Dang! That's Good Root Beer

Who Made This Stuff?           Imperial Flavors Beverage Co., 
                                                               Milwaukee, WI

Website:                                          www.imperialflavors.com

Where’d It Come From?       Mars Cheese Castle, Kenosha, WI

Review Date:                                   8/14/13

Commentary:  Based on the name of this brew, this review could go really well or really poorly for our good friends over at Imperial Flavors.  With a name like that it has a lot to live up to.  I found this one at the famous Mars Cheese Castle near Kenosha, WI.  If you ever get the chance to stop in there, you should definitely stop.  If the abundance of cheese isn't enough to draw you in, they also have a fine selection of bottled sodas.  But enough about cheese.  Let's get down to business here.

As I removed the cap from the bottle, I got a nice little "pop", which told me the carbonation had held up well since I bought this back in November (almost 9 months ago now).  It also had a good spicy aroma.  So far, things were looking up.  When poured into my frosty mug, it produced a small head that dissipated rather quickly.

The first sip was really good.  This one has a nice little bite to it.  It's spicy and sweet at the same time.  The spice was up front as soon as it hit my tongue.  It made a nice transition to a creamy vanilla on the back end, but the bite sticks around for just a bit after going down the hatch.  I did detect a little wintergreen in there, but that flavor is far from overpowering.  That same aroma I picked up when I first opened the bottle was able to stick around all the way to the very last sip in the mug.  Nice.

This one isn't super smooth, but that's really okay.  It has so many other things going for it that I'm fine with it skipping the smoothness.  It is definitely sweet, but because it's made with sugar instead of HFCS, it doesn't leave any syrupy mouth feel at all.  I would consider this a "sipping" root beer.  It's one I think deserves to be enjoyed slowly so you can take in the different characteristics of this brew.  If you were to gulp this down, you'd miss out on the really nice balance between the bite and the creamy.  The carbonation level is just about perfect too, so you really can take your time with this one and it will hold its fizz all the way to when you're ready for that last sip.

I liked this one a lot.  I would gladly serve this one to friends and as I mentioned, I'd recommend that they take their time and enjoy it.

I think this root beer lives up to it's name.  I'm giving it a score of........................................................................................89.    

Have you ever tried this one?  Did it live up to its name for you?  Did you shout "Dang!" when you drank it?  Let me hear about it in the comments.        

Abita Root Beer

Who Made This Stuff?          Abita Brewing Company, Abita Springs, LA

Website:                                 abita.com

Where’d It Come From?       ???

Review Date:                         8/10/13

Commentary:  I received a six-pack of this brew a while ago and I have had to guard this last bottle carefully.  My son and his friends enjoy root beer just as much as I do and I noticed that my six-pack quickly became a one-pack.  Well, this bottle's day has finally arrived.  Let's see what we've got here.

Hold on, let me go find a bottle opener.  This one doesn't have a twist-off cap.  Okay, after opening it, I picked up a standard root beer aroma but with a bit of spice thrown in, so it was off to a good start.  It produced a great big head when I poured it.  The head even stuck around for a few photos, which I thought was a nice touch.

The first sip was surprisingly sweet.  It wasn't too sweet by any means, but based on the aroma I didn't expect this sweetness.  I like the carbonation here -- small bubbles.  There is a certain amount of creaminess here as well, but not overly so.  It's the kind of creamy that lets you know it's there but mainly hangs out in the background, not overplaying its hand.  Abita uses pure cane sugar in the recipe (announced prominently on the label), and I think it definitely shows in the taste of this one.

I don't detect any kind of bite.  There is just a little hint of wintergreen and I don't detect any licorice in here.  That's two points in the plus column for Abita.  Unfortunately, the carbonation didn't hang around very long.  It seems to have disappeared and I've still got about a third of the mug left.

Nothing about this root beer really jumps out at me.  I enjoyed it.  It is a good, solid, middle of the road root beer.  I think I could enjoy this one with a meal.  I'd buy it again if given the opportunity, and I'd serve it to friends without any reservations.

So, I think I'll give this one a score of..................................80

Are you a fan of Abita?  How do your tasting notes compare to mine?  Sound off in the comments!

Virgil's Special Edition Bavarian Nutmeg

Who Made This Stuff?     Reed’s Inc.

Website:                            www.reedsinc.com/virgils

Where’d It Come From?   ???

Review Date:                     12/2/12

Commentary:  I have read several reviews of this very unique root beer and the reviews have been all over the board.  Some people loved it, others hated it.  I was glad to finally have the opportunity to try this one myself and see what all the fuss was about.  I'd been waiting a while to get to this one.  Would the wait be worth it?  Read on.

This one gets a bunch of style points right off the bat.  It has a cool swing-top ceramic lid (a la Grolsch), a label that has to be ripped in order to open the bottle, and of course it comes in a larger-than-normal bottle.  This one is a full 500 ml, just a hair over a pint. It may lose a point or two on price though.  Depending on where you find it, you'll probably drop $3-5 for this one.  A few more points are awarded for the back story.  According to the label, this root beer is imported from Bavaria and they use well water from the Bohemian Forest region.  Obviously, this root beer had to make quite a journey to get to my fridge.

When I opened it, it had a nice "pop" and a pleasant aroma.  It wasn't a particularly strong aroma, but I picked up a little licorice and cinnamon.  When poured, it formed a nice big head which, although it didn't hang around for a long time, didn't disappear immediately.  The second pour (remember, it's a big bottle) created another big head.

This has a complex flavor, not unlike it's cousin, the original Virgil's root beer.  What this one has going for it is its smoothness.  Much smoother than the standard Virgils, it is more to my liking.  It is creamy as well, but not over the top.  The label claims it is "so rich and creamy you'll swear it's made in Heaven."  I don't think I'd go that far, but it does earn the "rich and creamy" badge.

The ingredient list on this one is long, including anise, honey, licorice, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, wintergreen, cassia oil, sweet birch, and molasses.  That's a lot of stuff to cram into one brew.  I didn't pick up any of its namesake nutmeg.  All those ingredients result in a pretty complex flavor.  This is not your standard root beer.  As I mentioned, I think they did a better job blending the flavors on this one than they did in their original.

The sweetness level is very good.  They use real cane sugar and I think it shows.  With all the flavors in this one, I think it would make for a nice post-meal drink.  This is a very satisfying brew and I would definitely serve it to friends, although given its price I probably wouldn't serve it very often.

So, yes, the wait for this brew was worth it.  I'll score it as..........................................................89.

What about you?  Have you shelled out the big bucks for a bottle of this stuff?  Would you?

Sno-Cap

Who Made This Stuff?      Titletown Brewing Company,
                                            Green Bay, WI                  
Website:                             www.titletownbrewing.com                     

Where’d It Come From?   At the source – Titletown Brewing 

Review Date:                       8/2/10

Commentary:  Surprise!  It’s another Root Beer Road Trip brew.  Actually, I have been drinking this stuff for quite a while now, but I just have not taken the time to write a review.  Well, the wait is now officially over.

 

Whenever I make it back to the homeland, I always try to pick up some Sno-Cap.  Also, they serve this tasty stuff at the finish line of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon (which is a GREAT race, by the way).  I know it may not sound appealing, but after 26.2 miles a couple brats and a root beer actually taste pretty wonderful.

This is some good stuff – that is for sure.  It had a nice traditional root beer aroma when I first opened the bottle, and I picked up just a hint of wintergreen in there.  It produced a nice, frothy head when poured.  The head stuck around for a minute or so, which was nice.  I would prefer a little bit longer hang time, but I will take what I can get.  Ahhhh, the first sip is nice and creamy.

This is definitely some sweet stuff.  Good, for sure, but sweet.  It left a slight syrupy feel in my mouth after a few swigs.  My suspicions were confirmed by a quick check of the ingredient list.  There is some high fructose corn syrup in this one, but they are using sugar as well.  In fact, the sugar precedes the HFCS on the list.  Maybe that is while the syrupy feel was not too bad.  I wish they would go all the way with the sugar, though, and leave out the corn syrup.  Next time they ask my opinion, I will be sure to tell them.

The carbonation is just about spot on.  In fact, the carbonation level is still doing well as I pass the half-way point of my glass.  The bubbles are tiny, which I like.  I am picking up just a hint of a bite in here, but I think it is from the carbonation rather than the spices.  In case you had not noticed, I am enjoying this one.

Sno-Cap is definitely a keeper.  The last few sips have confirmed that this is one I would definitely serve and recommend to friends.  In my (feeble) mind, the only thing holding this one back is the HFCS in there. 

Whenever I see Sno-Cap on the menu in one of Green Bay’s local restaurants, I will be sure to order it.  I bought a 4-pack of bottles at the brewery when I was there, and I believe they sell it in growlers, too.  This is definitely worth the trip to Titletown Brewing to pick some up if you are ever in the area.  What? You were not planning to travel to Green Bay anytime soon?  Sorry – your loss.

One other note – I really like the label design on this one.  Unfortunately, it is a pretty wide design, so the photo does not do it justice.  Go get some yourself to see the whole design.

Like I said, this is a good one.  I think I will score it as……………………………………..87.

How about you?  Anyone out there tried Sno-Cap?  Have you enjoyed one at the finish line of the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon?  Do you want to run the race now just based on my review of this brew?

Millstream

Who Made This Stuff?    Millstream Brewing Company,
                                            Amana, IA
Website:                           www.millstreambrewing.com                   

Where’d It Come From?  Grocery store in Amana, IA
Review Date:                      7/25/10

Commentary:  Another Root Beer Road Trip find.  We actually did not find this one ourselves.  The Road Trip did not take us through Amana, IA, but some friends we were meeting up with in Des Moines passed through Amana on their way to our rendezvous.  They were kind enough to grab some for us on their way through.  Thanks, Killians!

Wow!  What a great head on this one.  It formed a huge head when I poured it, and it stuck around for quite a while.  I was able to get several photos of the brew and bottle together before it dissipated.  There is still a nice ring of foam on the top clinging to the glass even after a couple sips.  Well done, Millstream, well done.

This is a sweet one, for sure.  Very smooth.  Nice and creamy.  Vanilla is the last item on the ingredient list, but you can definitely taste it in this one.  When I first opened the bottle, I was greeted by a pleasant, traditional root beer aroma.  I could smell the vanilla in there, too.  This was a nice surprise, since several of the brews I have reviewed have hit me with licorice or wintergreen at first.  It is funny though, how the smell of this one has changed since it has been in the glass for a few minutes now.  I do not even detect any type of root beer aroma now.  The smell is not bad, but it is not distinctive either.  If I were blindfolded, I would be hard pressed to identify the smell as root beer at this point.

This one has a very slight bite.  If you blink you might miss it.  The carbonation is pretty light now, too, as I approach the bottom of the glass.  Maybe it worked too hard during the pour to produce that awesome head.  Timing is everything.  This one just peaked a little too soon in the carbonation department.  It could benefit from a few more bubbles at this point.

All in all, this is a nice brew.  I would definitely serve it to friends, or request one if I saw it on a menu.  It will not fill a slot near the top of my rankings, but it is a solid entry.  I think it deserves a score of………………………………………..80.

What do you think?  Have you tried a Millstream?  Anyone tried one of their other sodas?  Let’s hear it folks!

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.

Culver's

Who Made This Stuff? Culver's

Website: www.culvers.com

Where’d It Come From? Culver's restaurant, Wausau, WI

Review Date: 11/24/09

Commentary: For anyone who does not know about Culver's -- it is a Wisconsin-based restaurant chain that specializes in great frozen custard (so much better than ice cream!) and "butter burgers." We stopped by their location in Wausau, WI on our recent Thanksgiving Root Beer Road Trip because I had heard good things about the root beer available in their fountains. That's right, this one is a fountain-only root beer. According to an employee, it is Culver's own recipe, but it is not brewed up at each store. They just get the syrup delivered to them. They do not bottle or can their brew, nor is it available in kegs of any sort. But that is enough about the restaurant and how to get their root beer....

This brew had an awesome head on it when I filled my cup at the fountain. Don't believe me? Just take another look at the picture. I only wish I had been able to enjoy this in a mug so that you could better comprehend the true magnitude of the head on this one. The head stuck around for a long time, too. This root beer has a nice, simple bite to start but transitions well to a pleasant, creamy finish. There is good sweetness in this one, but not too much to be distracting. The carbonation was good in this one throughout the (brief) time it was in my cup. It had some large bubbles in it, which I am not usually crazy about, but it worked for me this time.

As far as fountain root beers go, this may be the best I have had. It tasted like a true root beer instead of a root beer-flavored fountain drink. And the best part? Free refills!

What do you think? Have you ever tried this one? Have you come across any other fountain root beers that taste great? In my opinion, this one definitely deserves a score of...................................84.

Maine Root

Who Made This Stuff? Maine Root Handcrafted Sodas

Website: www.maineroot.com

Where’d It Come From? Cost Plus World Market

Review Date: 11/10/09

Commentary: I have had this one in the fridge for quite a while now, just sitting there taunting me because I did not have time to do a proper review. Well, not any longer. I popped the top on the bottle and caught a slight wintergreeny aroma. The pour produced a small head, but it did not last very long. The first sip has a bit of a bite, but finishes with a nice creaminess. This one is not too sweet – a good balance of rooty-ness and sweetness. Carbonation is good. I am several sips in now, and the bubbles are holding up nicely.

This is a good root beer. I do not think it is going to end up at the top of my list, but it is a solid entry. It does not have a very strong aroma, which is a shame. I think a strong aroma probably could have helped this one score a couple extra points. The label indicates that this is sweetened with “organic cane juice.” Anyone know exactly what that is?

Speaking of the label…this label is quite busy. There is a bunch of text on there. It is a bit distracting, actually. There is a cool design of something that looks sort of like a root, but it is surrounded by way too much lowercased text for my tastes.

Label designs aside, I think this is a good brew so I will score it as………………………………….82.

Virgil's

Who Made This Stuff? Reed’s Inc.

Website: http://www.reedsinc.com/virgils

Where’d It Come From? T.

Review Date: 11/09/09

Commentary: I am pleased to announce that this is my first “requested” review. I arrived at my desk one day last week to find two bottles of Virgil’s waiting for me along with a note that read, “Please review. (signed) T.” Now that I am mostly over the cold I was nursing last week (and can taste things again) I am more than happy to accommodate T’s request. So, T, this one is for you….

Great first sniff when I opened the bottle. A nice spicy aroma, a good whiff of licorice and classic root beer smell. The head was not anything special to behold, with large bubbles that dissipated rather quickly. The first sip is really good. Lots of flavors in the mix here. The ingredient list from the label confirms this: anise, licorice, vanilla, cinnamon, clove, wintergreen, sweet birch, molasses, nutmeg, pimento berry oil, balsam oil, and oil of cassia. Wow, that is quite a list. I cannot claim to identify all those flavors in there, but I can certainly pick out the licorice, wintergreen, and cinnamon. This is not what I would call a smooth, sweet, or creamy brew – far from it. With all those ingredients, it does have a bite. It is a bite I like, though. Unfortunately, the fizz has left my glass pretty quickly. Maybe I had poor pouring technique?

This one has a unique, complex flavor. I definitely like it. I do not think this is one I would drink with a meal though -- too much going on. For me, this will have to be a stand-alone brew to be enjoyed by itself. I may need to take a few points off due to that fact. I would serve this to friends, for sure. It might not be my first choice to grab from the fridge, but I will be happy to score it as..................................................................80.

Boylan's Creamy Red Birch

Who Made This Stuff? Boylan Bottling Company

Website: www.boylanbottling.com

Where’d It Come From? Cost Plus World Market, Kennesaw, GA

Review Date: 8/31/09

Commentary: I picked up a strong wintergreen aroma when I opened the bottle. It did produce a decent head when poured, although it did not hang around too long. It has an equally strong wintergreen taste there in the first few sips. As I would expect from a birch beer, it greets me with a sharp bite. I can’t pick up any creaminess in there, as I think I should expect based on the name. If there is some “creamy” in there anywhere, it is overpowered by the bite and the carbonation. I do not detect anything in here that could be tied to the red coloring though, considering the coloring might suggest a hint of cherry or strawberry or some other red fruit. Okay, as the fizz settles down a little bit, maybe I am picking up a little creaminess in there. The ingredient list does include vanilla and vanillin, after all. I have tried Boylan’s regular birch beer in the past and seem to recall that it had quite a bite as well, maybe even more than this one. I think birch beers must be an acquired taste. I am enjoying this one, but I do not think I would want to drink them regularly. I can envision drinking one every so often just to mix things up and cleanse the palate a little bit. On the other hand, if you have a passion for Wint-o-green Life Savers, well then this is the beverage for you. I remember reading somewhere exactly why birch beers have such a distinct wintergreen taste. Oh yes, here it is over on Spike’s root beer site (thanks Spike!).

As far as scoring goes, I really don’t know what to do with this one. It has quite a bite to start out, but it has mellowed out now. The creaminess didn’t really come through until that last few sips. On that basis, I think the name is misleading. However, I did enjoy the brew, and I do like Boylan’s overall. I think they have some very good sodas. The bottle gets good marks, too. With the raised lettering and the classic style of the painted label, I think it just looks cool. This is the first birch beer I have reviewed, so I do not have any others with which I can compare it. Therefore, I have to hold it up against root beers in general. On that basis, which may or may not be considered fair, I will give it a score of …………………………80.

Baumeister

Who Made This Stuff? Lakeshore Bottling, Inc. Green Bay, WI

Website: www.baumeistersoda.com

Where’d It Come From? Grocery store in Green Bay, WI

Review Date: 8/05/09

Commentary: Ahhh, Baumeister. This is the one that started it all for me – the root beer that got my attention. I still remember the first time I heard of it. Just hearing the name…..”Baumeister”….made me want to try some. It was the early 80s. I was probably around 12 years old, and my family was having dinner at the home of our friends, the Klasks. Mrs. Klask told us about this great root beer a neighbor had told her about. She said it was really good, and her kids seemed to like it. That was it. I tried one shortly thereafter. That’s when I discovered that I really liked good root beer, and the rest is history. The bottles have changed a bit over the years, and the label seems to have finally changed just in the last year or so. Okay, enough of this stroll down memory lane

I picked up that classic root beer smell when opening the bottle. It showed the promise of a good head while pouring, but it disappointingly dissipated almost as fast as I could set the frosty glass down. The first taste was very creamy, with a bit of bite. Second taste leads me to think some of the bite may be from the carbonation. I can pick up some wintergreen in here. I don’t normally like a strong wintergreen taste, but it’s not overdone here. The carbonation, while strong at first, lasts for a good while which is definitely appreciated. This is a good root beer, but I’m not picking up anything in here that is going to really set this one a part. I’d say it’s a good mid-pack brew. It is certainly a solid performer, but probably not one that will grab a lot of headlines. You know the type – trustworthy, unassuming, dependable, always there for you, won’t leave you hanging…but at the same time it’s not going to change your life. As I continue drinking it, the wintergreen taste has started to taper off. It’s still nice and creamy and that carbonation is still there in just the right amount. So, in the end, I’d say this is a good root beer. I’d gladly serve it at my table. I’ll give it a score of ………… 82

Seymour Beverages

Who Made This Stuff? Seymour Beverages, Seymour, WI

Where’d It Come From? Purchased at the source, Seymour Beverages

Review Date: 3/8/09

Commentary: I really like this root beer for a couple reasons. The first reason has to be that this stuff is bottled the old fashioned way – in returnable/refillable glass bottles. The cool thing about the case I got was that of the 12 bottles in the box, I think there were probably six or seven different bottle types in there, all from old time soda bottlers that have apparently gone out of business over the years. None of the bottles bear the Seymour Beverages name. The picture at right shows a sampling of the different bottles. Check out this write-up on the soda company. Second, this root beer is made with real sugar. It is evident in its nice, clean taste. I don’t feel a syrupy coating on my tongue after taking a big swig of this stuff. Finally, of course, is that it tastes good. It has a nice, simple, sweet and creamy taste. There’s no hard bite, no overpowering licorice or wintergreen. Just a nice basic root beer. When poured in my glass, it produced a decent head of the soft, frothy kind that hung around for a little while. The carbonation was just right, too. Bottom line – it tastes good, and goes down smooth.

I hope I can get my hands on another case while this place is still in business. I’m down to just one last bottle in the fridge, and then it will all be gone. So sad. The bottles are 7 ounces, so they’re just right for a quick root beer refresher or for nice little dessert after dinner.

This isn’t the greatest root beer on the face of the planet, but it’s not trying to be. This is a good root beer, in just the right size and just the right taste to please a lot of the folks a lot of the time. I’ll score it as…………..84.

Boylan's

Who Made This Stuff? Boylan Bottling Company

Website: www.boylanbottling.com

Where’d It Come From? Cost Plus World Market

Review Date: 5/9/08

Commentary: Ya know what? I really like this root beer. I’d had it before, but it had been a long time so I couldn’t really remember any specifics about it. I had read a few reviews of Boylan’s in the last few days, and a few of them gave this root beer low scores. Everyone gave the bottle high marks though. The bottle really does look great with its throw-back design of raised letters and painted label. When I opened the bottle, there wasn’t a very strong aroma. When poured, it did produce a decent head that managed to stick around a little while. Carbonation was good – the last few sips here in my mug still have a bit of bubble to them even though it has been in there a while. This brew has a decent bite with no weird aftertaste or anything. I think the cane sugar gives it a nice clean feel – no lingering corn-syrupy coating in my mouth after each swig. It’s not real creamy, and not overly sweet. This evening it proved to be a good complement to my two slices of pepperoni and hamburger pizza. In the mug, I can pick up a slight licorice scent when I drink it, but there doesn’t seem to be an overwhelming licorice taste to it. I enjoyed this one, and I intend to drink more the next time I find it on the shelves in the store. Overall, I’d say…..a solid 84.

How about you? Have you tried Boylan's Root Beer or any of their other flavors?

Bulldog

Who Made This Stuff? Orca Beverage Soda Works,

Website: www.bulldogrootbeer.com

Where’d It Come From? Cost Plus World Market

Review Date: 5/6/08

Commentary: Hmmmm. I’m just a little confused. The first time I ever drank this stuff, over a year ago, I thought it was awesome – quite possibly the best I’d ever tasted. It’s been a long time since I last had any. Maybe I was just visiting my local Cost Plus on the wrong days when they were all sold out. When I finally found it there on the shelf again, I was quite happy. This time around, it wasn’t so awesome. It wasn’t bad, just not as good as I remembered. It’s still a really good root beer. I did notice the “Orca Beverage Soda Works” name on the side of the label. I don’t seem to remember that being there the first time around. Maybe a change in production crew/locale has affected the recipe somehow. I know the Dad’s label also mentioned Orca, but these are definitely two different brews. This one is still creamy, but it had another flavor in there that I couldn’t quite place…licorice or something. I think that cost it a few points in the “smoothness” department. Anyway, I’d still recommend this one. Maybe I can get some answers from the folks at Bulldog. Does anyone out there in Root Beer Land know anything about this? As for a score, for now I’m going to give this one a score of………86.

Anyone out there taken Bulldog for a walk lately?

Point Premium Root Beer

Who Made This Stuff? The Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, WI

Website: http://www.pointbeer.com/

Where’d It Come From? I don’t know…some grocery store in WI.

Review Date: 5/5/08

Commentary: I had my concerns about how realistic this review could be since this bottle of Point had been sitting in the fridge for several months. I must confess that I had actually forgotten it was in there. I was afraid that its age might have a negative impact on the taste, but I soon learned that I had nothing to fear. 

WOW! This is one great root beer! Creamy, creamy, creamy, and just the right amount of sweetness…must be that “pure Wisconsin honey”. The list of ingredients says it includes cane sugar “and/or” fructose corn sweetener. “And/or”? Maybe it depends on the day of the week, or maybe just what kind of mood the brewer is in when he gets to this item on the recipe card. I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he used cane sugar when he made my bottle. 

When I poured it in the mug, the head wasn’t anything special--kinda on the smallish side--but it did do me the courtesy of hanging around for a little while, which I appreciated. It was the nice foamy kind too, not the kind you get from any other soda. You can really pick up the vanilla, but other than that, no other ingredient really jumps out and slaps you around. No real bite here, just smoooooooothness. It could use a little more carbonation, but this one has so much other stuff going for it that I’m willing to look past that little fault. The Point Brewery also makes a few other premium soda flavors, but I’ve not tried any of them…yet. I’m still having too much fun drinking all this root beer. 

As for this bottle of Point Premium Root Beer, I’ll give it……….88.

Have you tried Point? What do you think?

Dad's

Who Made This Stuff? Produced Under the authority of the Dad’s Root Beer Company, LLC Jasper, IN. Bottled by Orca Beverage Soda Works?

Website: www.dadsrootbeer.com

Where’d It Come From? Cost Plus World Market

Review Date: 5/3/08

Commentary: I was excited to try this classic brand when I found it at my local Cost Plus World Market, as I had not seen there on any of my previous trips. I can remember this brand from my childhood, although I honestly can’t say that I drank a lot of it. Anyway, enough of the trip down memory lane… When I poured this one into my frosty mug, it started out with great promise. It produced a decent foamy head, but unfortunately it dissipated pretty quickly – very much like the way the foam dissipates when you pour a certain cola product. It had a little more bite than I expected, but nothing that knocked my socks off. Some of that bite may actually have been due to a little too much carbonation for my taste. I enjoyed this one just fine, but as some of the carbonation fizzled out, the drink became a lot smoother and much more enjoyable. Not a lot of creaminess here, and definitely not too sweet. My mug had a definite Wint-O-Green aroma, but fortunately the taste wasn’t overwhelmed by it. Overall, a decent product – nothing to complain about, but I didn’t feel the need to jump up and dance a little jig when I drank it either. I’ll say……80.

What do you think of Dad's?