What's Your Pleasure?

Chilled? Frosted? Mug? Pint Glass? Straight from the bottle?

What is your preferred way to enjoy your root beer? I am very curious to hear about how others like to drink their favorite root beers, and why they like 'em that way.

I like to pour mine in a chilled pint glass, but that is just me. I do not own any decent mugs, so that makes my choice a little easier. Maybe I should invest in a few good mugs and give that a try. Then again, maybe I shouldn't mess with a good thing. I am not opposed to a frosted glass, but I often end up with just a chilled glass since I usually forget to put one in the fridge or freezer until just before I open a bottle of rooty, creamy goodness.

So, let's hear it. Do you put your glasses or mugs in the freezer or the refrigerator, or just take it straight out of the cabinet? Are you a mug or a glass person? Why? What size of glass or mug do you prefer? Out with it, people! Share your insights with the rest of us. Who knows, maybe you'll change a few minds or even have your mind changed in the process.

Also, what have you found to be the best way to produce a good head on your root beer when you pour it? Does pouring method even matter, or is it totally dependent on the brew?

One more question, and I hesitate to even ask it for fear of some of the responses -- do you (gasp!) put ice in your root beer? Boy, I sure hope not.

Leave a comment on this post with your thoughts, tips, hints, etc.

Thanks!

Iron Horse

Who Made This Stuff? Iron Horse Products, Edina, MN

Website: Could not find one!

Where’d It Come From? Grocery store in Minneapolis area

Review Date: 6/5/10

Commentary: This is another root beer picked up on our Root Beer Road Trip. A sweep of all the local grocery stores near our hotel in Minneapolis yielded several nice finds. I am looking forward to finally working my way through the root beer stash we accumulated.

I got a strong whiff of licorice when I first opened the bottle. When poured, the head was downright disappointing. It never really formed anything of substance and what was there disappeared pretty quickly. The first sip has a definite wintergreen taste. The carbonation is okay at the start of the glass, but I have feeling it is going to fade fast. It has a decent bite, not overpowering, but present at least. It is sweet, but the bite balances the sweetness a bit. A quick look at the ingredients list reveals the presence of high fructose corn syrup. I think it shows.

Okay, the carbonation is beginning to wane. There was never any significant accumulation of bubbles on the inside of the glass. The wintergreen taste is bit much for me.

On a positive note, I really like the label design with the old train engine image and the arch of train tracks over the top. With a name like “Iron Horse” you just have to believe there is a story there somewhere. Unfortunately, the label does not provide any clues to a story. The label does state that this is “Authentic Root Beer” and it is supposed to be “Just Like You Remember.” Ummm, nope, I do not think so. If I had remembered this, I would have remembered it as a root beer with great potential (due to a nifty name) that did not quite deliver.

As I approach the bottom of the glass, wishing for a little more carbonation, I just cannot bring myself to be sad about it. Honestly, I am really okay with being done with it. I do not think I will miss it. Now, this is not a truly bad root beer, but it is not a notably good one either. I would not make a special trip to the store for this stuff. Would I turn one down if offered to me? I guess that depends on my other options. I think I will score this one as…………………………………………..68.

Fitz's

Who Made This Stuff? Fitz’s Bottling Company

Website: www.fitzsrootbeer.com

Where’d It Come From? Fitz’s Bottling Company, St. Louis, MO

Review Date: 5/31/10

Commentary: This is one of the many brews we accumulated on our Root Beer Road Trip back in November. We stopped in at Fitz’s Bottling Company in St. Louis, MO and ate a great lunch in the restaurant and enjoyed a couple root beers on tap. This review is for the bottled root beer, though. I did not attempt to make any notes on the brew in my mug while eating lunch.

The first whiff had hints of licorice, but not too strong. The head dissipated almost immediately. I did not even have time to get the camera ready before it was gone. Lots of bubbles on the glass indicated lots of carbonation, maybe even too much just based on appearances. The first sip dispelled that myth. Carbonation was right on. A closer inspection of bubbles revealed that there were lots and lots of small bubbles (a good thing, in my book) rather than just a bunch of really big bubbles.

This is a sweet one, that is for sure. The sweetness is not a problem since they use the real stuff in here – cane sugar. There is no syrupy sensation in my mouth. Very smooth. I did not have a root beer float when we were in the restaurant, but I wish now that I had. This stuff would be great for floats.

I am half-way through the glass now, and the carbonation level is still just about right. It is just enough to give it a little tingle on the way down. I am not picking up a real strong bite in this. That is not a bad thing, though. I do like a bite in root beers, but only if it works with everything else in the brew. This one does not need a strong bite to make it good. This is not a complex brew. It is simply a straight-on, classic root beer taste. As I approach the bottom of the glass, the pleasant aroma of this one remains.

Before we get to score on this one, let me pause for a moment and make a recommendation. If you ever find yourself in St. Louis, it is worth a trip to see their bottling operation and eat in the restaurant. We all enjoyed our meal, and the best part was that we could watch the bottling operation from our table. You can get up an up close view of everything because they have some big windows right in front of the bottling line. Even though you are not actually in the room, you are only a couple feet away from the action.

Okay, this is the moment you’ve all been waiting for. I think this is a good root beer. Like I said, I think it would make great floats. I may have to try that with one of the remaining bottles from the four-pack I bought. But enough about floats. I will give this one a score of……………………….85.