Root Beer (177 reviews)
AJ Stephan's Pure Cane Sugar Root Beer
Flagstaff is an interesting town. I would have never guessed it was in Arizona if I woke up there one day. It feels more like a small town in the mountains of Colorado. It's cold and the streets are lined with little shops. In a word, it's 'quaint'. It reminded me of that TV show Everwood. I don't think many people have ever watched it because no one ever gets my references to it.
I found this root beer in one of said shops. I probably would have never gone in if I didn't see the display of root beer bottles in the window. They had a decent selection, including this fine bottle. As I expected, it was a delicious root beer. Creamy with a nice classic taste to it. Not much bite to it, but it complimented the cool air of Flagstaff really well.
- Website
- http://www.ajstephans.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Cane Sugar
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland on 11/16/2011
- Comments
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Best Health's Gourmet Soda Root Beer
The name of this company, "Best Health's" reminds me of the early days where people would sell everything as "medicine". Buy this gasoline. It's sure to keep you more alert than a jumpin' jackrabbit. This here opium will keep you warm at night and make sure the bed bugs don't bite.
This may have been sold as a medicine disguiser, as I think pop originally was, but this is just smuggling gallons of vanilla. It's a dark root beer, that's for truth. It's good. There isn't any bite and it's fairly smooth, but it's not so common so have so much vanilla in a root beer.
Alright, one more...dentists are for fools, brush with this metal bristle brush and be sure to scrape those foul smelling odors away.
- Website
- http://www.brooklynbottling.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Cane Sugar
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman on 11/14/2011
- Comments
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Maine Root Root Beer
I remember very vividly the day Jay and I bought this root beer. It has half awesome, half speeding home. I'll tell you the story.
Jay and I and my six-month (at the time) son Max went to a handful of stores to get drinks. We went to a discount store and found this and were both surprised that we hadn't reviewed basic root beer. We bought a four pack and continued on with out voyage. We went to an Asian market that we both know and love, and my brothers and mom were telling me about another one that I should check out in the area. On our way to the new, secret one, we passed another one. Once we went in, Max started to get a little whiny. We sped everything up, went to the new place, got a handful of drinks, and the lady behind the register started talking to Max and he was holding back tears. As soon as we left the store, he exploded. Guttural screams. Throat shredding screams. So mixed between that an Everything But The Girl's "The Language of Love" I sped home to get him changed and fed and napped. All the while, Jay and I were sipping on one bottle of this root beer. It was alright, at best, given the circumstances.
Now, three months later, I am testing it again. It's better than it was that dreadful day, but it's still just "a root beer." It's not moving me in any way. There's a small hint of a licorice or anise, but it's nothing that I would say to someone else, "Hey, this is great. It tastes like root beer with licorice or anise in it." It's a good root beer, but that's about all it is.
So I don't know if Max doesn't like the smell of Asian markets, the soothing sounds of Tracey Thorn, or the sound of Jay and I discussing the irks of today's society, but that day was a bad one.
- Website
- http://www.maineroot.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Organic Cane Juice
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman on 11/2/2011
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
Nathalie's Premium Root Beer
A month ago I went to a show in Boston. It's a town I've always wanted to visit but never had the chance to until now. My friend Cory, who runs the blog Tokyo Hipster, lives there and suggested I check out Leo's Place because they had a good selection of root beer. He was definitely right. Their selection was pretty awesome for a hole in the wall diner. I wish I had more money at the time because there were a lot that I had never seen before.
I went for this one because it looked the most "small brew" of the bunch. I figured it would be the hardest to find this one again. I really was right because I can't even find a website for this company. I also was hoping that since it was a small company that it would be really interesting and stand out among the others. Sadly, this was not the case. It was a good root beer, but nothing to write home about. It didn't have much bite to it, nor any crazy flavors or aftertastes. It was just a simple root beer. Maybe that's what they were going for. If that's the case, job well done!
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Sugar
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Derek Neuland on 10/12/2011
- Comments
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Dorothy's Isle of Pines Root Beer
Hey Jay, I just got a postcard in the mail. Let me read it to you. It's from the Dorothy Molter. Dorothy Molter? She's a lady who made root beer and sold it to people on canoes but she's from Chicago and I think she actually has ties to the mob. Listen to this letter.
Alright, I still don't see our review. I do have "people" around the nation. Remember, Dorothy was from Chicago and still has "connections". Technically you don't need all your fingers to drink a root beer but why risk it?
Is she serious? Is this a hit? No, hits are murder. This is more like I owe them money for not paying up on a 1995 Buffalo Bills game that I somehow skipped out on paying for the sixteen years. Still, I don't want to mess with the mob. I've seen the Godfather and I don't want to get to perforated by multiple gunmen. Did I drink the root beer? Yes, I did. I thought it was good. I think that she would have used cane sugar, but you can't really taste that it isn't. It's dark but not that licorice-filled darkness that many small brews are. It's well sweetened and well flavored. All around, a good root beer.
I can't believe that she threatened us. Also, now that I think about it, I can't believe that she did it on a postcard. Also, this postcard has a corgi licking a kitten and that's not threatening at all. Maybe she meant to catch us off guard. Did someone just knock at the door? Do you think it's her? I hope not. I like my hands and I enjoy the presence of all my fingers. Who makes root beer and is in the mob? It just doesn't add up. She must have a secret life where she's like a root beer soaked Mother Theresa and then another one where she drives an old gangster style Ford, wears pinstriped all the time, always has a cigar in her mouth, and says "see" all the time. "I'm the root beer lady, see." Like that. It could happen. Stranger things have happened. Don't get the door. She can leave another note if it's Dorothy. I need my hands for playing Trials Evolution when it comes out.
- Website
- http://www.rootbeerlady.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- High Fructose Corn Sweetener
- Categories
- Root Beer
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman on 9/30/2011
- Comments
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Goose Island Chicago Style Root Beer
It's been said that Goose Island is a part of Chicago, but I think that's just a ruse. I think they want people to believe this magical island is in the boring Midwest when in fact it resides just outside of Buffalo, NY in historic East Aurora. I know because I have seen it. It's chock full of geese and other waterfowl. It's also a perfect place to enjoy a pizza and some root beers with your ladyfriend at the end of a nice day trip.
It was really a no-brainer choosing what root beer to accompany our delicious pizza at such a location. Sure there are brews that I prefer over Goose Island but many of them are full bodied and heavy. Those are drinks for sipping around a fire, contemplating you day. This is a light and smooth soda. It's the kind of flavorful root beer that works well with food and nature. It reminds me of What IBC or Dogs N Suds root beer would taste like if they used cane sugar as a sweetener.
So while Virginia may be for lovers, Goose Island is for root beer and greasy pizza. Watch out because those birds may try to steal your pizza after awhile. Don't let them have it though because bread is bad for waterfowl and can cause their stomachs to explode, and no one wants to have to clean up that mess.
- Website
- http://www.gooseisland.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Cane Sugar
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 9/27/2011
- Comments
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- Buy Now
- Root Beer
Thomas Kemper Low Calorie Root Beer
Why America is Fat, by Mike Literman of the Thirsty Dudes,
It's no stretch to say that many American's are overweight. We can't go a week without hearing the nightly news talk about how we weigh more than all other countries combined, or something along those lines. That's not true, but you can't go a week without seeing footage of obese, neck down citizens. Why does this happen? Well it's actually very simple. American's do not understand moderation. Food servings are too big here. Yeah, feeling filled is great, but the fact that there is a four patty Baconator at Wendy's is too much food. Yes, it's too many calories for a family of four eating a five-course meal, too, but it's too much food for one person. It seems like it's gone too far because as soon as some restaurant comes up with a reasonable quantity of food, people won't know what to do with so little food and that joint will be closed twice as fast as it opened. Cheese comes on everything and cheese is delicious. Everything is doused in some sort of sauce or cream. Diet pop doesn't taste good so people opt to get non-diet drinks in exchange. That's where Thomas Kemper comes into play.
Thomas Kemper, a responsible group of people, has developed a root beer that is diet using Splenda that doesn't taste like you're drinking some sort of industrial strength floor cleaner. It's dark, has a strong vanilla taste, and although it isn't as complex as their non-diet version, people who drink diet pop or should be drinking diet pop can sigh in relief at the fact that this drink is not gross. It's more than not gross, but baby steps say that saying that it's "great" might be overstepping my boundaries. I will say that this is probably the best diet root beer I've had and that should hold some weight. Also, they still craft it using honey, just as one would expect from Mr. Kemper and friends.
I'm not calling you fat, but instead of drinking eight beers, six of which are in a six pack and it is a six pack made from other people's beer that they left in your fridge that you decided were now your own and you would fashion your own, custom sixer and balance it on your stomach, leave them in the fridge for another day, or never, and replace it with a six pack of delicious, diet root beer. Your belts, which you have actually worn out an awls because you have put so many of your own holes in them, will thank you.
- Website
- http://www.tksoda.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Splenda
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman on 9/26/2011
- Comments
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Sans Natural Diet Soda Root Beer
The diet soda world improved greatly when rebiana and stevia were introduced as sweeteners. I can hardly stomach pop that is sweetened with aspartame or sucralose. It tastes so grossly artificial. It's robot food, and no matter what anyone says I am not a robot.
Sans did a decent job with this root beer. You can definitely tell that it's a diet drink, but it's not overpowering. I could do with a stronger root beer taste. The way it is now tastes watered down, but I would take that any day over an artificially sweetened variety. If you are looking to eat/drink healthier, but you just can't give up soda this is the product for you.
- Website
- http://www.sanssoda.com
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Rebiana
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 9/10/2011
- Comments
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- Buy Now
- SANS Root Beer
Dogs N Suds Drive-IN Style Root Beer
Crap. Here I am the manager of this drive-in restaurant and my entire staff just walked out on me. I guess 12-hour shifts with no breaks just don't work for some people. I don't care about the law and "workers rights." All I care about is that when we are busy (which we always are thanks to the praise our root beer has gotten) that our customers get taken care of in a polite speedy manner. So here and I am it's nearly the dinner rush, what am I to do? Thanks for the offer little Billy, but you're only 7, and while I'd be happy to put you to work, I don't think you could even carry a tray of food without dropping it. Billy it's just you, the dog and me. That's it, the dog! All he does is sit around all day and watch episodes of The Jetsons. I'm sure he's learned enough from watching Astro to deliver some trays of food. I'm a genius! This will work perfectly as long as the health inspector doesn't stop by.
*10 Minutes Later*
Well that was a catastrophe of epic proportions. Why on Earth did I think the dog could deliver the food? Every time I gave him a tray he would walk away with it, dump in on the ground and eat all the food. That ungrateful mutt. I had to close down the restaurant early. The owner is going to kill me. Oh well I guess I'll drown my sorrows with one of these highly spoken root beers. Hmm it's not bad, but I don't see all of the hubbub. It tastes like a decent classic root beer. I guess it is exactly what I would expect to drink at a drive-in restaurant. I think I'm just spoiled with all my fancy brews at home. Oh well it's free and it's decent so bottles up you non-Astro mongrel.
- Website
- http://www.dog-n-suds.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- High Fructose Corn Syrup
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Jason Draper on 8/31/2011
- Comments
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Faygo Original Root Beer
I've been blindfolded in a basement for three days. It's not a nice basement either. It's one of those dirt floor basements from the days of old and someone got the floor wet. Perhaps it rained and the foundation leaked and it mudded up the floors. Ugh, why am I here? Why am I doing this? Is pledging to this fraternity that great? What?! What's happening? Why are we in this van? Someone take this blindfold off me! I'm so hungry. I could eat a whole horse. I feel like horsemeat would make good tacos. Listen to me...I've got cabin fever. I'm filled with crazy talk. Horsemeat. Man, what's wrong with me.
Finally, we're out of the van. It was hot and they had the heat turned up all the way. What's that smell? I love it and it's so familiar. Oh, my blindfold is off and what is that?!?!?! The holy grail! Burger King! I'm going to get a dozen double Whoppers. What? Really? We can get whatever we want and as much as we want? Heavens to Betsy! I am going to be a little responsible and get a double Whopper, large french-fry, and regular hamburger, chicken tenders, and a cheeseburger. What? We can't get a drink? Oh, you brought drinks? That's cool. Thanks a lot, brother. I'll take the root beer. Oh, the cane root beer. Nice. I like it. It's a pretty standard root beer taste. A little bit of vanilla and perhaps a little bit of licorice. I like it. Oh, you've got another one for me? Awesome. Oh, a three liter? Really? I can't drink this whole...I have to? It will make me sick. I just ate everything I bought and now you want me to drink three liters of root beer? I can't do it. I have to?! Fine, I'll do it, for brotherhood. No, not the New Order record, although in retrospect, I would have rather have that than the inevitable barf that will happen and here it comes....
- Website
- http://www.faygo.com/
- Country
- United States
- Sweetener
- Cane Sugar
- Rating
- Reviewed By
- Mike Literman on 8/30/2011
- Comments
- View and Leave A Comment
