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Welcome to the Root Beer Rundown. Over the last few years, I've had a lot of fun drinking a lot of root beer and posting my root beer reviews for your reading pleasure. Use the tools on the right to see the complete history of my reviews, find all the brews within a given scoring range, or simply search for your favorite brew to see if it's one I've reviewed. I always like to hear what other root beer lovers like and dislike about different brews, so feel free to sound off in the comments of the reviews. I've also provided some links to a few other great root beer resources. Let me know if I've missed any so I can add them to the list. Enjoy the site!

Monday, August 26, 2013

Frostop Root Beer


Who Made This Stuff?           Frostop Beverages, Inc. 
                                                               Columbus, OH
Website:                                          www.frostop.com

Where’d It Come From?       Angeli's Market, Iron River, MI

Review Date:                                   8/15/13

Commentary:  I think this is another brew I picked up in WI last fall.  I can't remember for sure.  All I know is it's been waiting very patiently for me to review it.  This one looks like it has potential.  According to the label, this root beer has been around since 1926, and they claim that "NOTHING tops it...but the foam!"  That's quite a claim, especially since the used both ALL CAPS and italics within the same claim.  Let's get down to business.

When I opened the bottle, I detected a definite spicy, wintergreeny aroma.  As I poured it in my mug, it did form a nice head but it wasn't anywhere near huge or anything.  Most of the head dissipated in short order, but a small amount of foam remained on top for quite a while as I worked may way through this one.  

The first sip was definitely sweet and smooth.  There was just a wee little bit of a bite in there but it didn't really last long.  Things started nicely, but then everything got weird.  There was some sort of odd finish and aftertaste in this one.  It kind of overshadowed everything else.  Each sip started with the potential to be really good with its balance of creamy and spicy but then that strange aftertaste would kick in every time.  It left a lasting impression and almost made me forget about the good start to each sip. 

The carbonation was actually pretty good.  The brew held its fizz all the way to the bottom of the mug, and I didn't rush through this one.  I took my time with it because I was so puzzled by that aftertaste.  I couldn't ever really figure out exactly what I was tasting in there. My best guess is that it was licorice but there had to be some else along with it.  It also left just a little bit of a syrupy mouth feel.  My guess is that is from the corn syrup.  According to the ingredients list they use corn syrup and cane sugar, but the corn syrup precedes the sugar in the list.

As I was drinking this, I couldn't help thinking that someone else might actually like this one.  Maybe that aftertaste would appeal to them.  This did have a few things going for it, like the sweet, creamy, spicy start and the good carbonation.  Personally, I couldn't get past that weird taste.  This isn't a bad root beer.  It just isn't for me.  

OK.  Now I'm really confused.  After I finished writing up most of this review, I read a few reviews of this same root beer by other root beer aficionados.  They all had very positive reviews of it, with no mention of the weird taste.  Maybe I just got a bum batch.  Oh well, I can only review and rate the root beers I drink.  Maybe I'll give this a second chance the next time I see it in a store.   

Enough typing, time to for scoring.  I'll give this one a......................................................................................71.

What about you?  Have you tried this one?  Any weird aftertaste for you?       

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