Rachel's Ginger Beer - Seattle

I might be the only Asian in the world who doesn't like ginger, but I think part of growing older is learning to tolerate and eventually appreciate the things you can't like; for example, celery... Walmart and all the crazy people who shop there... and the Olsen twins.

But unlike all of the above, Rachel's makes a cool, refreshing swig of sharp, delightfully bitter carbonation on ice. The Mango-Mate Ginger Beer starts with biting ginger, which mixes with earthy mate, and the bitters neutralize each other as a hint of spicy mango makes its mark. A breath of fresh air without being overwhelming, subtle yet hard-hitting, and probably the best drink I've had in Seattle.

I can proudly say that I went to Seattle without ever visiting a single Starbucks. Sure, I walked by the first, and yeah, I snapped a picture or two, but liquid burnt beans are hardly Seattle's finest drink. Rachel's ginger beer, however, is probably pretty high up.