In the late 1800s, South Carolina Dr. C.R. May came up with a cure for stomach ailments that was fairly simple: Mix the local spring water with a good dose of Jamaican ginger (to mask the strong mineral taste of the water). The fiery concoction, called Blenheim Ginger Ale because of the location of the mineral spring (more on that in a minute), has helped generations of South Carolinians with digestive ailments.
It is now bottled-with a little sugar or sugar substitute and carbon dioxide mixed in-by the family that turned a Carolina state-line gas station into the tourist destination known as South of the Border.
Make no mistake: Blenheim Ginger Ale is not for the faint of heart (or taste buds). Some versions pack as much heat as any jalapeno dish. But for flavor, you won't find anything like it anywhere else. There are three different brews, all distinguished by numbers and the color on the cap. Old No. 3, with its red cap, is fiery. No. 5's gold cap is called "Not as Hot." And if you are watching your calories, check out the No. 9 Diet, under the white cap.
The bottling dates back to 1903 when demand grew for Dr. May's cure. The original plant was right next door to the Blenheim spring. It stayed there for more than 90 years, even after the Schafer family, who owned South of the Border, bought the Blenheim Bottling Co in 1993. Family members have said continuing the tradition of producing and bottling the traditional product is a "labor of love."
However, it became clear soon after buying the company that the small, dated plant next to the spring could never meet demand for the drink that was growing, thanks to a cult following and its use in "foodie" cocktails. One Southern food scholar has compared the taste to "a slap in the face from a spurned lover." It's now brewed at South of the Border in nearby Hamer.
Now, about that mineral spring. Legend has it that James Spears happened upon the spring as he was eluding Tory troops in 1781 and stepped in a water hole and lost his shoe. When he went back to get his shoe, he sipped some spring water and realized its strong mineral content. Folks came from the surrounding countryside to taste the naturally cold water and enjoy its healthful benefits. Plantation owners even built summer homes around the spring to take advantage of the steady supply of cool drinking water. You can stop by the spring, which is easily found in the Marlboro County town of Blenheim, off S.C. 381. The remains of the old bottling plant are next door and the spot is general quiet, offering visitors a respite from their travelers.
The South of the Border complex is the best place to buy the stuff as you are passing through South Carolina. Most major grocery stores here carry it too, or you can order it online from the company itself. You also can find it featured on bar and restaurant menus in New York City, San Francisco and watering holes in-between.
Enjoy it over ice, mixed with your favorite spirit or over ice cream or sherbet, which helps ease the heat a bit. It is sold only in 12-ounce glass bottles.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy Blenheim Ginger Ale:
