Taste the ginger, feel the kick

'With Paulies Ginger we hope to inspire people to a healthy lifestyle!'

"Soooooooo, hellooooo!" was the first reaction of the writer of this article, when tasting the ginger shot. Such a small glass and then such a fresh kick! Earlier that week we received a package from Paulies Ginger, containing some beautifully designed bottles, tasting glasses and instructions on how to drink their ginger drinks. IkPas participants know that we often write about ginger as an alternative, so why another article about a ginger drink? Because the story of Yvonne & Paul (the latter is indeed the name giver of the brand) appeals to us.

Yvonne's past is the direct reason for developing Paulie's Ginger. Ten years ago, her life looked very different from now. “I was always looking for the intoxication of alcohol. It was all or nothing, I couldn't drink just 1 glass of wine. I also thought I was super funny when I had alcohol, I was more outgoing and fun, in my experience. I don't even think people realized I was addicted. Everyone drinks and alcohol consumption is so accepted.”

Up to the hole

Yvonne drank regularly until she had blackouts. She became depressed and the alcohol could no longer numb those feelings. She decided to seek help in addiction care and to start living a healthier life. “It was a process of trial and error that lasted about 3 years. I finally stopped 8 years ago. That was quite difficult, because if you don't drink you sometimes fall quite outside the group. Everyone around you is drinking and then you are standing there with your tea. I also have to say that I have different friends now than then, people who follow more of the same lifestyle as we do now. But still, if I go to the pub, I usually think it's nice after an hour."

“Paulies Ginger is, as far as I know, the only one who uses the slowjuice technique. All ingredients are purely organic and the slow juicing makes all the juices come out of the ginger and you get that intense, pure taste,' says Yvonne.  

A drink with a kick & a bite

Her husband Paul has always loved being in the kitchen and making tasty drinks at home parties. “When he came up with this ginger drink, I was immediately enthusiastic. The taste sensation and the bite make it a really special drink.”

Her enthusiasm made Paul and Yvonne decide to market the drink. Literally, because they started with a stall at the Haarlem weekly market.

“From there we are slowly conquering the country. We meet many small business owners in the market. We let them taste and that's how the ball starts rolling. In Haarlem, Paulies Ginger is already available in many places, including in cafes, lunchrooms and in the first real alcohol-free liquor store in the Netherlands, Nix & Nix. We just walk in everywhere and tell our story.”

clear story

And that story is very clear. 'I've noticed that if you drink too much alcohol, you get very distant from yourself. Only when you stop do you see who you really are and what you need. If you choose a healthy lifestyle, you will come close to yourself. With Paulies Ginger I want to inspire people to live healthy and make healthier choices.”

That already works well: on the Haarlem market, Paul & Yvonne regularly get people at the stall who often admit reluctantly and ashamed that they have the feeling that they drink too much themselves. And there are regular customers who say that instead of a glass of wine, they enjoy a nice tonic with a dash of Paulies. “Not every alcohol addict lies under a bridge with an empty bottle. There are many more people than we think who suffer from alcohol problems. Paulies Ginger wants to break the taboo on alcohol addiction and talk about the benefits of healthier choices. We are probably also included in a nutritional program. And an addiction clinic is also working on whether they will include Paulie's Ginger in their range. Wonderful, because that way the circle is complete again!”

Paulies Ginger is available with or without turmeric, sweetened or unsweetened. You drink it neat, mix it with water and soda, put it in the tea, in the marinade or as a dressing. For more info, the online shop and points of sale, go to www.pauliesginger.com.

This article was written by Sanne de Koning, content creator at IkPas