Root Beer

Review

Old Town Root Beer 66

Yet another Route 66 themed root beer. This has a nice full Body that is dark and rooty with wintergreen and a tiny hint of honey coming through. It is also pretty creamy from the vanilla. The Bite comes in with cinnamon and a little prickly bit of carbonation but still with a smooth finish. The Head, however, is pathetic. It is very short (less than a centimeter) and fizzes away in seconds, what I like to call the "Two Second Head." Such a Head actually plagues a lot of root beers but that's no excuse. The Aftertaste is a bit sticky and creamy with traces of wintergreen and honey. So wow, delicious, delicious. But, I can't give a Seal of Approval to a two second Head.

The Cider Mill Soda Company Rootin Tootin Root Beer

The Body is full and rich with creamy vanilla and blue agave nectar featuring prominently. It has a rather heavy feel to it which I think is from said nectar. Everything mingles together to give a wonderful flavor that's familiar and comforting as well as unique. The Bite is very mild. There's a little spice but the carbonation is really lacking. The Head is poor, there's no point mincing words over that. It's very short, yet frothy so as to be better than the two-second-Head. It's just that it isn't carbonated enough to build a Head. The Aftertaste is a delicious combination of the blue agave and vanilla that lasts the perfect amount of time. The only flaw in this is that it really doesn't have much carbonation, which was their stated goal on the bottle, but without a better Head, it can't get the Seal, what a shame. It would make an awesome float though.

Margo's Bark Root Beer

This has a rich and complex Body. There is a strong molasses flavor complemented by wintergreen, vanilla, and spices. It has a smooth and creamy texture. The Bite is pretty mild despite the trademarked tagline "Drink a bite!" on the bottle. It is there, some clove and cassia spicing things a bit. The Head is medium height and froth, sufficient but nothing special. The Aftertaste is the best part of this in my opinion. The molasses flavor is presented but much more toned down allowing the spiced vanilla and wintergreen to stand out with vanilla the final flavor left on the palate. This one was close, but just not quite over the top for me.

Capt'n Eli's Root Beer

A well crafted brew with attention to detail. I could taste the fact that they used natural flavors. The Body was sweet and creamy but with too much anise and no honey. The Bite was spicy and the Head was perfect. The Aftertaste was of vanilla and anise that wasn't bad but at the same time not overly good. It was really good brew, but I just don't like the anise flavor too much, if they just had a little less of that and some honey... I found this at www.captneli.com.

Anchor Ginger Root Beer

The Body starts out with a full ginger flavor like a good ginger ale. This masks out all other flavors initially. The ginger slowly gives way to a nice creamy root beer flavor that is very nice. The Bite is strong from the ginger and an average carbonation fizz, but doesn't burn by any means and actually goes down rather smooth in the end. The Head is terrible, sadly. It's barely better than the Two Second Head, probably more like a five second Head. Tragic. The Aftertaste is a caramely vanilla flavor with ginger hints that lasts the right amount of time. This is an excellent brew that successfully incorporates the ginger without losing any root beer-ness. Sadly, the Head keeps it from a Seal of Approval.

Bavarian Inn Root Beer

The Body is spicy and sweet. There's a bit of wintergreen and a hint of some vanilla in there as well but mostly spice. And speaking of spice, what a Bite! There's a strong kick from what seems cinnamon and ginger and some other's I can't quite put my finger on. The Head is on the short side but decent. The Aftertaste is rather light, the traces of the beet sugar and some vanilla-ish something with the spice burn fading. Nothing really bad and I like that Bite. It's nice to see a spicy brew now and again. It's just not quite all there for me.

Spring Grove Root Beer

This has a nice fully Body with a complex and spicy flavor. There is a hair too much licorice. It is syrupy and creamy. There is a decent spice Bite but it is a little lacking on the carbonation. It goes down nice and smooth. The Head is amazing. The first bottle was unbelievably tall and frothy and lasted nearly forever. The second bottle's Head wasn't as tall but was still wonderful. The Aftertaste is sticky, sweet, and spicy with hint of licorice. It's better than average, but I think I would still pass it up if I were looking for a nice sipping brew.

St. Arnold Root Beer

This is a delicious root beer. It has a rich, dark, rooty Body that is at the same time very creamy. The Bite boldly hits you as soon as the brew enters your mouth and stays with you a bit. It is sharp and spicy. The Aftertaste is very creamy and lingers a long time, which is to be desired. The Head however, is weak, too weak. It is, however, frothy. I got this from Texas, www.saintarnold.com.

Baumeister Root Beer

The Body is sweet and a little creamy. It is also a little watery at first. There is a noticeable cinnamon flavor that comes in after the initial contact. This makes for a pretty sharp Bite combined with the carbonation. The Head is kind of weak and fizzes down quickly, but the last half a centimeter lingers around for quite some time. I prefer better, but this isn't too bad. The Aftertaste is vanilla and cinnamon, kind of like a Myers but not quite as much. The cinnamon flavor sticks around for awhile and masks out the wateriness after about half a bottle, so it's pretty darn good after the first half. I think, however, to get a Seal of Approval, it should be pretty darn good for the whole bottle, not just the second half.

Dr. McGillicuddy's Root Beer

This is a medium Bodied brew that is sweet and creamy. It has a nice vanilla flavor to it that is very delicious. The Bite is very mild. While I like it smooth, there really isn't any Bite at all and some more spices would be nice. The Head is a proper one, tall and frothy. The Aftertaste is creamy vanilla and birch. It's a really good root beer but there really isn't anything overly exceptional about it. It's better than average but not quite sipping variety.

Lion Brewery Root Beer

This has hearty, full Body to it. It has a very dark and rooty sassafras flavor. It isn't very creamy sadly. The Bite is a too little harsh for my tastes. The Head is on the weak side. It is mildly frothy and thus fizzes down quickly, but doesn't disappear. The Aftertaste is a sweet sassafras flavor with slight accents of wintergreen that lingers awhile. This is definitely a quality, solid brew, but not my style. I prefer my root beers a bit creamier, smoother, and with a frothier Head. Therefore, this is a prime root beer for a gourmet root beer float. One scoop of vanilla ice cream will fix all of its shortcomings.

Rock It Root Beer

The Body is rich and full but not dark. It's sweet and crisp from the cane sugar and there are hints of vanilla coming through. It tastes great! The Bite is strong from a combination of spices and the carbonation. The carbonation releases suddenly from the liquid and gives a slight acidic flavor and burn as it bites you. The Head is very strange. It is very dark colored and bubbles up quickly to a medium height. Then, rather than fizzing away, the bubbles coalesce into larger and larger bubbles before the one large bubble pops. This all happens in about 10 seconds and I've never seen anything like it before. The Aftertaste is sort of spicy caramel with some vanilla. It is really good. So, the flavors are all in place for this brew but the Bite and the Head are just a little too off. Cool name though and even cooler picture.

Triple AAA Root Beer

The Body has a solid sassafras flavor with some creamy vanilla. Other than that though, it is rather simple, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. There is a nice little spice Bite that comes in after the initial contact but it is still very smooth. The Head is very tall, but it fizzes down very quickly, so it loses some points for that. The Aftertaste is more sassafras and vanilla that lasts awhile and has some bitter hints at the end. This is pretty good, but not quite enough for me.

Northwoods Wild Bill's Root Beer

A sweet carmely flavor with some creamy vanilla and hints of licorice make up the full Body of this brew. The Bite is good as well from some spices and carbonation. The Head is ok. It foams up to a decent height but then quickly fizzes down. The Aftertaste is caramel with some licorice accents and vanilla. It's a solid brew but doesn't really do anything for me.

The Pop Shoppe Root Beer

The Body is sweet on the initial contact and then is a little creamy with a hint of fruity. It is a little light on some of the essential root beer flavors and isn't really creamy enough for a quality root beer. The Bite is very smooth, which isn't a bad thing. The Head is how a Head should be. Frothy, foamy, and it lasts forever. Seriously, I do believe the pyramids will erode before the Head fully disappears. I have never seen a root beer Head last so long. Maybe it's the propylene glycol they put in it (I've never had a root beer with that either.) The Aftertaste is sweet and slightly creamy and fruity. This root beer is almost Seal of Approval, but just barely fell short. It does win the Diamond Head Award, if I had such an award.

Northwoods Wild Bill's Natural Root Beer

This has a medium Body. There is a nice sweet caramel flavor and some vanilla hints. It is crisp but not creamy. The Bite is a tad sharp but ends smooth. The Head is a decent height and frothy so that it lasts several minutes. The Aftertaste is of spiced caramel and a tad vanilla that lasts awhile. Overall it is a little milder and less creamy then the original Northwoods Wild Bill's though it has a better Head. I think the original is just a tiny bit better though it's really close.

Miligan's Island's Awesome Root Beer

This was good. A wonderful Body. The Bite was good. The Aftertaste was pleasurable but the Head was awful. It would was not only small, but it would go flat in about a minute. This alone was enough to stop it from getting the Seal of Approval. I ordered this from Connecticut.

Cooper's Cave Ale Company Root Beer

The Body is solid with the standard root beer flavors and slightly creamy. It has a nice cane sugar flavor. The Bite is good on carbonation but light on spices. It is nice and smooth but I like a little more spice to it. The Head is on the short side sadly, with medium-light froth so it's gone pretty quickly. The Aftertaste is sweet and creamy. This is a pretty solid brew but it could be better in several areas so it doesn't quite earn the coveted Seal.

Pearson Bros. Root Beer

This has a medium Body with a creamy caramel flavor. I like it quite a bit. There is a decent spicy Bite from some cinnamon or other spice. The Head is the classic Two Second Head, very disappointing. The Aftertaste is a spiced caramel flavor with vanilla. This is a pretty decent brew but not top notch.

Filbert's Root Beer

This is a very sweet medium Bodied brew that tastes like a root beer barrel candy. There is a hint of something kind of icky and out of place though. There are also some spices which add to the Bite but it is very smooth. The Head is very nice. It has an excellent height and is pretty frothy. I've seen better though. The Aftertaste is a letdown. It isn't really anything. There are the faintest traces of sugar and vanilla but it is nowhere near enough. Overall it's pretty good.

Sea Dog Root Beer

Well, it seems that ol' (or maybe I should say young) Capt'n Eli taught his dog how to brew root beer as well. I must say, Sea Dog is pretty good. There is a lot of attention to details for a dog. It has a full flavored, smooth Body but unfortunately too much anise (I expect that he learned that from the Cap'.) There is not much Bite. It is really smooth which I do like though I think it should have a little bit more too it. The Head is excellent! It is difficult to pour a whole bottle into a mug. The head lasts almost as long as a diamond. Unfortunately it doesn't taste so good. The Aftertaste is a creamy vanilla and anise. Not really bad but not overly good. Overall it is a solid brew but not quite exceptional. This can also be found at www.captaineli.com.

Route 66 Root Beer

Not to be confused with Root 66 Root Beer, which I did for awhile and thus ignored this one when I saw it at the store. I guess the pun is a little too irresistible. Luckily the store was close to home so when I realized the error I was able to quickly correct it. The Body is nice. It's got most of the standard flavors in the right proportion but they vanish quickly. There is a nice creamy hint to the body. The Bite is very nice. It bites the tongue with both carbonation and some spices but is not harsh by any means. The Head is a decent height, but fizzes away too quickly. The Aftertaste is a sweet creamy vanilla. All in all this is a solid brew but just not quite enough, though, it is better than its homonymic brother.

Johnnie Ryan Root Beer

This has a full Body that is sweet and slightly creamy. It basically has the standard root beer flavor. The Bite is strong from carbonation but light on spices; I prefer it a little more the other way. The Head is a decent height but low on froth and fizzes away in seconds. The root beer is not left flat by any means however. The Aftertaste is a mild sweet vanilla. It's a good brew, but not quite exceptional. Perhaps if they used more "flavor" than preservatives ... but what do I know?

Clover Classic Root Beer

A sweet rich Body with a zippy little Bite. The Aftertaste is some what fruity but not too fruity to be displeasing. The Head however is completely terrible. There is no head at all and it is practically flat. I ordered this online.

Thomas Kemper Root Beer

A better than average brew but nothing spectacular. Nice Body, Bite, Head, and Aftertaste. Good on everything but not great on any of them. I think this can be found across the Western USA.

Deer Field Trading Company Root Beer

This is good. The Body is sweet and creamy though with a tad too much licorice. The Bite is nice and spicy. The Head is short, with a medium froth, which is rather disappointing. The Aftertaste is dark and almost candyish. Found this in Walgreens.

Tommyknocker Root Beer

The Body is mapley, but kind of empty and not overly sweet. I do love that maple flavor though. There is not really much Bite at all, and, though I do like it smooth I like a little more. The Head is frothy but nothing too spectacular. I would class it as Ok. The Aftertaste is of maple but it doesn't linger. This brew gives a good first impression but falls short afterwards. It is also disappointing because they changed their recipe from what it originally was. To see the original review, click here

Dang! That's Good Butterscotch Root Beer

The Body has a very strong, extremely sweet butterscotch flavor that masks out the other root beer flavors, which are on the light side, the very light side. I hold the brew in my mouth a little longer than usual before swallowing, waiting for something more, sadly it never comes. The Bite consists mainly of a carbonation tingle which is thankfully toned down from the original Dang! That's Good Root Beer. The Head is of excellent height but not too frothy so it fizzes down pretty quick. The last centimeter or so lingers around a little bit longer. The Aftertaste is mostly butterscotch with a slight hint of standard root beer flavors. While I like the butterscotch, the Body is too hollow and the Bite is too off for a Seal of Approval.

Trader Joe's Root Beer

This stuff is completely average for me. Nice Body, Bite, Aftertaste, but lacking in Head. There is absolutely nothing special about this. I would put this as the stereotypical root beer. Found this at a Trader Joe's store. What do you know?

A&W Root Beer

The standard Root Beer. When you think of root beer, this is what you think of. Good Body, nice Head but too harsh in the carbonation on the Bite. Aftertaste is very pleasant. Better out of the tap at one of the many restaurants, but still good in a bottle.

Goose Island Root Beer

A nice sweet, smooth Body that was a little tangy. Wonderful Bite and a strange but pleasant Aftertaste. The Head however was horrible.

Jack Black's Dead Red Root Beer

Lost Trail Root Beer

This had a strong, almost dark Body. There was a noticeable amount of wintergreen that was not displeasing. The Bite was just right and the bottles were sealed tight (a couplet? Maybe not.) The Head was nice and frothy. It lingered like it should but wasn't anything extraordinary. The Aftertaste was a rather deplorable sticky type of thing that kind of ruined the otherwise pleasing experience. This is a good root beer that would go great with pizza and other foods, but not quite sipping quality. To be found online near you!

Appalachian Brewing Company Root Beer

Quite a 'stout' brew. It has a very rich Body with accents of honey and wintergreen. There is a tad too much licorice for my tastes. The Bite is a bit harsh from carbonation though light on spicy. The Head is medium height and fizzes down too quickly. The Aftertaste is a sticky licorice and wintergreen with some honey. It lasts a little too long in my opinion. This is good 'stout' root beer but I prefer creamier, smoother ones.

Virgil's Special Edition Bavarian Nutmeg Root Beer

This has a very complex Body that is creamy, sort of fruity, and not overly sweet. It lacks the essential sassafras flavor and comes across a little weak because of it. It has a nice Bite on account of the cinnamon and nutmeg but manages to keep it on the smooth side. The Head is a major drawback. It is weak and fizzes away quickly. The Aftertaste is a creamy and slightly fruity flavor with hints of honey. It lingers awhile and is not unpleasant. This one is much better than the standard Virgil’s but the lack of sassafras flavor is significant and fruitiness is slightly out of place. Replace that fruitiness with the sassafras and give it a nice Head and it would be amazing. It says that it is a winner of the NASFT “Outstanding Beverage” Award. Though this an O.K. brew, I wouldn’t go that far.

DougieDog Butterscotch Root Beer

The Body is very sweet like candy but not overly full. After the initial contact a butterscotch candy flavor comes in which is pretty good. The Bite is decent but nothing special. The Head is weak and fizzes away instantly which I despise. The Aftertaste is a creamy, sticky butterscotch flavor which is delicious. Overall it has a good flavor and bonus points for working in something unique like butterscotch, but a horrible head sealed its fate.

Jackson Hole Buckin' Root Beer

A nice rooty Body with a spicy Bite made drinking this root beer rather enjoyable. The flavor was like that of a root beer barrel candy. The Head wasn't very frothy and fizzed away very quickly which disappointed me. The Aftertaste was sweet and spicy. There was a noticeable lack of vanilla flavor so it wasn't very creamy however. Factoring that into both body and Aftertaste, coupled with the less than favorable head it is slightly more than drinkable at best. Found this in a supermarket in Pullman, WA.

Barrel Brothers Creamy Vanilla Root Beer

Firstly, this smells rancid. I don't know why but it does. The Body, however, doesn't taste like its aroma at all. It has a very mild flavor with lots of rich, creamy vanilla. There's a hint of something out of place with it. I can't put my finger on it, but something doesn't taste right. The Bite is ok from carbonation but no real spices to speak of. It is very smooth, as I prefer. I wish it had a bit of spice tingle to it, though. The Head is perfect. Yup, nothing more to say about that. The Aftertaste is vanilla, lovely vanilla. There's the slightest hint of that out-of-place flavor but it quickly vanishes and is replaced by that wonderful vanilla. So this root beer truly lives up to its name. It's almost more of a cream soda than a root beer. It's quite an improvement over their original root beer for sure.

Killebrew Root Beer

When I poured it out I said to myself, "Oh look at that, there isn't really much Head at all ... and it's gone." Yeah, tragic. This has a very sweet Body, though I wouldn't call it full. In addition to the standard root beer flavor there is honey and a small pinch of cinnamon coming through as well. It isn't very creamy though. The cinnamon makes for a decent Bite when mixed with the carbonation tingle. The Aftertaste is very little. What there is of it is good, a bit of honey and a dash of cinnamon. This brew has serious potential if it just had a little more of its core flavors. Oh, a decent Head would be nice too.

Boom Chugga Lugga Cherry Root Bear

The Body is generic root beer that is quickly eclipsed by a rich black cherry flavor. There's almost a bubble gum taste to it for just a moment as the root beer fades away leaving only the cherry. It actually works and is quite delicious. The Bite is rather unimpressive. There's a sharp carbonation sting but really no spices. It ends smooth. The Head is short and fizzes away quickly. It's better than a two second Head but not much. The Aftertaste is a rich black cherry flavor with some creamy hints that seem like vanilla. I like it. I didn't expect to at all, but the cherry really works with it. The poor Head and Bite however pull it down.

Polar Classics Root Beer

The Body is sweet and creamy with lots of vanilla, yet it is a little less full than it should be. There seems to be something not quite right about it, but not really any bad flavors. There really isn't much Bite at all, yet it isn't smooth, it is prickly and goes down prickly. The Head is proper, tall and very frothy, so it lingers around the whole time you drink it. The Aftertaste is lovely vanilla that last just about the right amount of time. This root beer almost pulls it off, but not quite.

Firemans Brew Root Beer

The Body is dark and a tad creamy from what seems a hint of vanilla. There seems to be some anise and wintergreen. It tastes rather generic though; I swear I've had numerous root beers with this same flavor repertoire. It is toned down from some of those stouts so it isn't too bad. The Bite is decent, and the overall brew is pretty smooth. The Head is tall and pretty frothy. It fizzes down a bit quicker than I prefer but it is still good. The Aftertaste is a dark anise flavor with accents of vanilla and wintergreen. All in all it's a decent brew but nothing spectacular.

Druthers Black Cow Vanilla Creme Root Beer

The Body is light and creamy and rather refreshing. It tastes a lot like a root beer float, which is what they're going for. It has an interesting mouth feel with only the mildest of Bites. The Head is tall but fizzes away in the blink of an eye. The Aftertaste is vanilla cream that lasts awhile. So it really comes across like a root beer float, a generic store brand root beer float, but a root beer float nonetheless. Not bad.

Bedford's Root Beer

The first two bottles of this stuff that I drank were wonderful, but the rest were lacking. The Body is sweet and creamy but a little weaker than it should be. Also, there is a hint of something strange in the flavor that just doesn't belong. The Bite is really non-existent. The Head is nice, but not frothy so even though there is a lot of it, it doesn't linger. The Aftertaste is pleasant, but that same strange flavor is there. This root beer on the whole has got the right stuff, but just not enough. I got this at Albertson's in Provo, UT.

Sioux City Root Beer

The Body is average. Not too sweet and rather "soda-ish". A good Bite, but on the harsh side and not too spicy. Only a fair Head. There is not much Aftertaste. All in all, good, but lacking in every department. I found this in Sacramento, CA.

Zippy's Giant Root Beer

The Body has a medium sassafras flavor with some vanilla and honey that gives way to a slightly sour fruity flavor after several seconds. Though there is vanilla it isn't very creamy. There is a strong carbonation bite that gives it a harsh mouth feel but there aren't any spices. So it has a lot of the bad Bite and not much of the good. The Head bubbles up high, but isn't frothy and fizzes away quickly. The Aftertaste is vanilla fruitiness with a dash of honey that doesn't last too long. It's not bad but the sour fruity flavor really detracts from the Body, and the Bite and Head could use some work.

Old Red Eye Root Beer

It has a full Body with a rich sassafras flavor with creamy wintergreen and the slightest hints of licorice. There are a lot of spices as well. It has a strong Bite with a lot of spice and sharp carbonation burn. Too much for me. The Head is tall but fizzes down very quickly so it looks good when you first pour it out, but not much left once you get to drinking it. The Aftertaste is minty with a tad bit of licorice that tastes like black jelly beans plus spices. There's a lot going on here but it isn't really my favorite.

Olde Rhode Island Molasses Root Beer

I liked the dark rich Body of this root beer. It was even a bit sticky from the molasses. I wish it had a bit more vanilla in it though. The Bite was very harsh from carbonation but not much from spices which was disappointing. The Head was absolutely pathetic, especially considering the amount of carbonation in the brew. The Aftertaste was mild and creamy wintergreen which is very nice. Over all it has solid flavor without any bad tastes. However it is lacking in a few flavors. The poor Head and harsh Bite were also major downsides.

Old Town Root Beer Company Root Beer

This "premium micro-brewed root beer" is made with only the "Finest" ingredients such as sodium benzoate and "other Flavors." The Body on this is medium and slightly creamy. It has a very simple taste to it. There isn't much Bite to it, though, it does tingle the tongue a bit. The Head is very disappointing. It is on the low side and fizzes away in seconds leaving the root beer nearly flat. The Aftertaste is creamy vanilla with accents of honey and is honestly the best part of this brew. There isn't really anything bad tasting, but it needs a lot more good.

Millstream Old Time Root Beer

The Body is very light with the standard root beer flavors. It's a little creamy as well; sort of your standard creamy root beer type. The Bite is spicy and sharp. It's very nice but a little too sharp for my tastes but that spicy is very nice. The Head is nice. It is frothy, medium height, and lasts awhile. The Aftertaste is a letdown. There's the tiniest waft of vanilla that disappears without a trace followed by a hint of citric acid sour and then that's it. It's an ok brew but there's really nothing special about it and it is lacking in several areas.

Big Ben's Root Beer

This has a full dark Body. It is strong with sassafras and hints of anise and wintergreen. It is only slightly creamy. I prefer more. The Bite is very mild, mostly from carbonation. The Head builds to a good height but isn't very frothy at all and quickly fizzes away. The Aftertaste is mild wintergreen and sassafras. So it's a decent brew but there really isn't anything exceptional about it.

The Cubby Bear Root Beer

This has a sweet medium Body. It's moderately creamy with a vanilla flavor but on the whole it's a little weak. There's a very light Bite with few spices. The Head is short but rather frothy. The Aftertaste is a light vanilla flavor with the slightest hint of some fruity sour thing that is almost like bubble gum. Overall this is a decent root beer but really nothing special about it.

Hosmer Root Beer

This has a sweet creamy Body that is sadly also watery. It has all of the right flavors but they're just watered down. The Bite is excellent. It comes in solid after the initial contact with both carbonation and some cinnamon spice that finishes smooth. The Head is almost perfect. It's very tall but could be a little frothier. The Aftertaste is a light vanilla and spices but quickly washes away under all of the extra water they put in this. So it's a yummy root beer that somebody tried to stretch a little too far.

Gene Autry Root Beer

The Body is very light and mild. Vanilla and wintergreen surface after a few seconds and add some much needed flavor to it. It has a very harsh Bite from the carbonation and citric acid that gives way to a prickly burn. I'm not a fan. The Head is nice; medium height and pretty frothy, it lingers for awhile. The Aftertaste is yummy vanilla and wintergreen that lasts a long time so if you drink the whole bottle pretty fast, those flavors build and the whole thing gets much better. If you just sip it slowly however, it stays pretty weak at the beginning of each drink. On the whole it's not bad but it needs a lot more to move to the next level.

Trader Joe's Vintage Root Beer

Well it seems that after my scathingly average review given to Trader Joe's original root beer, they have come back with a different (I have been assured) new, yet vintage recipe. So how does it fare compared to its ill fated sibling? The Body has a dark rooty flavor on the initial contact but then is rather hollow after that with only slight hints of vanilla and wintergreen. The Bite is solid but not too much. The Head is adequate and frothy. The Aftertaste is rather empty with a little creamy wintergreen flavor coming through and a little bit of fruity from the citric acid. The flavors just kind of disappear from your mouth. So it is definitely different than their original. But is it better? Well, if you like hollow bodied root beers with a solid bite and head than yes, but if you prefer a full bodied root beer, which I do, then sadly no. It isn't bad by any means, it just isn't enough. You can get this in Trader Joe's.

Frostie Root Beer

The Body is good, but has a strange, unplaceable flavor surfacing after the initial contact. There is a good Bite. The Head good as well. The Aftertaste is that same strange flavor, which isn't gross, but just doesn't belong. If it were not for this aforementioned flavor, Frostie would've rated higher. I ordered this online.

Caruso's Legacy Robusto Root Beer

What an unbelievable Head! It foamed up so much that it spilled over and I still had a quarter bottle left to pour. It was frothy too though it could be frothier. The Body was rather unimpressive. It was good on the initial contact and slightly creamy, but after that it was very hollow. Then there was that amazing Head, taller than Henry's. The Bite was decent. Nothing special though. Did I mention the Head? Wow! I had to lower my pouring height for the subsequent bottles so it wouldn't overflow. The Aftertaste was rather lackluster like the Body. It was kind of icky with a hint of fruity and vanilla. This root beer was not very good, but not that bad, and there was that Head.

Root 66 Root Beer

A complex Body with too much Bite. Head is ok. The Aftertaste could use vanilla. This is the only root beer with anise in it that I can at all stand. I found this in Seattle, WA.

IBC Root Beer

An ok root beer by my standards. Good Body and Head but too harsh and too much Bite for my taste. Aftertaste is ok, the best part about this is that it is much cheaper than the rest. I found this on the West Coast.

Mt. Angel Brewing Company Root Beer

The Body has a rich strong minty flavor with a hint of fruity. It isn't really creamy and is a tad bitter and sticky. The Bite is pretty non-existent. There's a little carbonation tingle and the slightest mint burn but really nothing. The Head is short, very short, but frothy. The Aftertaste is very minty and a little bitter and fruity. Not my favorite I'm afraid, but decent.

Dang! That's Good Root Beer

This has a full Body with the standard root beer flavors. There is something slightly out of place with the flavor though, maybe a little too much licorice root or something. It is also a tad creamy. The Bite is pretty sharp on carbonation and very light on spices, rather the reverse of how it should be. The Head is pretty weak and fizzes away in seconds. The Aftertaste is pretty empty and is just a sugar flavor with the tiniest bit of vanilla that quickly evanesces. There is nothing really special about this brew at all and the Head and the Aftertaste are gravely lacking.

Chicago Draft Style Root Beer

The Body is nice and full. It's almost creamy but not really. I want to say there's vanilla in there somewhere. There's also the slightest hint of cola in a Barq's-y sort of way. Bite is prickly from carbonation but not really spicy, neither is it smooth. The Head is very tall but fizzes down quickly. The Aftertaste is some vanilla and that very tiny cola-ish-ness that doesn't really last long. It's ok, and slightly different than Cool Mountain which it shares the same recipe with but is bottled at a different location.

Barq's Root Beer

The Body is sweet with a very noticeable cola flavor accented by wintergreen, vanilla, and traces of more traditional root beer flavors. It is very different from most root beers I've tried. The Bite, for all of the old advertizing "What do you mean Barq's has bite," is actually pretty mild. There is a little spice hint and some carbonation tingle. However, the giant caveat with that comes from the fact that the Head is huge but not very frothy. It fizzes down very quickly but before it does it almost escapes the glass. They pack an awful lot of carbonation in it which would give it quite a harsh Bite if it weren't poured, or at least poured more carefully than I do to evaluate the Head. The Aftertaste is vanilla with a dash of cola. It's definitely different from your average root beer but decent none the less. I'd drink it with a burger and fries if there was nothing better available, which happens to be the case if you visit a McDonald's, as long as you don't mind your root beer from a bag-in-box, which I actually do mind.

Foxon Park Root Beer

The Body is a little weak and watery. It is also slightly creamy with a hint of licorice flavor. The Bite is very sharp on the tongue, too sharp for my tastes. There is a little bit of spice to it but not enough. It also doesn't go down smooth. The Head is decent height but is gone far too quickly. The Aftertaste is creamy vanilla with a touch of wintergreen and is the best part of this brew. It isn't really that good, but it isn't bad either.

Dr. Brown's Root Beer

This stuff is Kosher, but it has no sodium. The Body is sweet but is not full. The overall flavor is wonderful but incomplete. The Head is weak. The Bite is ok but the Aftertaste actually leaves you quite disappointed. I found this at the ethnic foods section of a QFC in Seattle.

Stewart's Root Beer

This is an average root beer. Good Body, good Head, good Bite. But the Aftertaste is a weird one that lingers too long so that the more you drink the less you want. I found this on the West Coast.

Dad's Root Beer

This is alright. The Body is good. The Bite is a little harsh for me, I like it smooth. The Head is nothing special. The Aftertaste is not displeasing. I found this in British Columbia, Canada.

Ben's Old Fashioned Root Beer

It has a sweet generic tasting Body with a slight vanilla hint to it. It is sort of a candy vanilla flavor, like a vanilla tootsie roll. Maybe they use artificial vanilla. It is really smooth without much Bite at all. There's a bit of a fizz to it but that's all. The Head is a modest height and fizzes down quickly. The Aftertaste is more of that candy vanilla flavor. Overall it's kind of refreshing and pretty generic. Nothing bad, but overall, just ok.

Langers Root Beer

The Body is rather weak. It has a really strong honey flavor with some vanilla and some spices, but the core root beer flavors are really missing. It is pretty creamy. The Bite is pretty mild a slight tingle of carbonation and spices that goes down really smooth. The Head is pathetic. Barely more than a Two Second Head and then it is nearly flat afterwards. The Aftertaste is honey, lots of honey, sticky slightly spicy honey. I do like honey in my root beer, but this is more like a tad bit of root beer with my honey.

Jumpin' Johnny's Root Beer

This root beer has an exceptionally sweet and delicious Body but although it is delicious at first, it proves rather hollow. There is not much Bite and it has very little Head on it. The Aftertaste is nothing special and even turns slightly fruity after awhile which counters the sweet flavor at the beginning. But because of the sweet delicious flavor, it does go very well with food and therefore is drinkable and actually very desirable in that a food like pizza is greatly complimented by the sweet flavor, and the pizza flavor will fill the hollowness and mask the unpleasantness of the Aftertaste. I ordered this online.

Black Bear Legendary Root Beer

The Body is kind of weak and slightly creamy. It tastes pretty generic. The Bite is pretty weak as well, there's a little bit but it needs more. The Head is good. It is medium height with a long half-life, very frothy. The Aftertaste is a light vanilla flavor that lasts the right amount of time. It's about as generic as it gets with the exception of the Head.

Reading Draft Root Beer

The Body is crisp and full with the standard root beer flavors plus a little vanilla. Then there's an out of place fruity type flavor that really detracts from it. The Bite is sharp and sour. The Head is medium to high height with medium froth. It's good no doubt but not exceptional. The Aftertaste is vanilla with that out of place fruity flavor again. So this root beer starts out good but that sour fruity bit really just brings it down.

Mason's Root Beer

The Body is very sweet with an initial good root beer flavor, but then a slight fruity and out of place flavor sneaks its way in to disrupt the otherwise pleasant experience. The Bite is lacking. The Head is acceptable and rather frothy and foamy but on the light side. The Aftertaste is sticky and not quite as it should be. I think it may have something to do with more sodium benzoate and citric acid than flavoring in the root beer. "Keg Brewed Flavor" indeed. I ordered this online.

Boylan Root Beer

This has a very strong Body and an alright Aftertaste. It says "best head" on the bottle but the Head is not that good. The Bite is ok. I ordered this Online.

Towne Club Root Beer

It has a sweet medium Body where the generic root beer flavor slowly morphs into tasting like red vines. It is most curious. There is a little Bite, though it's hardly worth mentioning. The Head is medium height but fizzes down quickly. The Aftertaste is a light red vines flavor. Huh, red vine root beer. It's actually pretty decent. I'd have it again, occasionally.

Cool Mountain Root Beer

This has a strong, sticky Body. Kind of a "dark" flavor to it. It has a very solid Bite. The Head is acceptable, but it bubbles away quickly. The Aftertaste is anise-ish which is rather icky to me. When I drank it, there was an explosion of flavor in my mouth. The problem, it just doesn't stop exploding. I ordered this Online.

Uncle Scott's Root Beer

This has a rather complex, but not full, Body with a prominent licorice and anise flavor as well as some cinnamon and vanilla. There's some caramel flavor in there too. It sadly tastes a little watery, not much, but a little. There is a small cinnamon kick for a Bite which is kind of nice but still smooth, too smooth actually, as the carbonation is severely lacking. The Head is pitiful. There's really nothing at all. Just a slight bubble up that doesn't even cover the whole surface before it disappears. It makes the "two second Head" look good. The Aftertaste is vanilla with some cinnamon and licorice. The flavor is actually rather intriguing and unique but the whole presentation needs some serious work.