Old fashioned flavours help Wayne achieve success in top awards
A specialist in old-fashioned minerals and mixers from Belfast struck gold for outstanding flavours at last week’s Blas na hEireann Irish Food Awards in Co Kerry Wayne Adair, who began making non-alcoholic ginger wine as a youngster using a recipe from his grandmother, saw his small enterprise Papas Minerals and its subsidiary Longbridge drinks, a producer of tonics and mixers, named ‘Best in Co Down’ by the panel of judges at the international event in Dingle.
Wayne also collected gold medals for his handcrafted Cloudy Lemonade and Longbridge Extra Hot Ginger Ale. The company, which is based in east Belfast, produces old-fashioned beverages such as ginger wine, including a sugar-free version, as well as cordials with elderflower, clove and spiced winterberry flavours. It also makes a sarsaparilla and a traditional lemonade.
“I was delighted to have gained such encouraging recognition for my small enterprise at Blas. Such endorsement of the products is tremendously important for the two companies and our drive to boost sales particularly among leading retailers in the Republic of Ireland. It will also help as we endeavour to build on business we have in Britain,” Wayne says.
Papas was among 23 golds won by Northern ireland at Blas. Local products also scooped 26 silvers and 25 bronzes Wayne first began making cordials in Bangor, his home towm, in 2004, producing flavours from the past such as elderflower, clove, and sarsaparilla in an old ice cream parlour he had taken over in the town. “I reckoned the cordials would help offset the usual downturn in ice cream sales during the winter – hence winter warmers such as winter berry cordial. I could scarely have guessed that the drinks would become an all year round feature, which they have.”
He also launched the minerals and cordials, which are without artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners, at local markets such as St George’s in Belfast, where the company has become one of the long-term stalwarts at weekends.
