Sioux City Root Beer

Brand: Sioux City
Brewed in: Whitestone, NY
Where to find: TJ Max, Cracker Barrel, Marshalls & Home Goods (I'm not sure if this is nationwide, but at least here in the Philadelphia tri-state area it holds true in these stores)
Website: http://www.siouxcitybeverages.com/

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Packaging/Label: I love embossed root beer bottles. Who doesn't? They transport ya in time to the days of the Old West and make ya feel like a real cowboy... a real bronco buster... cowpuncher... buckaroo... rootin' tootin' son-of-a-gun! Sioux City really makes up for the boring illustration of an old man with a gun on his lap cowboy holding the teeny-tiniest mug of root beer in the whole United States by using these bottles.

Aroma: Strong and sweet; While i don't see anything about honey in this brew (although it lists "artificial and natural flavors"), it sure does smell like it plays a big part.

Bite: Light

Flavor: Very "classic" tasting. There's nothing fancy about this brew but there's nothing to dislike. I can keep this short: slightly sweet, a little wintergreen-y, no aftertaste and very smooth.

Should you buy it? Sioux City is a very drinkable root beer. You won't be blown away but it's a very stereotypical, reliable flavor that you can keep in stock.

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Additional Notes: This is distributed by the same company who handles Olde Brooklyn, so I expected a very similar root beer just in different packaging. While it's still an average root beer, it is a very different (and overall better) brew.


Overall Rating:

Olde Brooklyn Williamsburg Root Beer

Brand: Olde Brooklyn
Brewed in: Whitestone, NY
Where to find: TJ Max, Cracker Barrel, Marshalls & Home Goods (I'm not sure if this is nationwide, but at least here in the Philadelphia tri-state area it holds true in these stores)
Website: http://www.whiterockbeverages.com/OldeBrooklyn.cfm

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Packaging/Label: In case you're wondering, the recipe for win is as follows: clear, readable layout, olde timey fonts, clean illustration and a bottle cap that was fully embraced as part of the whole package! You know what I love most about this packaging though, right? The inclusion of root beer barrel graphics, naturally. This damn thing is just fun to look at.

Aroma: A light, sweet, stereotypical scent. This is the scent of root beer flavored treats.

Bite: I expected this to be pretty flat by looks, but I was caught off guard - this bite is a solid medium, I'd say.

Flavor: You can taste the cane sugar right off the bat but don't get the wrong impression - it's not overly sweet. Licorice flavor is the most prominent out of the "artificial and natural flavorings" but it doesn't overpower the taste. It's countered by the infusion of cinnamon. Overall, this brand doesn't stand out over any others for better or for worse, but no apparent aftertaste is a bonus!

Should you buy it? This is an average, drinkable root beer and it's super cheap (four pack for $2.50 thanks to Marshalls/Home Goods). You can't beat that kinda price, but it's not a brand I'd want more than a four-pack of at any one time.

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Additional Notes: N/A


Overall Rating:

Charles "The Man" Hires

One-hundred-and-forty-four years ago today, May 16th, a man named Charles Hires invented what we know today as Root Beer. While on his honeymoon. In New Jersey. Priorities, ya know?

Thank you, Chuck! We will forever hold our frosty mugs to you in gratitude.

Dominion Root Beer

Brand: Old Dominion
Brewed in: Dover, DE
Where to find: DC-area
Website: www.olddominion.com/

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Packaging/Label: Old Dominion's beers have really nicely designed labels but, unfortunately, their root beer got the cold shoulder on this one. Don't get me wrong, it's not a badly designed label (their typography is well done and readable - and who doesn't love the inclusion of woodland creatures?), but I do question their color palette. How so? Wellllllll, what do YOU think of when you see the colors medium brown and golden yellow together? What doesn't help the matter are the additional brown splatters on the 6-pack carrier. Commence bathroom humor!

Aroma: This one threw me for a loop. A sweet blast that faded to what I can only describe as... the scent of stale air (really).

Bite: Mild bite

Flavor: Welcome to the Rootie Rumble! There is a battle going on inside this bottle and the main event is honey vs sugar. They are both dominant and both want to overpower your taste buds but, much to their dismay, their battle is the focal point instead of a clear distinguishable taste. Some hints of vanilla float around and then there is this mysterious mild dry-tasting spice thrown into the mix (is this dry-tasting spice the culprit of the aforementioned stale smell?!)

Should you buy it? Buy a loose bottle or two, but I wouldn't invest in a case unless you're interested in finding out how quickly you can develop diabetes.

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Additional Notes:

I still have a few more bottles to drink up, so I'll keep this updated if they fair differently. As it stands though, while I'm not head over heels on what I've already drank, I'd be open to trying a diet version of this root beer (if it's out there) to focus more on the root beer flavoring.

Overall Rating:

Thomas Kemper Root Beer

Brand: Thomas Kemper
Brewed in: Portland,OR
Where to find: West Coast
Website: www.tksoda.com

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Packaging/Label: Classic. That all i should have to say but, of course, I can't just leave it there. It is a streamlined, bold design that harkens back to it's vintage beer label brethren. The typography is top notch, the color palette is the embodiment of root beer, the use of subtle wooden distress in the backdrop is a nice touch, and the little bee illustration you'll find hidden in the label and on the bottle cap is really insanely well rendered. I find any company who puts so much care into well-designed packaging like this, puts tenfold into the product their selling.

Aroma: Great, subtle scent; Honey is the prime note.

Bite: Light but maintains steady throughout the drink.

Flavor: The flavoring is light (note: not weak but light) and incredibly creamy & smooth with only a very slight spicy aftertaste. Honey is the main flavor, but vanilla works its way in there with the cane sugar. It's a solid, very drinkable root beer.

Should you buy it? Without hesitation!

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Additional Notes:

Thomas Kemper is by no means a heavy drink that will take on the roll of becoming a snack in itself which some root beers can become - In fact, I don't think I've ever finished off a bottle so quickly without realizing it before!

Overall Rating:

Capt'n Eli's Root Beer

Brand: Capt'n Eli's 
Brewed in: Portland, ME
Where to find: Northeastern states, sporadically nationwide
Website: www.captneli.com

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Packaging/Label: Solid labeling; A great illustration is the primary focus with nice use of typography. Everything reads clearly and to the point - and I really like the use of texture in the design. The bottle cap, by the way? Super cool! A small part player from the label (re: the parrot) who's also used as this brand's logo is redrawn on the cap in a rad comic style.

Aroma: Sugary and wintergreen-y

Bite: Sharp but mild

Flavor: This is a creamy root beer with a blend of spices that all work well together in creating a unique taste. Among some other flavors that I can't quite pinpoint, vanilla and wintergreen are two that jump out the most and stay throughout each entire sip. I have a huge sweet tooth and, while this is really pretty sweet (which is a quality I personally love), I don't think it's over-the-top for those of you born without.

Should you buy it? Absolutely! It's a unique tasting, very drinkable brew.

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Additional Notes:

The more I drink this root beer, the more I like it! This company has something really unique going for it besides just it's flavor - they have a graphic novel! That's right, Capt'n Eli is your main character and, "created in the tradition of Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers, this is the story of a boy with extraordinary scientific abilities and unusual ties to the sea."

Overall Rating:

Maine Root

Brand: Maine Root
Brewed in: Portland, ME
Where to find: Nationwide, health food stores/grocers
Website: www.maineroot.com

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Packaging/Label: The packaging is pretty unappealing to me. It says "I only eat organic raw foods while I practice my performance art tribute to dreadlocks in the wind for this year's Burning Man". Brown, green and abstract art deck this label and, while my vision sees this label's drawing as an abstract root, who really knows - because that's ART, man!

Aroma: Well, you'd think the scent of patchouli would come up and smack you in the face, but instead, it's a very sweet though mild scent.

Bite: Small amount of bite

Flavor: This is similar to Virgil's where there's a lot of different spices getting thrown around, but it's not nearly as offensive (this one doesn't have a strong licorice flavor invading your space) and there's no gnarly mouth-coating going on in Maine Root. This is just a straight up sweet-tasting root beer with hints of wintergreen and clove among other spices. Overall, the flavor is mild and rather watered down.

Should you buy it? If you're in Whole Foods (or one of those other healthy joints) and you're faced with choosing between this and Virgil's - pick this one! The root beer flavor isn't offensive and you'll be able to drink this whole bottle without cringing.

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Additional Notes:

N/A

Overall Rating:

Route 66 Root Beer

 

Brand: Route 66 Root Beer
Brewed in: Wilmington, IL
Where to find: States that the historic Route 66 runs through (along with few random states scattered throughout the US)
Website: www.route66sodas.com

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Packaging/Label: I do love a good pun and this twist on the Route 66 highway sign turning it into "Route Beer 66" is pretty classic. The label (which is screen printed directly onto the bottle) along with the additional frosty-looking font are both nice throwbacks to vintage bottles - and I'm a sucker for that noise. The only thing I'm not impressed with is the pixelated artwork which just signifies that the design file wasn't high quality before going to print. It would be an easy fix for any designer with a spare 10 minutes, so it just shows some sloppy craftsmanship by whoever handled this file.

Aroma: Sweet and spicy

Bite: Medium bite that quickly dissipates

Flavor: That's one a'spicy a'root beer! Please indulge me by saying that line in your best italian accent, wouldja? It's an average root beer with slightly more kick to it. There's definitely some cinnamon thrown in here along with added vanilla flavoring? Maybe licorice? Probably both!

Should you buy it? Pick it up and enjoy it for what it is, but don't expect to be wowed.

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Additional Notes:

N/A

Overall Rating:

Sprecher Root Beer

 

Brand: Sprecher Root Beer
Brewed in: Glendale, WI
Where to find: Sporadically nationwide, heavily in the Midwest
Website: www.sprecherbrewery.com/

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Packaging/Label: I! love! this! logo! Initially, I was taken back to my childhood because their character reminded me of some old cartoon crows or blackbirds - BUT, upon closer inspection with my wife, we realized: that's no bird, that's a GRIFFIN. Way to up the rad by 110, Sprecher. Honoring your heritage AND incorporating the style of Saturday morning cartoons? You've reeled me in. They've got character and with a heftier weight and a larger diameter than your average soda bottle, it's not only fun to look at but it's a fun bottle to hold, too.

Aroma: Slightly sweet and honeylicious

Bite: Mild, short-lived bite

Flavor: Sprecher is a very smooth, creamy, classic root beer with hints of honey and vanilla. No one spice or ingredient overpowers another and overall they come together to form one distinct flavor. There's a mild, spicy aftertaste that reminds me of Sweetzals spiced wafers, and, in fact, I think the two together might make one perfect snack.

Should you buy it? If you see a bottle, snag it! If anything, I'd buy this again to use as a security device.

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Additional Notes:

For once, I think I covered everything in the previous sections! But I'd also like to throw in the notion that this root beer tastes like what root beer treats strive to be. It reminds me of root beer snow cone flavoring, especially, and that's something I can raise my mug to!

Overall Rating:

Virgil's Rootbeer

 

Brand: Virgil's
Brewed in: LA, CA
Where to find: Nationwide, health food stores/grocers
Website: www.reedsinc.com/virgils

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Packaging/Label: You can't deny this brand has one of the best illustrated labels around - and bonus points for the excellent God-like beard being sported by ye olde gentleman server. It was a weird decision to lay that descriptive, thin black type over the bottom half of the illustration though. Nice one, guys - I can't freaking read any of it except for a sliver of the middle! As far as i know, this root beer is a "Natural A Root Rich And You'll It's Made In Heaven".

Aroma: Heavy on licorice, hints of vanilla; Overall, pretty strong scent but it's not overpowering or offensive.

Bite: Sharp, strong bite that quickly dissolves.

Flavor: Really, guys? Did i pick up a pack of Virgil's root beer or carbonated licorice juice? Because if i didn't know better, i'd say the latter. Like the smell, licorice is prominent with some bursts of vanilla, nutmeg and wintergreen. It's smooth (i wouldn't say creamy necessarily), but leaves an aftertaste and a coating in my mouth that i'm not real stoked about. Needless to say, I'll need a glass of water once i'm through with this bottle. It is unique, i'll give it that much.

Should you buy it? If you're really hankerin' for something different, go for it. Otherwise, i'd advise you to skip it unless you're just into collecting rad soda labels.

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Additional Notes: 

Just because it says it's gourmet doesn't mean it's good! They claim they are what "Ben & Jerry's is to ice cream, what Dom Perignon is to champagne" and i say to that, "Ho, ho, good sir! You are living in a world of fairy tales, blue genies and straight-up oblivion!"  There is a lot going on in this brew and i don't think all of these elements work as cohesively as they're daydreaming about over yonder at Virgil's root beer plant.

Overall Rating: