Dang It!

On a recent trip to Cincinnati, my spouse was kind enough to drop into Jungle Jim's and score me a few Root Beers and Sodas. One of the Root Beers was Dang!, a Root Beer that is bottled for Imperial Flavors Beverage Company Inc, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 
   Their Root Beers are carried in a variety of places nationwide, so finding one shouldn't be a great problem. This is one of those Root Beers that is worth tracking down. Now, I'll have to track down their Butterscotch Root Beer!

Ingredients:

Carbonated Water
Sugar
Natural and Artificial Flavours
Caramel Colour
Citric Acid
Sodium Benzoate (as a preservative)

Aroma: Vanilla scent is upfront and pleasant. A bit of sugar in the scent, but not too much.

Head: Soda-like head that dissipates quickly.

Carbonation: Good carbonation. Keeps its fizz. Not a lot of carbonation bite.

Root Beer Flavour: Hints of wintergreen and nutmeg. Just a bit of spice to this one.  A very nice taste.

Sweetness: Not overly sweet. It well balanced and not cloying at all.

Aftertaste: A spicy aftertaste on the tongue with vanilla overtones. Very nice!

Overall: This was a delightful Root Beer. Has a good flavour and aroma. I could drink this often. It is a "Dang" good Root Beer. Imperial Flavours can be justifiably proud of this one!


I give Dang! Root Beer an 8.5 out of 10 an A. It's a solid Root Beer. Well worth drinking!

Sugar Gaining Ground

Add Snapple to the list of drinks abandoning HFCS for Sugar. Yeah, I know it's not a beautiful, fizzy beverage, but it's a sign of the times and it is owned by Dr Pepper.

Snapple, once the “official beverage of New York City,” is being redesigned — inside and out — this year.

The popular iced teas are losing the high-fructose corn syrup and the dated font. The bottles are becoming more svelte (to better fit into cup holders, which became a force after Snapple iced teas were originally introduced). The labels will also emphasize the green and black tea leaves used to make the drink. The changes are rolling out over the first few months of the year, and they are expected to hit New York in early March, according to Dr Pepper Snapple Group, which is now the owner of the brand.

Snapple, which once defined the genre of specialty tea, now finds itself fading in an increasingly crowded field of competitors. The brand, which passed through many hands before landing as part of Dr Pepper Snapple, went through a round of focus group testing over the last two years.

“Through that work we really found that Snapple had lost of its luster and had been replaced in the minds of consumers by other beverages out there,” said Jim Trebilcock, an executive vice president with Dr Pepper Snapple.

(For example, President Obama prefers (the more lightly sweetened) Honest Tea, and the White House is now stocked with his favorite flavors, Black Forest Berry and Green Dragon.)

Real sugar is replacing the corn syrup. (Sugar vs. corn syrup, by the way, is the difference between Mexican and American Coca-Cola.) In some cases, that has actually resulted in a decrease in calories.

The old ingredient list for Lemon Snapple Iced Tea: “water, high fructose corn syrup, citric acid, tea, natural flavors.” Calories: 200. The new ingredient list: “filtered water, sugar, citric acid, tea, natural flavors.” Calories: 160.

Now if only Coke and the other people out there would hop on the train. And I'm pretty sure that Obama has nothing to do with their decision, despite his inclusion in the article.

Technorati Tags:
Snapple, Sugar, Soda, News

Repent Soda Sinners!

Apparently, the governor of Massachusetts thinks that those of us who like to consume a few "empty calories" via a Root Beer or Soda are sinners and in need of additional taxation. It's yet another, in a long line of attempts at behaviour modification by the powers that be to encourage us to act and consume the way they wish us to. At the same time these nanny staters want to fill their coffers by taxing the population segment that they wish to modify.

When Governor Deval Patrick proposed a 5 percent premium on sugary treats this week, his administration presented it as a sin tax with a bonus: Imposing such a levy, a briefing paper pledged, "is a critical first step in discouraging the consumption of these empty calories."

Thankfully, I am not a resident of Taxachusettes, nor am I likely to ever be, but the innocent people who like a good Soda, or one of the excellent regional Root Beers have to bear the burden of these nonsensical do-gooders. Enough is enough, isn't it? Once upon a time there were some Bostonians who had the courage to protest a tax increase on their beverage of choice. Where are those people now? If you won't protest a 5% tax on your Soda or Root Beer then what will you speak out against? Very little, it seems.

Technorati Tags:
Taxation, Root Beer, Soda, Massachusetts

Soda Vs. Pop

When I was growing up in the South it was not odd to have an aunt or a friend or someone utter the words, "Let's go get a Coke". It didn't mean that I had to end up with a Coca~Cola product, either. In fact it was more likely that I'd end up with a Barq's, Nehi or other yummy bubbly beverage. My aunts would almost inevitably get an RC or Dr. Pepper. The fact that it was also pronounced "Cocola" made no difference, either. It was just what all soda water based drinks were (and likely still are) called in the South.

Well, the folks at The Pop vs. Soda Page have popped back up onto the radar again with their excellent map on the subject of what our favourite beverages are called by region. I was surprised to see that in my current region the Southern "Coke" is more common than Soda or Pop. Must have been an influx of Southerners into the region at some point in the past. Interesting.

Of course, where I grew up, if you wanted a Root Beer you asked for a Barq's. Just because it was the best on the market.

Technorati Tags:
Soda, Pop, Coke, Root Beer

New Push On Against Root Beer And Sodas

First they came for the smokers and I screamed my head off, even tho I wasn't a smoker. Then they came for the trans fats and I screamed my head off again, even tho I avoid trans fats. Now they're coming for Root Beer and Sodas and I'll scream my head off again, for all the good it'll do.

It seems that the nannies over at the Centre for "Science" in the Public Interest and some of their fellow traveller busybodies are looking to attack bubbly beverages now. They are even going so far as to propose "modest" taxes on effervescent wonders to be used to fund themselves.

Consumer groups on five continents are promoting a new “Dump Soda” campaign to educate people about the links between soft-drink marketing and rising childhood obesity. “Multinational giants like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo are flooding the world with beverages that are nothing more than ‘liquid candy,’” said Bruce Silverglade, legal director of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Science in the Public Interest, which is coordinating the campaign with the International Association of Consumer Food Organizations. “As a result, consumers, including children, in all corners of the globe are increasingly developing obesity, ‘adult onset’ diabetes, and other health problems.”
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Their demands include asking governments to require soft-drink producers to stop advertising sugar-laden beverages to children under 16 and to impose a modest tax on soft drinks to fund nutrition and fitness programs. The campaign also promotes the marketing of lower-sugar products, selling existing products in smaller portions, and stopping sales of sweetened beverages in all public and private schools, from elementary to high school.

It's all for the children again. Sheesh. Of course they failed in their "science" part, again. The vast majority of drinks on the market do not contain sugar. That's obvious from only a cursory glance at a label in most countries, especially the US. Most are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. If they would actually champion sugar as the primary sweetener, rather than nanny banning and taxation, they might actually get my attention in a positive manner. Instead they have, once again, aroused my ire with their latest anti-everything good campaign.

Environmentalists and nannystatists seem to go hand in hand, these days. Wishing to impose their tofu and water lifestyles on everyone else. All for their own god, of course. Well, guess what folks? I am the final arbiter of what goes into my body and that of my children. Not you. Not your "scientists" and certainly not the politicians you will manage to sway with your "oh so caring" rhetoric. You people will be in for a fight on this one. Here's my line in the sand.

Technorati Tags:
Root Beer, Soda, Libertarian, Sugar, Politics

Cry Root Beer!

During my most recent vacation to the Outer Banks I was given the gift of a bottle of Weeping Radish Root Beer by my sister-in-law and her husband. I must say that it was an unexpected pleasure and one I am glad to have received. This pint and 9 oz bottle was quite surprising to me. Many breweries make Root Beer as an afterthought and take little care with its formulation, using sub par extracts and treating it like the unwanted step-child of the business.

Weeping Radish Root Beer isn't one of those. Even though they rely on extract, rather than craft brewing they have managed to turn out a complex and tasty brew that is a pleasure to drink. Whatever extract the they use is pretty good and loaded with complex flavours that keep you going back for more tastings. Manteo, North Carolina is not just the home of Andy Griffith. It is home to one really nice Root Beer! It also sports about the shortest ingredients list I have ever seen.

Ingredients:

Root Beer Extract
Pure Sugar
100% Pure H2O

Aroma: Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, wintergreen and licorice. Spicy.
Head: Dissipated all to quickly. Too Soda-like.
Carbonation: Average. Adds just a touch of bite to the brew.
Root Beer Flavour: A complex spicy flavour, not soft and draft-like. It has a slight dryness that gets put down by the sugar.
Sweetness: Sugary sweet, but not overwhelming. The sugar is a dominant aspect but it doesn't eclipse any of the other tastes.
Aftertaste: Sugared spiciness with licorice tones and a very slight hint of vanilla.
Overall: Quite possibly one of the most complex brews I've had in a while. While it was a gift to me, I would certainly go out and buy for myself.

I give Weeping Radish Root Beer a 7/10 or a B+

Technorati Tags:
Root Beer, Weeping Radish, North Carolina, Outer Banks

Jones Soda Switching To Cane

Imagine my surprise to see that Jones Soda Company is ditching High Fructose Corn Syrup in favour of Pure Cane Sugar, according to a report in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Kudos to the folks at Jones for taking a step in the direction of flavour and product wholesomeness.

Jones Soda Co., looking for a marketing advantage, is making the switch to pure cane sugar from high fructose corn syrup as a soda sweetener.

"It's better for you, it's better-tasting and, overall, it's better for the environment," Peter van Stolk, the company's chief executive officer, said Tuesday.

------------------------

Seattle-based Jones, which makes root beer, cream soda and quirky drinks with flavors such as turkey and gravy, will sell 12-ounce canned sodas with pure cane sugar after Jan. 1. All of the company's products will make the switch by mid-2007, van Stolk said.

-------------------------

Hopefully we will see many more Soda and Root Beer manufacturers taking the same decision and getting rid of that nasty sweetener. I was planning on reviewing Jones' Root Beer here, but I think I'll wait until they make the New Year switch to Cane and then contrast their old product with the new. I have never been especially enamoured with Jones' products, due primarily to their use of HFCS and the mediocrity of their flavours. Now, I'm looking forward to tasting their new offerings. Stay tuned!

Technorati Tags:
Root Beer, Jones Soda, Cane Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup

Eat And Drink At Joe's

I recently went over to a reasonably local butcher shop called Joe's Butcher Shop, in Carmel, Indiana to see what they were all about. The owner, Joe Lazzara had contacted me some time back about Root Beers and Soda for his beautiful one of a kind vintage vending machine so I thought I'd take some time to jot over there and see what he had to offer.

Well, lo' and behold I walked into a fine establishment that had a great deal to offer. Cases loaded up with beautiful cuts of meat, fish and poultry, cheeses, spices and everything a foodie could want in a neighbourhood shop. Joe's even offers the venerable pieces of meat known in this area as "Atlas Tenderloins" which are extremely affordable beef tenderloins ($6.99/lb as I write this). The gem of my visit, tho was what awaited me just inside the door to the shop. A rack filled with bubbly goodness and a single six pack of Abita Root Beer on the top shelf. Yummy!

I spent some time talking with Joe about this and that and got a look at his 7-Up vending machine prototype (sweet!) and finally left with that single pack of Abita and some natural casing hot dogs that were well appreciated by the family! I've since been back to Joe's (sadly, he was out of Abita) for some holiday meat purchases and have plans to continue going back, (especially if he gets some more Abita back in). Maybe someday soo Joe will be able to fill that machine of his with some premium Soda and Root Beer and his customers will be afforded another venerable tradition, a cold Soda and a chat around the cases. If you're in the Carmel, Indiana area and want to see what a real butcher shop is then stop in at Joe's! Tell him the Root Beer Man sent ya!

Technorati Tags:
Root Beer, Joe's Butcher Shop, Carmel Indiana, Soda

"The Way Of The Warrior"- A Root Beer Related Interlude

My family and I attended a Halloween party last weekend and one of the guests happened to be a fan of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. While talking with him he told me that his favourite episode was one which featured a mention of Root Beer and an exchange between two of the characters, (Quark and Garak). Being the Root Beer Man I had to make the effort to find this episode and the exchange and here it is. From the Season 4 episode "The Way of the Warrior".

[Garak takes a drink of root beer]
Quark: What do you think?
Elim Garak: It's vile.
Quark: I know. It's so bubbly and cloying and happy.
Elim Garak: Just like the Federation.
Quark: And you know what's really frightening? If you drink enough of it, you begin to like it.
Elim Garak: It's insidious.
Quark: Just like the Federation.

For fans of Root Beer it should be noted that Star Trek:Deep Space Nine has a number of references to our favourite bubbly nectar.

Quark: Care for a root beer metaphor?
Garak: What's that?
Quark: You take a scoop of metaphor and pour root beer on it. It's good if you like root beer, or, metaphorically, the Federation.
Garak: I don't like those, but I do like metaphors. I never metaphor I didn't like.
Quark: Good. No room for metaphobes around here.

Or this gem:

Worf: There is an ancient Klingon proverb that says, "You cannot loosen a man's tongue with root beer."

One cannot help but like a show where there are a bunch of Root Beer references!

Next up, some long overdue reviews.

Technorati Tags:
Root Beer, Star Trek, Deep Space Nine

Thomas Kemper Root Beer

Thomas Kemper makes a variety of Sodas and does a reasonable job across the board. Their Root Beer is no exception, it's a reasonable brew that by and large does what it sets out to. Thomas Kemper Root Beer is a Washington staple sweetened with honey and High Fructose Corn Syrup. That's unfortunate, as the HFCS comes through as the sweetest part and the honey ends up being the primary flavouring, much to the detriment of the Root Beer flavouring that should be predominant.

Kemper's starts out with a nice, sweet vanilla scent and a long lasting head and everything after that is a matter of ups and downs. The carbonation is nice and adds just a hint of bite to the creamy mouthfeel. The Root Beer flavour is where things start to go wrong since the honey in the brew tends to overwhelm most of the Root Beer flavour. What there is of the flavour would best be described as draftish. The aftertaste of Kemper is a mixture of HFCS sweetness and a honey taste that make for a cloying experience.

In the end Thomas Kemper Root Beer ends up being about the honey and not the Root Beer and that's a sad thing.

Ingredients:
Carbonated Water
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Pure Honey
Natural and Artificial Flavors
Sodium Benzoate
Maltodextrin
Phosphoric Acid
Pure Vanilla Extract
Natural Sassafras Extract
Caramel Color

Aroma: Sweet vanilla scent
Head: Nice, big, long lasting head
Carbonation: Average
Mouthfeel: Creamy with a touch of carbonation bite
Root Beer Flavour: Draft-ish style flavour overwhelmed by the honey taste
Sweetness: HFCS sweetness flavoured with the taste of honey
Aftertaste: Cloying sweetness with honey flavour
Overall: Too much honey flavour with HFCS as a foundation, the Root Beer flavour gets lost in the mix.

Thomas Kemper Root Beer gets a 5/10 or a C.


Technorati Tags:
Thomas Kemper Root Beer, Root Beer, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Food

Barrel Brothers Root Beer

Every so often you come across something that has a catchy label or name. So it is with Barrel Brothers, a product from the makers of Apple Beer. The label art and name are catchy, no doubt about it and the Root Beer itself isn't bad. It has a wicked nice head to it that sticks around for quite some time. A nice aroma of vanilla with a draft Root Beer tone. The unfortunate aspect of this brew comes from the use of HFCS and some rather oddball ingredients. It has ascorbic acid in it as well as calcium lactate..perhaps that accounts for the creaminess. There's a lot of un-Root Beer-ish stuff in here, but this Root Beer still manages to be decent, despite the odd aftertastes and dry quality. If you're offered one - take it - but don't drive long distances or pay lots of money to get one. Barrel Brothers is a decent Root Beer and the head is just fantastic, but there's just nothing that stands out other than the label and that's just not enough to carry it through.

Ingredients:

Carbonated Water
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Natural and Artificial Flavors
Caramel Color
Yucca Extract
Phosphoric Acid
Sodium Benzoate
Potassium Zorbate
Ascorbic Acid
Calcium Lactate

Aroma: Old Style Draft with some Vanilla
Head: Wicked Nice Head! Creamy and long lasting!
Carbonation: A soft and understated carbonation.
Root Beer Flavour: Sweet and draft-ish. There is a dry quality to this brew.
Mouthfeel: Really creamy in the mouth feel. Nice!
Sweetness: Distinctive HFCS sweetness. It lingers in the aftertaste.
Aftertaste: Lingering HFCS aftertaste with a hint of Root Beer flavour. Mostly sweetness, tho.
Overall: Not bad, not great. Just a strange Root Beer with some oddity to it due to the added ingredients. The Apple Beer folks should know that ascorbic acid is a no-no, tho.

I give Barrel Brothers a 5/10 or a C.


Technorati Tags:
Barrel Brothers, Root Beer, Apple Beer, Food

The Worlds Worst "Root Beer"

Yes, you read right. This review is for the Worlds Worst "Root Beer". Now, bear in mind that Root Beer is in quotation marks . The product I am talking about here is an attempt at something approaching a Root Beer by the brewers of Samuel Adams called 1790 Root Beer Brew. This brew is part of a 4-pack collection of their Brewer Patriot Collection. Calling this a Root Beer is an insult to every Root Beer ever made, hard or soft.

This "Root Beer"- I hesitate to even use those words in connection with this stuff- has nothing to recommend it to Root Beer or Beer lovers. The only thing you can readily ID in the aroma is Molasses and a hint of wintergreen. The smell is reminiscent of a 4-H sheep barn, where the smell of Molasses soaked feed mixes with the smell of various ruminants. It's rather unpleasant to tell you the truth.

It has a serious head that is yellowish over a light amber body and is carbonated decently. Being a "beer" there's no sweetness to the recipe. The flavour...well, the flavour is truly unique in the drink world. It tastes like an ashtray. An old, beer soaked ashtray. This stuff is nasty and the brewmaster in charge of formulating this stuff should be ashamed of themselves and they certainly should never have put the words Root Beer on the label. It's nasty by any sane standard. By Beer Drinker standards it is wretched. My resident home brewer and Beer connoisseur, (my wife, for whom the 4-pack was purchased) tasted this one pronounced it the worlds worst Beer as well.

Ingredients:
Water
Beer
Sassafras
Wintergreen
Licorice
Spices
Molasses
Caramelized Sugar
Vanilla

Aroma: Molasses and sheep barn
Head: Big, yellow.
Mouthfeel: Decent for a beer
Carbonation: Decent carbonation
Root Beer Flavour: None. Some molasses and wintergreen.
Sweetness: None
Overall: Nasty. This stuff tastes like an old, overfilled ashtray filled with bad beer.
Aftertaste: See above. It lingers.

Samuel Adams 1790 Root Beer Brew gets a nasty 0/10 and F-.

Soft Core Root Beer

This past weekend the family and I decided to go out for Sunday dinner and the destination of choice this weekend was a bit farther away than usual. We took a road trip to West Lafayette, Indiana to visit the Triple XXX Family Restaurant. Not only is it an old fashioned neighbourhood establishment, it is the only Triple XXX Root Beer stand I have ever seen. Sitting beside the campus of Purdue University it is a unique diner, to say the least and harkens back to a different era in Root Beer and Road Food.

My wife and I both had the Bert Burger, (1/4 pound of ground sirloin, topped with bacon, lettuce and tomato) with onion rings on the side. Even tho they were out of mayo and had only Miracle Whip (something we refuse to eat on our sandwiches) these burgers stood the test well! They were worth the 120 mile round trip! The bacon was tasty, the bun was soft, lettuce crisp and onion rings were just right. Maaan....I'm getting hungry just thinking about this burger. The diner fare at Triple XXX is something you rarely see or experience any more. It was an old fashioned burger experience worth the money!

Now...for the Root Beer, since that's what I really went there for, as if you didn't know! It was served up to me and the kids, (momma doesn't do Root Beer) in frosty mugs and made a nice head as it was poured by our waitress. The bubbly elixir has a nice, easily identifiable old fashioned draft scent that is a pleasure to smell. The taste? That too is a pleasure. It has the soft carbonation that you expect from a draft Root Beer and there are hints of anise or licorice in the background. The aftertaste is just sweetness with some lingering draft elements. It is fairly obvious from the taste, (and the label of the 4 bottles of Triple XXX I purchased, too) that this brew is sweetened with HFCS. While Triple XXX would be vastly improved by using sugar it is not a loser because of its lack. I was immediately reminded of Henry Weinhard's when I first tasted this Root Beer and even more so when I opened a cold bottle on the trip home. I'd love to see Triple XXX embrace an all sugar sweetening path for their brew, but I am not going to turn one of these down because they use HFCS with, or instead of sugar. Triple XXX is a tasty Root Beer!

Ingredients:
Carbonated Water
Sugar and/or High Fructose Corn Sweetner (yep, that's how it's spelled on the label)
Caramel Color
Sodium Benzoate
Citric Acid
Natural and Artificial Flavorings

Aroma: Old style Draft.
Head: Nice, likely to be gone by the time it reaches you if you have multiple orders like I did.
Carbonation: Soft as you'd expect with a Draft, but there's enough to add a hint of bite.
Root Beer Flavour: Old fashioned Draft flavour with hints of anise or licorice and a sugary caramel tone.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, just the way a Root Beer should be!
Sweetness: Triple XXX is just right in the sweetness department with their Draft brew. It has a sugared taste, so I will go out on a limb and say that there is likely a mix of HFCS and sugar in the Draft version. It is not as noticeable in the bottled version.
Aftertaste: Just a nice aftertaste of sweetness and Root Beer flavouring. Nothing cloying about it.
Overall: Triple XXX from the tap is great and a super compliment to the diner food they serve. It was worth the trip and worth the price of a few extra bottles. I am glad I went there and look forward to going back at some point!

Triple XXX Root Beer gets an 6.5/10 or a B!



Technorati Tags:
Triple XXX Family Restaurant, Root Beer, Triple XXX Root Beer, Lafayette Indiana

From One Comes Many

What do you call a Root Beer that gets brewed up, slapped in a bottle and then has a bunch of different labels slapped on it? You call it Dominion, Monticello, Lighthouse, Chowning's Tavern and who knows what else. This Root Beer is definitely over extended in the label area as well as the flavour area.

I picked up a six-pack of Dominion in a Charlottesville, VA Giant on the way to the Outer Banks, I also picked up a bottle of Monticello the same day at the gift shop at Monticello. I found the Lighthouse at the BP in Avon, NC and the Chownings (which I didn't bother to buy) at Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati. I couldn't tell you how many others there might be out there. While I commend the folks at Old Dominion Brewing Company for their marketing zeal, it makes you wonder....you can't be everything to everybody, no matter how hard you try.

For a Root Beer that's marketed as heavily as this one Dominion really isn't as good as it could be. The flavour is all over the map in a way that some people would call "complex". I call it muddled and confused, at best.

From the start you are hit with the confusion. The aroma is akin to what we identify as draft, but with heavy spice, nutmeg/licorice and a hint of vanilla with some honey. Despite Dominions assertions on their website their Root Beer has a head which dissipates quickly. The carbonation isn't bad, but it doesn't add enough bite to the brew. Dominion does have a decent mouth feel about it, which is a plus for them. As for the sweeteners...it has sugar and honey, so why does it need corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup? Answer: It doesn't. Overall I have to say that just because a brewery can make a Root Beer doesn't mean that they should. Dominion isn't a bad Root Beer, but it has quite a journey ahead of it to be a good one. Its creators need to refine their formula and decide what they want it to be, a premium drink or mass produced swill. This Root Beer, and by extensionthe other versions with different labels is a confusion of flavours.


Ingredients:
Carbonated Water
Sugar
Honey
Corn Syrup
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Natural and Artificial Flavor Extracts
Yucca
Sodium Benzoate
Citric Acid

Aroma: Draft-ish, spice, maybe some nutmeg/licorice and a hint of vanilla
Head: Dissipates quickly, not long lasting.
Carbonation: Decent. It adds a bit of bite. Unfortunately the rest of the brew doesn't hold up.
Root Beer Flavour: Licorice, honey and perhaps some clove. Honestly, it's hard to tell.
Mouthfeel: Dominion has a decent mouth feel about. Better than many of the Root Beers out there.
Sweetness: Again, we are dealing with confusion. Use sugar, use HFCS, honey, corn syrup, whatever...just don't use all of them! Dominion becomes cloyingly sweet and one of the key elements is messed up because someone saw the need to use 4 different sweeteners, two of which bring nothing to the game. The HFCS taste is not good in combination with the others.
Aftertaste: An unpleasant, cloying HFCS and honey aftertaste.
Overall: Dominion isn't a great or even good Root Beer. It's confused and has entirely too much going on in all departments and this makes for a not so good Root Beer. It needs some serious work.

Dominion (and all the other labels) get a 3.5/10 or an D-.


Technorati Tags:
Dominion Root Beer, Monticello Root Beer, Lighthouse Root Beer, Root Beer
Chowning's Tavern Root Beer, Outer Banks, Virginia, Jungle Jim's

A Comrade In Taste

I recently heard from a kindred soul named Brian Pipa. Brian runs a site called Candy Addict. This man is to candy what I aspire to be where Root Beer is concerned. A while back Brian ran across TRBB and let me know about a new product that was coming out, Haribo Gummi Root Beer barrels. Brian tasted and posted a review on these candies at Candy Addict and it doesn't bode well for Root Beer fans. Apparently they are lemony and that covers up the Root Beer taste. A sad day for us Root Beer lovers. Fortunately there are a few other things out there like A&W Root Beer Barrels, Root Beer Jelly Belly's and a few other things and we have Brian to let us know when and if something else Root Beer flavoured comes down the pike! Candy Addict now has a permanent link over in the FoRB section, go see what Brian has that's sweet to eat! Hmmm...chocolate....




Technorati Tags:
Root Beer, Haribo Gummi Root Beer Barrels, Candy Addict

Frostie The Snow Job

Once again I have taken a Root Beer from my youth and subjected it to the mug and found it wanting.
Frostie Root Beer, once a truly popular brand and now the "property" of Leading Edge Brands is not what it used to be. I was really hoping that there was a chance Frostie might have retained a semblance of their original formulation. Alas, it was not to be.

This version of Frostie bear little resemblance to the original. While it isn't a bad Root Beer it isn't a great one, either. The head dissipates fairly fast, as it does in most mass produced Root Beers and the sweet, vanilla scent is simply a teaser. The carbonation seems to be the major player in this brew, since that's the stand out component of the taste. It has bite, but little flavour for that bite to enhance. The mouthfeel is better than some but, unfortunately there's not a lot of flavour to complement it. Despite having a couple of good components Frostie falls down on the job.

Aroma: A sweet vanilla scent.
Carbonation: Lots of bite.
Head: Not long lasting, but better than some.
Root Beer Flavour: A very light Root Beer Flavour. Vanilla and Sweetness. Not enough Root Beer Flavour to suit me.
Sweetness: Lots of sweetness and a definite HFCS flavour that isn't covered by the Root Beer.
Aftertaste: Vanilla and HFCS.
Overall Taste: Frostie is lacking in a real Root Beer taste. The reliance on vanilla and the carbonation does nothing to set it apart from many of the mass produced soft drinks. If Leading Edge really wishes to earn the moniker then I'd suggest a return to Frosties original formula and a switch to Sugar.

Frostie Root Beer gets a 4/5 or a D.


Technorati Tags:
Root Beer, Frostie

Tasting The Barley

Every now and again I get out and meet with other like minded people at someplace local where we talk about rebellion politics or just things in general. Last evening was just such a night and my fellow Libertarians got together for an evening of comradery at the Barley Island Brewing Company. While my fellows availed themselves of the various brews and food available to those inclined to imbibe, I ordered up my usual Root Beer, prepared the camera and my trusty Palm and got down to business.

I've had Barley Island before and, as brew pub Root Beers go it's not bad, (this is "not bad" in Chef's language which doesn't quite translate to non-Chef folks, sorry). I placed my order with our waitress, instructing her that I did not wish ice and would like a frosty glass if available (they aren't, sad to say) and sat back to enjoy an evening of conspiracy, politics and talk. And, need I say it? Root Beer.

Barley Island Root Beer, despite the lack of a frosty glass is served up nice and cold and that's a good thing. As micro-brewed Root Beers go it is a decent brew with a spiciness that is accentuated by the fine bubbled carbonation (they use forced carbonation for their Root Beer). It has a licorice flavour that is in the forefront and tends to dominate even into the aftertaste and a nice hint of cinnamon. There is also a "dry" quality to the brew that I have notice with a few other microbrewed Root Beers on occasion (my own included), this is most likely due to the extracts used, is my guess. The sweetness of their Root Beer is just about right, it doesn't overwhelm the taste as some others do.

I was fortunate that I got to talk with their brew master as I was on my way out and ask him about their technique for brewing Root Beer. Barley Island uses an extract as their base and adds a few other ingredients that lend to its unique flavour. One thing you won't find in their brew, oddly enough is vanilla. They do use sugar and corn sugar and avoid HFCS which is a good thing in my book, but they don't use Cane Sugar, which I would really like to see, as well as a hint of vanilla. Like any microbrewed drink, Barley Island Root Beer is an ongoing and evolving Root Beer. Perhaps the next time will see some tweaking to the formula in a continued search for the perfect Root Beer!

Ingredients:
Carbonated Water
Sugar
Corn Sugar
Cinnamon
Yucca
Root Beer Extract
Quillalia
Others I am sure

Aroma: Light and Spicy
Carbonation: Fine bubbles, not a lot of bite.
Head: Non Existent, this part needs some work!
Mouth Feel: Not creamy, more of a Soda like feel. This is where the vanilla would help out.
Root Beer Flavour: A Spicy and unique flavour. It stands on its own.
Sweetness: A nice balance. Not overly sweet.
Aftertaste: Spice and licorice.
Overall Taste: Barley Island is unique in its own manner. The licorice taste from the extract can be upfront but overall it's a nice Root Beer which I would like to see evolve a bit more.

Barley Island Root Beer gets a 5.5/10!

Technorati Tags:
Barley Island, Root Beer, Libertarians

A Taste Of Louisiana

Abita is one of many Root Beers I have been wanting to try for quite some time and I got the chance while we were at the Outer Banks. I ran across Abita as a single bottle at a place called the Barefoot Gourmet in Nags Head, NC and grabbed it up, (along with a few other yet to be drunk and reviewed beverages). Imagine my surprise when I later came across some six-packs of Abita at the Village Grocery in Avon, NC. Yes, I bought some more! (Hint to Root Beer and Soda lovers: The Outer Banks is crawling with a variety of carbonated beverages. Take advantage of it should you get down that way).

Abita, a Louisiana Company known for their Beers has brewed a Cane Sugar sweetened Root Beer that anyone would be glad to have in their fridge and offer to their friends. This is good stuff, folks! The people who brewed this are not shy about letting you know how they sweetened it, the cane plant on the label is there to let you know and the label proudly sports "Made with pure Louisiana Cane Sugar" under Abita Root Beer.

I feel the opposite of ripped off with Abita! This is a good Root Beer and I am glad to have it in the fridge! Man, will I be sorry when the last one's gone! This is an opportunity to "put a little South in ya mouth!" that shouldn't be passed up!

Ingredients:
Carbonated Water
Cane Sugar
Caramel Color
Root Beer Flavor
Phosphoric Acid

No Additives
No Preservatives



Aroma: Draft and cane
Head: None to speak of. Soda like. Here and gone.
Carbonation: Nice.
Mouth Feel: Medium. Not too creamy , but not thin, either. Decent.
Root Beer Flavour: Nice Root Beer flavour. Hints of liquorice, sassafras and vanilla.
Sweetness: Nice Cane Sugar Sweetness. Not cloying.
Aftertaste: Vanilla and Cane
Overall Taste: Excellent. Glad I bought a six pack of this one!

Score: 7.5/10


Technorati Tags:
Abita Root Beer, Louisiana, Outer Banks, Root Beer

The Way Things Used To Be

One of the first stops on our summer vacation was at the Frostop Root Beer Stand in Huntington, West Virginia. We had managed to get to the place at opening time, (10AM) on our way to a late breakfast down the road and the carhops (all guys) were more than happy to take my order even at this early hour. While I was getting a couple of pictures of the place and the menu my wife managed to get my attention just long enough to inform me that the carhop was in the process of putting ice in my Root Beer. I managed to catch him and let him know that I wanted no ice diluting my Root Beer, he corrected the problem and I got my Root Beer in a To Go cup.
Despite the fact that this Root Beer wasn't served in a frosty mug it was a great way to start out the day. I couldn't tell you what the ingredients were, as there was no listing for them on the cup. What I can tell you, though is that this Root Beer isn't bad. It has a decidedly Draft Root Beer aroma and flavour. A creamy mouth feel accentuated by a strong caramel and vanilla taste. Like many true Draft Root Beers, the fountain Frostop has a very weak carbonation and no head to speak of. Honestly, it's hard to say that I missed them, in this case. The caramel and Root Beer flavour that permeates this brew make it a truly unique representation of a time which is almost gone.

Add to this the fact that they throw this Root Beer together on the spot, serve it via carhop and are a still functioning Root Beer Stand and Frostop manages to score big with me! This is old fashioned Root Beer and it makes no apologies for being what it is. This is not some mass produced, overly ambitious swill. It's just an old fashioned, iconic Root Beer dinosaur of a better time and it works extremely well. If you get the chance to stop in at this place for a brew, do it! You'll have no regrets. At some point I'll have to get a bottle of Frostop and see if it compares to the Drive-In version.

Aroma: Old Fashioned Draft Style Aroma. Vanilla stands out.
Carbonation: There's not a lot of carbonation here and I'm not sure that this particular Root Beer needs it.
Mouth Feel: Creamy, thick and nice. Just what you might expect from an old fashioned Root Beer.
Root Beer Flavour: Frostop's flavour is easily identifiable as Old Fashioned Draft Style. Lots of vanilla and a delicious caramel taste. Some companies could learn a lot from this brew!
Sweetness: This brew is sweet, just at the edge of almost too sweet. Enjoyable.
Head: None to speak of.
Aftertaste: Caramel and a sugary taste. While I cannot say with any certainty whether they use Cane Sugar or not it is certainly reminiscent of Cane. It is good, though!
Overall Taste: This Root Beer stands on its own for flavour and the taste is just fine in my book. It is not a very complex brew but it stands out from the run of the mill. Its taste is great, even in a Styrofoam cup.

Frostop Root Beer from the Drive Inn at 1449 Hal Greer Blvd in Huntington, West Virginia gets a 7/10. Make sure to drop by there if you're in the area, it will be worth the trip! Next time I'll make a point of eating there, too!



Technorati Tags:
Frostop, Root Beer, Drive In, Road Food
West Virginia, Huntington

He's Baaack!

Yep. I am indeed back after a brief hiatus which included a trip to the East Coast for a family vacation and a chance to restock my Root Beer collection! I think I have managed to gather together a few new Root Beers and some Soda's for the Soda Pop Blog. I managed to find some new items and some oldie but goodies. I even managed to find the one Root Beer that has quite a few different labels! So, let's get on with the show! It's good to be back!