What is this thing called ginseng ? It seems one can't swing a ginger cat these days without hitting yet another potable containing the stuff - ginseng teas, ginseng sodas, ginseng fruit juices, and, for all anyone knows, ginseng martinis. The mysterious herb's devotees swear by it as an immune system booster and energizer, and all that remained was for someone to come up with a really good ginseng root beer - at least according to Willie Phalanger, president and founder of Willie's Root Zing Sodas of San Anselmo, CA.
Willie Phalanger's interest in making sodas extends back to his childhood, when he and his father spent many long Marin County afternoons making their own root beer from Dad's own private recipe. Later, Phalanger went into the organic produce business, and when business became slow for him in 1994, his father suggested that he try making his own root beer again - this time, for profit. Phalanger took his father's advice, but made some adjustments.
"Most of the sodas out there were too sweet for me, and had too many dyes and chemicals," he explains. He decided to add ginseng after noting the herb's popularity among the "health nuts" of Marin, and realizing that he himself craved a ginseng beverage less bitter than the ones he'd tasted so far. Taking a cue from beer microbrewers who use their own personal taste to "niche market" their drinks, he came up with a root beer made from all-natural ingredients, with the added kick of pure American ginseng. It was as important to Phalanger to get the ginseng part right as the root beer part, since he felt that most ginseng drinks boiled down the ginseng too much, thus lessening its effectiveness. By comparison, he says, "You get a real good 'zing' from my sodas."
Willie's Root Zing Sodas are an acquired taste for those used to sweeter commercial soft drinks; they could be likened to a cross between ginger ale and a strong ginseng tea, with the attendant ginseng aftertaste. However, taste tessts show theey provide the "zing" its creator claims.
Phalanger made the initial 200-case batch of Willie's Root Zing Root Beer entirely by himself, adding the syrup to the bottles with a turkey baster and even carbonating his own water. He also distributed the cases on his own, taking them around to various "upscale" shops and dells in the San Francisco Bay Area and getting many of them to agree to carry it. "When I sold over 100 cases," he says, "I figured I was on to something."
Nowadays, Phalanger oversees nine other employees in his company, but still personally supervises every aspect of the production and distribution process. Willie's now also makes other flavors besides the root beer - cream soda, ginger beer, and a just-debuting orange soda and lime-twist cola - all with ginseng , but sans caffeine. They are also now available in selected gourmet locations in the Bay Area and Southern California. Phalanger says plans are underway to have Willie's sodas distributed in Nevada and in the Rockies within the next two years. "We're working our way east," he laughs.
Phalanger may also be branching out into other niches, albeit with the same Zing line. Willie doesn't drink much beer anymore, but says those who do might want to start looking to his products as a healthy alternative. "If you have a hangover, try my ginger beer," he advises.
Sounds good, Willie. Pass the oat bran pretzels.
INFO VIA PHONE: 415/451-1920
- BY : Andee Joyce
- SOURCE : Beverage World Periscope Edition1997.07.31
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