Fresh Ginger: Why We Blend the Whole Ingredient

Ginger is one of the most widely studied plants in the world. It is also processed in many different ways.

It can be dried into powder, cooked into syrup, turned into an extract or made from concentrate and mixed with water. These products all have their uses, but they do not offer the same flavour, texture or composition as fresh ginger.

At Shot Club, we start with the version you would recognise immediately: a firm, pale gold piece of fresh ginger.

We blend it rather than pressing it because we want to keep more of the whole ingredient, including its natural fibre and pulp.

Ginger is not technically a root

Although it is commonly called ginger root, the part we eat is actually a rhizome.

A rhizome is an underground stem that stores nutrients and produces new shoots. It contains water, fibre, natural oils and a range of pungent compounds that give fresh ginger its distinctive flavour.

What gives fresh ginger its kick?

The best known compounds in fresh ginger are called gingerols.

The gingerol known as 6 gingerol is usually the most abundant. It contributes to the warming sensation that develops at the back of your throat when you eat or drink fresh ginger.

Gingerols interact with sensory receptors involved in the body’s response to heat and spice. This is why ginger feels warming even though it is not physically hot.

These compounds are also being studied for their potential biological activity. However, research into individual ginger compounds does not mean that a ginger drink can prevent, treat or cure a medical condition.

What happens when ginger is processed?

The chemical profile of ginger changes when it is dried, heated or stored for long periods.

Heat can convert some gingerols into related compounds called shogaols. Dried ginger therefore has a different balance of pungent compounds from fresh ginger.

This does not mean that dried ginger is bad or ineffective. It simply means that it is a different ingredient. Dried ginger is well suited to baking, curries and spice blends, while fresh ginger provides a brighter aroma and a fresher, more immediate warmth.

Processing also affects texture. Pressing ginger separates the liquid from much of the solid pulp. Blending keeps more of the whole ingredient in the drink.

Why we blend instead of press

When ginger is pressed, much of its insoluble fibre remains in the discarded pulp.

Blending breaks the ginger into very small pieces and keeps more of that pulp in the finished shot. This gives the drink a fuller texture and means more of the whole ingredient makes it into the bottle.

Fibre is an important part of a balanced diet and supports normal digestive function. A ginger shot is not a major source of daily fibre on its own, but blending allows us to retain more than we would through pressing.

It also creates a drink that tastes unmistakably like fresh ginger. The flavour is bold, earthy and warming, with a slight natural texture.

"You can taste the difference between freshly blended ginger and reconstituted ginger in a single sip. One tingles. The other apologises."

What you get in a Shot Club bottle

• We blend the ginger to retain more of its natural fibre and pulp.
• We do not use dried ginger powder, ginger extract, reconstituted concentrate or added ginger flavouring.
• We do not rely on syrup to create artificial heat or sweetness.
• The warming finish comes from the ginger itself.

How we source our ginger

We buy whole ginger from a small wholesaler that sources by the crate rather than the pallet.

When it arrives, we look for pieces that are firm and heavy for their size, with skin that sits tightly against the flesh. Soft areas, deep wrinkles and a light or hollow feel can indicate that ginger has lost moisture or has been stored for too long.

We prepare and blend the ginger within hours. We then bottle and freeze the shots on the same day.

Freezing helps us preserve the flavour and quality of the fresh ingredients without having to make the product shelf stable through intensive heat processing.

It is more work than buying a ready made concentrate. It is also the whole point.

A responsible approach to ginger

Ginger contains a fascinating range of naturally occurring compounds, and scientific research into ginger continues.

However, foods and drinks sold in the UK must not be presented as preventing, treating or curing medical conditions. That distinction matters.

We do not need to exaggerate what ginger can do.

Our promise is simpler.

Fresh ginger, blended with its natural pulp and fibre, bottled promptly and frozen on the day.

Nothing added to imitate the flavour that should already be there.