BEARTOWN Brewery has fun with puns for its ale names - from the raggedy Bear Ass to the more potent (in every sense) Bruins Ruin.

So when I chanced upon the Congleton outfit's ginger beer in the Lass O'Gowrie on Charles Street last week, it was no surprise to find Ginger Bear on the clip.

After my previous column's exploration of ginger tipples I hadn't expected to meet another of that ilk so quickly. This was a lightish thirst quencher, with ginger hinted at rather than dominating.

You get much more of a root ginger kick from the (non-alcoholic) version from the legendary Fitzpatrick's (above) in Rawtenstall, if you aren't tempted by their dandelion and burdock, sarsaparilla or more medicinal delights.

Britain's last surviving temperance bar, created in 1890 to tackle the demon drink, Fitzpatrick's has re opened its doors after being closed for four months of refurbishment. Apparently the floor had been rotting through drinks spill damage.

Expect an extended menu to accompany the new look. As an antidote to all that ginger, here are a few roses. My favourite is an Ozzie example with a bizarre Pythonesque label, featuring muscular, moustachieod gents in Victorian bathing costumes clambering up freestanding ladders into the sky (no, I've not been on anything unlawfully medicinal!).

Climbing Pink 2008 is from high altitude, cool climate vineyards in New South Wales. It is vibrant and redcurrant-laden with perfect sweetness/ acidity balance (biboboutiqewines. co.uk, £8.95). Provence, of course, is the region most closely associated with rose but so many cheaper examples are harshly bone-dry, fruit-free from overproduction. At the top end Chateau Esclans is making the most expensive rose in the world, the top cuvee costing from £70.

I'd suggest the middle ground. Domaine de la Grande Palliere 2007 (left) is an organic domaine-bottle Cotes de Provence that is particularly cherryish and fresh. Produced by the saignee (bleeding) process, it is pale, pale pink in that particularly Provencal way (Nicolas, £9.95). Even yummier is another 2007 Cotes de Provence from Nicolas, the Carte Noire Rose (right) from the grandly titled Maitres Vignerons de la Presqu'ile Saint-Tropez co-op (£9.50).

It has an abundance of peppery Grenache fruit and offers more minerality. For a simpler sipping pink look no further than Canaletto's Salento Rose 2007 (Somerfield, £4.99) from Italy's deep south. Made from the native negroamaro grape, it offers loads of strawberry on nose and palate.

From Portugal, the Vinha da Urze Rose 2007 (Marks and Spencer, £5.99) is more in-your-face, under- standably since it is made from the port grape touriga nacional. For lovers of the Big Pink! Finally, an affordable pink sparkler from South Africa's reliable Simonsig range. Simonsig Brut Rose 2006 is a striking salmon pink colour with a nose of rose petals and a creamy mousse. It costs from £12.34 from Waitrose.