Snappy ginger to hibiscus: Why a former top Phoenix restaurant owner now makes artisan sodas

When one door closes another opens. Or at least that was the case for Dwayne Allen and the launch of Big Marble Organics, a project seven years in the making.

Allen opened The Breadfruit and Rum Bar with his then-wife chef Danielle Leoni in 2008 and the restaurant quickly became a lauded Phoenix staple known for creative takes on classic Caribbean flavors and a commitment to sustainable sourcing.

Their best-selling cocktail? A simple, two-ingredient dark and stormy.

“Up until 2013, we were making dark and stormy with a ginger beer that I grew up with in Jamaica," Allen said. "And we were getting it from an importer and then they stopped exporting to the US. So we couldn't get it anymore and we tasted everything else that was available and nothing worked in the way that ginger beer worked.”

He fermented some ginger in an early attempt to make ginger beer, which inspired he and Leoni to not only create their own cocktail mixer, but launch a soft drink company using the same sustainable practices and careful sourcing reflected in their restaurant menu.

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Then the COVID-19 pandemic broke out and everything came to a grinding halt.

The restaurant closed in March 2020 and production of their natural ginger beer was put on hold.

"We got our permits and our certificate of occupancy in February, and so we have plans to do testing and then officially launch in April. That didn't happen until about June," said Allen.

Many twists and turns later, Big Marble Organics is now open for business and thriving.

Building a better soft drink

“We champion good food that's good to eat," Allen explained of his philosophy at The Breadfruit and Rum. "Recognizing that just because something tastes good, it might not be the best for you to eat, right? So we sort of captured the core consideration here that it is good in the sense that it's good for the body. It's not going to bring any adverse reaction or long-term consequences for ingesting this and then that it's tasty too.”

Allen, who calls himself the chief bubble maker, approaches the production of soft drinks and cocktail mixers with the same mentality, which translates into using only organic ingredients and making the beverages suitable for everyone to drink by making them non-alcoholic and vegan.

“There is a social and then an ecological consideration at the core of what it is that we do here. We like to talk about big models being rooted in sustainability. We are organic because we are concerned for pesticide runoff and the harms of such things on not just the planet at large ecologically, but also our bodies, we think of our bodies as the environment as well,” said Allen.

Allen also strives for social sustainability.

“You'll see that all of our products bear the Fair Trade logo so we can ensure that the ingredients that we're using are, again, not only clean and good, good to ingest, but also that they're produced in the most ethical way possible,” said Allen.

Although it all started with a dark and stormy cocktail, Allen sees the beverages they now make as excellent for both use in mixology and as an option for those who don't drink alcohol.

“We're looking to clean up this space and provide bartenders with tools that will make for a great cocktail addition,” said Allen.

Bringing Jamaican flavors to the table

Beyond the focus on creating a more ethical, healthful carbonated drink, what sets Big Marble Organics drinks apart is the unique addition of Jamaican flavors and spices.

“So Jamaican style to us means that there is going to be a layered experience in that you'll find it's not a flat flavor, it's a very dynamic flavor. So the addition of something like allspice that's gonna add a very lovely layer of complexity,” said Allen.

The Proper Lemon was inspired by lemonade, which Allen elevated with the addition of "a little spice.” The resulting beverage is not a lemonade, yet when you take a sip it evokes the essence of it and triggers the memory of the classic tangy summer drink, while offering a distinct drinking experience.

“We're not simply looking to reinvent the wheel, you know, I'm not interested in recreating what's already been done," said Allen. "But let's think about if we can move the ball forward a bit and provide some other experiences and particularly from the bartender's point of view, these are tools for coming up with new cocktails.”

Allen was inspired by aguas frescas and sorrel, a typical Christmas drink in Jamaica when he created the Proper Hibiscus.

“I'm not trying to recreate either of the two experiences that people are familiar with. Be it aguas frescas or sorrel," he explained. "But instead, somewhere in between because, again, I'm looking at this to be enjoyed much more socially.”

What do Big Marble Organics beverages taste like?

“I like to say this is made for people who don't like ginger beer. And it's also made for people who love ginger beer, because the experience on the palate speaks for itself. So really, we don't tell much of a story. We just hand them a drink then we back away and let people decide on their own,” said Allen.

Big Marble Organics currently produces four flavors.

Ginger Beer: Like taking a bite out of a piece of ginger, but in a good way. Very bubbly with a strong ginger flavor and spicy finish.

Tonic Water: Different from your average tonic water, with a citrusy and bitter flavor.

Proper Lemon: Not sour like you think it's going to be, but rather a semi-sweet, mild lemon flavor and a smooth fizz.

Proper Hibiscus: This is what you get when you mix agua de Jamaica and allspice, a mix of floral, sweet and clove flavors that will make you want to finish the whole bottle faster than you should.

Allen plans on expanding the flavor lineup, starting with a tamarind soda.

“So my best friend, my childhood friend in Jamaica, I was chatting with him and he mentioned that his wife had just made dinner with tamarind juice, and I thought 'Hmm tamarind,'” said Allen.

Allen is still in the process of making a Proper Tamarind and he's considering developing a Proper Guava as well.

Where to try Big Marble Organics

Available all across the state, you can also find Big Marble Organics in over 300 bars and restaurants around the Valley. Bartenders at High Ball, Bitter & Twisted, Merkin Vineyards, Belly Kitchen and Bar, Beckett's Table and The Larder + The Delta are now mixing dark and stormys and other cocktails using Big Marble Organics.

"High Ball does a great job with our product and also Bitter and Twisted. Sweet Republic ice cream, want to make sure we give a shout out, they did a ginger beer float, it's phenomenal," said Allen.

And soon, they may be turning up in bars in California and beyond.

“As a matter of fact, we're getting ready to launch a crowdfunding campaign with the intention of raising some cash that's going to see us moving into Southern California and engaging with some folks in San Diego and LA that have expressed an interest in what it is that we're doing here. So we're excited and ready to take brand Arizona on the road and express my Arizona pride in that way,” said Allen.

Details: Find the soft drinks in the drink aisles at Whole Foods, Total Wine, Sprouts, AJ's Fine Foods. Find a list of restaurants and bars that stock the soft drink at bigmarble.com.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Ginger beer from Big Marble Organics captures the flavors of Jamaica