crazy and perhaps incredibly naive image but, hey, thats imagination for ya. I know the reality is far more grim, but at least give the miners a chance to see the sun and smell their first breath of real air in two months. Instead of going green at the gills, give em ginger and they may just smile.

#trc

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We thought we would start a revolution.

October 4th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 2 Comments

After 20-plus years our brewing process is still completely different from any of our competitors. We thought we would start a revolution and everyone would go back to the brewing techniques we rediscovered and start using natural, whole ingredients such as fresh ginger root, fruit juices and honey.  But that didn’t happen. The commercial high-tech soda manufacturing processes of the twentieth century have all but eliminated the nutrition health value of sodas. Large companies making ginger ale and ginger beer use high-tech flavors that are so far removed from the whole ginger root that 99 percent of the time all nutritional value is gone. Fresh ginger is such an incredible root to brew into a beverage with so many health benefits it’s actually a sin not to use it.

Posted by Chris Reed

Nausea? Forget about it

September 30th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 1 Comment

The general population of India know inherently that Ginger is good for upset stomachs and aids digestion. As a member of the Reeds Crew I was there a few years ago. I find Asia inspiring, wonderful and slightly scary all at once. Throughout Asia I found Ginger in many forms. From pickled with sushi to straight up raw chewing of the root I think I may have seen, if not all, a fair amount of ways to ingest the root.

Ginger, in actual fact, the stem and underground part of the ginger plant, has been used for medicinal purposes in Asia for thousands of years. In China Ginger has been a staple remedy for colic, diarrhoea and most especially Nausea for some 2 thousand years.

Now I am sure that there are sceptics out there saying well, they used to use “leaches” thousands of years ago too! Science has advanced! Well that may be true but people don’t still use leaches today for good reason. Science has not backed up their claims.

Apart from its excellent results with old wives tales Ginger has been proven (through double blind clinical trials) to drastically reduce the onset of nausea and vomiting. Going the natural route has always appealed to me. Maybe it was growing up in an environment where Natural and wholesome was considered better and cooler, or maybe it’s just that I dislike putting chemicals in my body: either way, I am sticking with ginger.

#TRC :”The Reeds Crew”

The benefits of ginger are not limited to digestion

September 29th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 3 Comments

By now you know we are passionate about ginger. It is a truly spectacular root. The more I read up about it the more I am amazed, and the more I find out, the more people I meet who seem to have really interesting experiences using Ginger in a medical context.

For more than two thousand years Ginger has been used as a Digestion aid, and to treat a variety of ills and somatics. From western uses to a varied and wide range of eastern religions and medical practices, Ginger is a constant source of health and vigour. The bits that are important active components of the ginger root are the volatile oils and pungent phenol compounds (such as gingerols and shogaols). It is these oils that have such a remarkable effect on the human body.

In today’s modern world, with people more and more educated on what goes into our food and beverages, and consequently our bodies,  it is no wonder that expectant moms as well as regular folks alike are turning to the healing effects of Ginger.

Health care professionals recommend Ginger to help treat or even prevent nausea and vomiting associated with motion sickness, pregnancy, and even cancer chemotherapy.

So maybe Ginger does have some amazing healing properties after all. In the next few blogs I am going to talk about some of the cool things ginger is used for and where and how it has been and is being used.

#trc

Reeds: ginger’s magic history

September 27th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 2 Comments

In the last blog I told you I had found an article telling us all about the magical  properties of ginger. It seems that the more I find out about ginger the more intrigued I get by the history and use of the root.

According to the people in the know (and I use that concept rather loosely) spells and magic can be enhanced by the use of ginger. Apparently when you perform a spell you should eat ginger first as the article said “The warming properties will lend the spells power by heating you up.” Well, I don’t know about you but I am not particularly comfortable casting love spells or any kind of spell for that matter.

You never know what you are messing with when you start playing with spells and just eating/drinking ginger makes it more powerful!?! Holy moly. Besides the usual claims of “love spells” etc they also seem to claim that ginger root attracts money. They go so far as to recommend sprinkling ginger powder in your pockets or even on actual money to attract wealth as well.

Some people are really crazy. It is amazing to me how the human mind can decide what is real and what is only imagined. For instance, we know that Ginger has healing properties and also is an incredibly powerful herb in its own right.

However I don’t now if I believe in all its glorified uses. The natives of Dobu Island in the middle of the pacific seemingly chew ginger root and then once they have masticated the root enough, they simply spit it out right at oncoming storms! That is right. Storms! They believe that spitting the ginger at the storm will stop it in its tracks.

No matter what you believe, it seems that around the world ginger has more uses than just stopping a tummy ache.

Read more: How to Use Ginger’s Magickal Properties

Ginger is magic?

September 27th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 2 Comments

For countless years Ginger has been a part of the fabric of mankind. We use it in medicine and in our culinary efforts. But I had no idea that it was magic!

Now let me preface this entire blog with a disclaimer: If anyone from some sort of authority is reading this I am not saying that ginger is actually magic or has any magical properties of any kind. I was reading up about magic because a friend invited me to the magic castle to watch a performance of “prestidigitation”, which is a really big fancy word for card tricks. I am interested in all sorts of stuff and I find magic kinda cool, in an almost nerdy way.

So anyway, while I was reading up on Magic and its history I found an article on “The magickal properties of ginger”. Wow. First off I had never seen magic spelled that way and second, what? Ginger is magic?!!

Apparently Ginger has magickal(sic) properties associated with love, money, success and power.

Well, I drink a lot of Ginger brew (and root beer, but whose counting, right?) and I hate to break it to whomever wrote that but I am not sure about all of the above. I am actually rather lucky in that I do have love.  I tell you this not in a gloating way, I am just blessed. However, money, success and power? I don’t know if I feel comfortable pronouncing that Money and Power will be yours if you drink ginger brew. Weird. That was a lot to take in on its own but it went on!

From helping you get money to getting rid of tropical storms, ginger apparently has been used to do it all.

In fact I am going to tell you about some fantastic uses for ginger you probably won’t believe! I don’t know if I do…but they are entertaining!

#trc

How is Ginger Brew made?

September 24th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 1 Comment

People often ask me: “How is your ginger brew made?” My answer? With love and happiness. Well that is the truth really. Of course we use raw ginger, real natural honey and filtered sparkling water, but the most important ingredient is good healthy fun.

The fact is that most companies that make soda generally make over-sugared (is that a word? it is now…) drinks that remind me of Calvin and Hobbes “chocolate frosted sugar bombs” candy cereal.

Have you ever witnessed a kid on a sugar kick? It will only take you one single time with a kid tearing around the house or mall after a regular soda, or heaven forbid, an extreme sports style “energy drink”, to be convinced that all natural and wholesome is the way to go.

When Reeds Inc was first started it was born of a love of ginger and the good that it did. It was not solely a business that went after straight sales to the masses. It is the ultimate David vs. Goliath story except that instead of stones and a catapult, we use ginger and wholesome ingredients. And you know what? I am happy with that. The connection we have to our customers is something that never ceases to amaze me and at the same time warm my heart. And people sense that. I know because we get their emails and tweets.

Every bottle of our brew has been handcrafted in small numbered batches at our headquarters. We oversee every single step of the process so we know its good and done right. That is what I love about it. It is old school. Made right here in the USA by real people with love. Now that is a way to work and that is how we do it.

#trc

Who was the first person to eat ginger?

September 23rd, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

While peeling some raw ginger root the other day to pop some in my tea, I got to thinking what a bizarre looking root it really is. The fact that it is a root with many amazing healing properties with a long and rich history is pretty awesome. But who dug it up and went “you know what, that looks tasty”?

It certainly wouldn’t have been my first choice as a meal. Ginger has a mandrake look to it that in the right light can be kind of scary. Even my cat is afraid of a big raw ginger root. I think he believes it is some kind of creature that could sprout teeth and fur at any second. And you know what? In the right light, if I am alone at home and have been reading a Steven King novel, or worse, watching some horror re-run on TV, my mind tends to run away with me and suddenly I have a bowl of yelling roots as well as a frightened cat.

It is not surprising then that the word Ginger is from the ancient Sanskrit  “Singabera” meaning shaped like a horn. Even the 1^st century Greek name for it sounds like a big scary mythological beast: “Zingiberis”. But it isn’t a beast at all. It is just a small root with scarily powerful properties.

The truth is I have no idea who ate the first ginger. It has been around for as long as there are historical records and even before then. No matter who our ancestor was that decided the odd looking root may have some nutritional benefit was very wise. And probably a woman. As a plant the stem grows about 12 inches above the ground with long ribbed green leaves and yellow or white flowers sometimes streaked with purple around the sides. Not so scary. Pretty flowers don’t sound scary.

It is when it is actually used that ginger is amazing. Once peeled and chopped up it is so fragrant even the cat got curious again.

And once the tea had brewed it may just be that I was more relaxed by the process or maybe the Ginger really worked because with a content cat on my lap, and a warm belly with a sense of well being second to none, I cracked the first smile of the day.

#trc

It’s all in the root.

September 20th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

Ginger is a root that has been inextricably linked to us as humans. For thousands of years Ginger has been grown by man and used in many wise and wonderful ways. The use of Ginger in eastern cooking and medicine pre dates historical records. The wonder of it is that it enjoys a widespread use in many eastern cultures as well as significant use in the west. While some mistakenly call it a “wonder drug”, it is certainly a natural substance with powerful properties.

Besides the many claims for its medicinal properties, Ginger is just plain delicious. However one can’t scoff at the claims too much. It certainly does produce “heat” in the body and as the muesli eaters say: “boosts your chakras man”. Besides the many uses in cooking it can apparently even be rubbed on as a poultice for headaches. I haven’t personally tried it, but hey, if I get another migraine (touch wood I don’t), I may be forced to try rubbing ginger paste on my temples instead of sitting in the dark cradling a ginger brew.

In fact the Romans were more interested in Ginger as a healing herb than a cooking spice. During 13 and 14^th century in England Ginger was so sought after that one-pound in weight of the rhizome was equivalent to the cost of a sheep!

I am sure the vegans out there are appalled. Poor sheep they will cry reading this. But remember that if you had a ginger farm then you could go and trade a few pounds for all the sheep in England and then set them free.

There. The sheep are safe. But the ginger isn’t.

#trc

Summer at an end: is flu on the way?

September 18th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

It seems that summer is coming to an end. That means the leaves are changing with fall. The temperatures are starting to do their customary welcome dip and people start hand sanitizing more than ever. Flu season is just around the corner and the drug companies are quick to advertise their wares.

It seems that right around this time of year sneezes become more common, and the big pharmaceutical companies remind us that with cold weather come more sick families.

While for some ailments, drugs are unavoidable, I prefer to stick to good old fashioned natural remedies, as far as possible. The human body is amazing thing and we are capable of so much more than we give ourselves credit for sometimes.

Our planet is chock full of natural remedies that have been used for thousands of years to treat illness and ailments. People still use Ginger ale and ginger for remedies. How do I know? While I was on Twitter the other day I saw a random tweet by someone who said all the stores in their area were “sold out of Ginger ale-evryone is sick”.

Wow. Well that is better than reading everyone is terribly ill and on meds I guess. Hope you all get better soon in Atlanta.

I remember being a kid and being given ginger ale when I wasn’t feeling well. Heaven. It was always better than cod liver oil!

Can you get motion sickness if you aren’t moving?

September 10th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

Have you ever felt like you are feeling nausea and motion sickness but aren’t moving? Strange to believe but motion sickness doesn’t necessarily mean you are actually in motion.

According to doctors motion sickness is a feeling of

• spinning, usually due to a disturbance in the vestibular system (an inner-ear sensory organ) and other sensory input. This includes sensory overload from the eyes. The signal is sent from the retina to the occipital cortex in the brain.

A lot of scientific mumbo jumbo for your inner ear and senses generally telling your brain you are moving. Your brain goes “woah!” and that’s that.

The strength of the symptoms for the illness vary in each person, but uniformly it causes

• dizziness
• nausea
• vomiting
• spinning sensations
• sweating.

Neither of these are particularly cool if you are on a boat having a party or even watching a movie in 3-D. People even got sick during “Cloverfield” and “ The Blair Witch Project” because of the shaky handheld camera work.

Weirdly, symptoms can also rear their head if you put strain on certain parts of the body like the neck.

For instance if you are painting a ceiling you may find that your neck and head have been in an awkward angle placing pressure on the occipital area resulting in motion sickness symptoms. I wouldn’t have wanted to be Michelangelo, unless I had some ginger on hand.:)

Back to school

September 7th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | Comments Off

With the back to school commercials all over the TV and the media bombarding us with specials for the kids, it’s easy to forget about the important stuff. Like the fact that even though you have had to deal with their energy throughout the summer, they very soon will be back to school. That not only means a long trip back by road or air if you have been away, but most importantly, they are heading off into a wonderland of germs.

Being surrounded by a whole bunch of other or even new kids causes a bunch of children to get sick every year the first few weeks back at school.

And that is just the pre cursor to what the doctors term the September spike. Cold/flu and asthma stats apparently jump through the roof in September.

So what can you do? Well, Ginger has been used for thousands of years to treat colds and flu as well as a preventative measure.
Used in Ayurvedic, Japanese, and Chinese Traditional medicines the essential oil of ginger has at least 100 chemical components. It is used in various forms to treat colds, chills, phlegm, nausea, vomiting, shock and on and on, while boosting your bodies ability to fight off infection.

Ginger can be sneakily put in many forms. We have real natural sodas but you can get it in ice cream and candy too. Keep your
diet all natural and all healthy, add a little ginger, and your kids will be tearing around with a smile on their face minus the coughing, right through winter.

The Reeds Crew:)

3D TV may be all the rage but you better have your RX handy.

August 28th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | 9 Comments

When Jaws 3-D was released in 1983 they said it was going to revolutionise the cinema world. It didn’t. Instead it was a gimmick that disappeared for a while. But with 3-D enjoying a new lease on life and a bunch of the leading tech manufacturers trying to out 3D each other, maybe we should take a step back for a second.

Samsung has just warned that 3-D could cause light-headedness, nausea, dizziness, and twitching or even convulsions. Now that is starting to sound like the side effects the drug companies are forced to tell us about by the FDA.

With teens playing video games more than ever before and technology making us able to immerse ourselves in other fantasy worlds I guess a lot of people are going to be grabbing some ginger, or they may just be throwing up all over their screens.

With 3-D TV’s in stores soon Samsung apparently warned that parents should monitor their kids closely as they are more susceptible to the side effects than adults. Also we should take frequent breaks from watching to avoid eyestrain and possible motion sickness.

I don’t know about you guys, but if I am going to get seasick from watching some people on a TV screen I ‘d rather be out in the world, maybe on a boat sipping ginger brew, than having to chug down anti nausea remedy because I had been sitting on my couch watching an action movie.

Passionate about Ginger

January 12th, 2010 In The Reeds Crew | No Comments

Reed’s gets calls and emails every week for different uses people have for our drinks. Radio host Gary Meier of Chicago mega station WGN uses our chews as a digestive stomach settling agent. We hear from customers that use our drinks for migraines and that this is the only thing that allieviates the pain. The theory is ginger is anti-inflamatory and migraines are caused by inflamation. What excites me about 2010 is this is the year we will start getting our products out into distribution packaged for the drug channel. Its been fun disguising my ginger tonic as a soda for 20 years secretly knowing that the product is helping people. Now we can come out of the closet for the customers who can benefit from ginger’s natural healing properties. We will again present at the American Society of Clinical Oncologists but this year we will have our newly packaged ginger beverage for the drug trade. We have been supplying a few oncology clinics with our drinks with great feedback from patients. This year will see an expansion of that part of our business. Its one thing to quench a persons thirst, its quite another to alievate their pain or nausea while fighting a life threatening disease. This is truly becoming a fulfillment of my personal goals for my products.

You can listen to the interview that I had with Gary Meier from WGN Chicago here.

Chinese Buying all the Ginger up for Swine Flu

December 19th, 2009 In The Reeds Crew | 3 Comments

Chinese marketplaces are causing us grief because the billion plus populace is using ginger and honey brews to prevent swine flu. This has taken the ginger farmers by surprise and making us think about buying a ginger farm in Hawaii.  Maybe that makes our drinks a preventative for swine flu. I hope so. So far so good.