A blogpal (you know who you are) has recently been imbibing that stuff which some people call golden nectar, in other words whisky, and I was asked for some advice on the matter. As I said I’m not a great one for the booze but I would plump for a hot toddy any day or night as my favourite way of drinking whisky but really for me it is honestly just medicinal. I’m sure that just breathing in the fumes kills off germs.
Otherwise I’m with the younger generation and I would mix whisky with Coke or Irn Bru, I did think of ginger beer but on second thoughts that would be piling fire on fire! I must admit though that I do enjoy a wee Baileys from time to time, definitely neat.
Anyway, I decided to have a look and see if Irn Bru has reached the other side of the pond yet and the answer seems to be that it is sometimes available at Highland Games in the US. As it isn’t all that long since it managed to make it into English supermarkets I imagine it’ll be a long time before it’s generally available in the US – shame. It’s our other national drink!
I thought you might like to see a couple of old Irn Bru adverts. My favourite is still the parody of ‘The Snowman’ one, but that’s obviously only shown at New Year.
The Crazy Yanks advert is a parody of the Coca Cola ones.
Then there’s the High School Musical parody, I never watched that programme and I don’t think it’s a great ad but it has its moments.
So what does Irn Bru taste like? It’s difficult to describe, it’s a bit fruity, some people say bubble gum-ish, slightly (pleasantly) metallic and my Dutch sister-in-law almost choked when she first tried it. I say first, but she only ever tried it once so I suppose it might be one of those things that you have to grow up with otherwise you think it’s disgusting.
So funny Katrina! I have never seen Irn Bru here in the states. I haven’t had a chance to go to any ‘highland games’ or Scottish festivals though. I loved the snowman commercial the best too! Cracked me up!
And I will tell you this, it will take a very long time for the grouse to fly the coop! But doesn’t he get better with age?
Peggy Ann,
I’ve only been to one highland games gathering, you’re not missimg much!
Sadly I don’t think the Grouse improves after it has been bottled but I’m not absolutely sure. It’s supposed to be the wooden cask it’s stored in while it matures which improves the flavour. Cook with it!!
Made in Scotland from girrderrs! I like Irn Bru. Never thought of it as being particularly ginger though!
Evee,
I’m not sure if the ginger is supposed to refer to the colour or the fact that fizzy drinks are called ‘ginger’ in the west of Scotland. Have you tried Irn Bru Fiery? It just tastes like very strong ginger beer. I think it’s a great marketing ploy because Irn Bru is very popular amongst Muslims in the English Midlands, apart from anything else they don’t want to drink anything American, but they would never drink ginger beer because of the alcohol connotations. I don’t know how popular it has been though.
It tastes of girders surely?
Jo,
Well that’s what my Dutch sister-in-law thinks anyway. To her it tastes strongly of metal but to me it’s very faint, I’m used to the girder flavour I suppose!
Something to add to my next-time-I’m-in-Scotland “to do” list…never tried it. But I’m not much for sugary soft drinks. Plus I’m generally hesitant to order something I can’t pronounce.
Pearl,
I’m more a straight unsweetened black coffee person or just plain water but I do enjoy Irn Bru now and again, whenever it’s hot here! You’d manage to pronounce it – nae bother at a’.
I had to investigate Irn Bru a few years ago when I was reading the Rebus series – the characters were always drinking this strange drink! I would definitely be willing to try it if I ever come across it.
Anbolyn,
Irn Bru is supposed to be good as a hangover cure and there’s always quite a lot of boozing in Rebus books!