Uncle Waithley’s has released a new flavor perfect for the summer.
Disappointed with the lack of authentic Caribbean ginger beer, Karl Franz Williams did what any Caribbean would do: he created his own. Thus, Uncle Waithley’s was born, named after his grandfather.
“I really felt like the market was missing something when it came to the carbonated adult beverages on the shelf. There were none that celebrated unique Caribbean flavors, with fresh and natural ingredients, authenticity, complexity, and the craftsmanship that only a master bartender could employ,” he shared. With this statement in mind, the goal to create that perfect ginger beer was set.
The idea sounds simple enough—creating a new drink takes a few ingredients plus some water or syrup—but to craft the perfect ginger beer, Williams had to go back to his St. Vincent roots.
“When I’m working on a new flavor for Uncle Waithley’s, I usually start by reaching out to my dad. I ask him for his recipes and any family recipes he may know. Once I have those, I develop a matrix-type framework. Using my experience, I start with my initial assumption of what I believe will work for the best flavor. From there, it is purely trial and error. I try multiple different combinations and iterations until I get the best taste.”
From all this experimentation, the new Caribbean Sorrel flavor was born. A longstanding tradition in Caribbean culture, sorrel is a sweet, gingery drink that is usually served around Christmas or New Year’s because the main ingredient, the hibiscus plant, is harvested around that time of year.
“When it comes to Caribbean drinks, especially in the English Caribbean, three drinks really stand out for their ubiquity: Ginger Beer, Mauby, and Sorrel. With Uncle Waithley’s, I am committed to celebrating Caribbean culture, so it was natural for me to look toward these flavors. I love how Sorrel and Ginger Beer taste together. I also love the deep ruby red color of Sorrel, which I knew would stand out on the shelf. Plus, the hibiscus flowers that give Sorrel its color tie back to Africa and a long tradition of African Americans and red drinks.”
With the release of this new flavor, Uncle Waithley’s is stamping itself as the premier authentic Caribbean ginger beer company. This isn’t all Williams has in store for the company, as he sees this as just the beginning.
“Honestly, I feel like we are on a mission that’s bigger than me. I have my grandfather’s name on the bottle! It’s also my dad’s name. We have an amazing team that is committed to success and growth. And there really isn’t a product like ours that is broadly available. We are hoping to pave the way, to show it can be done, and to open doors for future beverage innovators from our community. We are bringing some new and innovative flavors to the market, including our soon-to-be-released newest flavor: Pimento Wood Smoked Pineapple with Star Anise and Thyme. It’s super delicious and mixes extremely well with Gin, Agricole Rum, and Mezcal.”
Find Uncle Waithley’s near you on their website.
Photo Credit: Uncle Waithley’s
