Virgil's (can) root beer

Background information: (from the website) "REEDS, Inc. is making extraordinary beverages and confections using very old-fashioned, natural methods and wholesome, fresh ingredients. We are a growing family of passionate entrepreneurs who have developed food and drink, which in our opinion exceed any products within their categories in taste, quality and imagination, as we are certain you noticed by now!"

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Manufactured for Reed's Inc., Norwalk, CT 06851. 170 calories, 42g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.virgils.com/ (listed on the can, but website isn't functioning)

Ingredients: Sparkling filtered water, cane sugar, natural root beer flavor, natural cream flavor, caramel color, citric acid, natural mushroom extract (to protect quality).


My thoughts: Virgil's comes, in a can. They were put there by a man, in a factory downtown. If I had my little way, would I drink Virgil's every day? Let's open the can and find out.

Okay, my initial taste impression is pretty good. It has a good rooty sassafras flavor with some anise (licorice) and vanilla going on. The aftertaste doesn't reveal any spices that I wasn't tasting with the initial flavor, but after letting the aftertaste sit for a while, it has a strange, extremely subtle soap taste/sensation. It's so subtle that I almost doubted it was there at all, but after several tries and really letting it sit and paying attention, I still feel like there's a soap feeling maybe more than a flavor. It's very hard to describe, as it's not strong enough to really say for certain what it is; just that the sensation it leaves reminds me of soap for some reason. It's very weird.

The carbonation on this one is pretty good, with medium sized bubbles and a fair amount of them, which keeps this feeling peppy all the way to the end. Partly due to the not-too-aggressive carbonation, this one feels pretty smooth and creamy, though not overly foamy. Sweetness is spot on, giving a tasty drink without feeling overly syrupy or leaving my mouth coated with too much sugar.

So, I'm a bit mixed on this. It has some interesting things with the flavor that are good and not so good, but nothing amazing or outright terrible, though the soap sensation throws me off a bit. I've heard they reformulated this since I last reviewed it in bottle form, and I don't know that they've really made an improvement.

Rating: C-
flavor: B+
aftertaste: D-
sweetness: A
smoothness: A-

carbonation: B+ 

Freddie's root beer

Background information: (from the website): "Throughout the challenges of floods, fires, tornadoes and even Prohibition, the American family-owned Buffalo Trace Distillery has never compromised. A timeless dedication to respecting the past while fearlessly innovating for the future has served us well for more than two centuries. No matter the challenge, be it Mother Nature or man, the people of our Distillery have been part of the story that shaped America and the spirit industry as well."

"Crafted with natural herbs, real birch oil & imported vanilla."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Bottled under the authority of Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601. 180 calories, 44g sugar. Glass bottle with twist off top. https://www.buffalotracedistillery.com/

Ingredients: Purified carbonated water, high fructose corn sweetener and/or cane sugar, pure vanilla, natural and artificial flavors, caramel color, sodium benzoate (preservative) and phosphoric acid.


My thoughts: Back to a bottled root beer! I've mostly been finding new root beers in cans lately, so I'm glad to get back to the traditional glass bottle. While that doesn't necessarily promise a better root beer, it's how I prefer to drink mine.

It's been a long time since I've had a root beer, so maybe I'm just missing that flavor, but this one tastes really good! It has a vanilla-forward root beer flavor that is nice and strong, with a bit of mint to it (probably due to the birch oil), but not so strong as to give me that toothpaste feel. It has a very pleasant aftertaste and it might have a hint of anise, but I'm not totally certain on that one.

Okay, with a really good flavor, I hate to say it, but the carbonation is pitiful. There are hardly any bubbles and what little it has are fairly weak. I don't like my sodas flat, and this one is disappointingly so. The lack of carbonation and strong vanilla do give it a very creamy, almost root beer float sensation, so I do like the creaminess. And I feel like they got the right amount of sugar dialed in, even though I would have preferred real sugar instead of "high fructose corn sweetener and/or cane sugar".

I really like the flavor, but this one let me down with the almost complete absence of carbonation. I may want to give this a try with some dry ice to add in some of the lacking fizz, but that seems like a lot of extra work when I can just grab a bottle of good tasting and well carbonated root beer instead. I think if they got their carbonation issue solved, this would be a much more compelling contender.

Rating: B-
flavor: A-
aftertaste: B+
sweetness: A-
smoothness: A-

carbonation: D 

Cove Soda probiotic root beer

Background information: While not a fan of probiotic root beers, I've been hard up to find new root beers to try, so I'll give any sort a go. While shopping at my local grocery store, I ran across a new brand I hadn't seen before, Cove Soda. Cove makes "healthy" probiotic sodas and kombuchas and has zero sugar while being certified organic.

(from the website): "Hi, we’re John and Ryan 👋 Brothers and Co-founders of Cove Soda

Growing up, soda was a rare treat, enjoyed only on the most special of occasions. Tucked away in our most cherished memories of birthday parties, pizza nights, or an A on a test, soda was there.

While we outgrew our soda fixation, deeming it forever unhealthy; the nostalgic craving lived on. Our guts were telling us not to walk away from those classic flavours we knew and loved. 

So, we took a sip down memory lane to create a soda that isn’t meant for special occasions, rather, for everyone and everyday enjoyment. Enter Cove Soda, the first-ever, zero sugar functional soda made with 1 billion probiotics, and real organic ingredients.

We’re making way for a new generation of soda drinkers."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Brought to you by Cove Drinks Inc., 1A Johnston Ave., Trenton NJ 08629. 0 calories, 0g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.covesoda.com/

Ingredients: Filtered water, Erythritol*, Caramel*, Citric acid*, Natural flavour*, Vanilla extract*, Himalayan salt, Stevia extract*, Ascorbic acid (vitamin C), Bacillus subtilis DE111 (probiotic). *Organic


My thoughts: I can't believe it's been almost a year since my last review. I haven't had much luck finding new root beers to try, but finally came across this. I'm not much for probiotic, nor zero sugar, root beers, so let's see how this goes.

"Fttzzzzz...pop!" Ah, the good old sound of cracking open an ice cold can of root beer. I prepare myself for the worst, but it smells okay... As the liquid flows over my tongue I think, "Hey this isn't so bad!" It has that rooty sassafras taste, with a decent vanilla flavor helping it out. It has a little of that sort of sour probiotic taste to it, but it's really not all that bad, with the rooty flavor strong enough to help hide the healthy bits. The aftertaste isn't unpleasant, not revealing any new spices or anything, but also not getting overwhelmed by the probiotic elements. There is very little hint of the stevia sweetening altering the taste, which is usually not the case.

The carbonation is fairly strong, though not with the most aggressive bubbles, so it doesn't prickle the tongue. Some of these probiotic drinks can feel a little flat, but this one holds up just fine. I tend to feel like these probiotic drinks tend to have a creamy quality to the texture and this one is no different, offering a satisfying smoothness. The thing that really surprised me is the stevia sweetener. As I mentioned above, it only has a hint of that typical stevia taste (though it is there), but manages to be properly sweet without the sugar.

Well, consider me surprised. I was fully expecting to not like this root beer based on past experience with stevia sweeteners and probiotics, but I came away not minding it. While it wouldn't be my choice among regular root beers, it does offer a moderately satisfying root beer experience and a very good probiotic root beer taste. Seems like they got the formula right on this one.

Rating: C+
flavor: C+
aftertaste: C
sweetness: B+
smoothness: A-

carbonation: B+ 

Signature Select root beer

Background information: This root beer is sold at Safeway/Vons/Albertsons grocery stores, but doesn't really have any pertinent product information.

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Distributed by Better Living Brands LLC, P.O. Box 99, Pleasanton, CA 94566-0009. 170 calories, 46g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.safeway.com

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, potassium benzoate (preservative), natural and artificial flavors, citric acid.


My thoughts: As I continue to encounter a drought of new, bottled root beers to try, I came across a single can of root beer in my grocery store's discount pile (they sell singles when a case breaks open). So not only is it not in a bottle, but it's a store brand, so I don't have high expectations for this. I figure I'll be happy if it comes in with a C-average score.

With a strong crack of the can opening, I toss back a swig of this store brand root beer and...it's pretty dang good! It has a strong, rooty flavor that is bolstered by vanilla, but not a lot else. It's a good flavor, but quite basic, with no hints of spices like wintergreen, licorice/anise, cinnamon, etc. that make for a really great root beer. But, in spite of only including the basics, I really do like this. The aftertaste leans a little more into the vanilla, but mostly resembles the initial flavor.

As I mentioned above, the can opened with a strong crack (and the sound of fizzing), which is a good sign. The carbonation is quite satisfying, though a little short of the really aggressive prickling bubbles that I prefer. But if you want something well carbonated but with a smoother profile, this one gets it just right. It also has a nice, creamy feeling, making it a very smooth root beer in spite of the carbonation. I think it's an excellent blend of properties. It does run a touch on the sweet and syrupy side, not too terribly so, but not quite as crisp as the best root beers manage to achieve.

Going in to this one, I wasn't expecting much from a generic, store brand root beer, but in the end it was a surprisingly competent root beer, punching above it's average appearances and, while doing almost nothing exceedingly well, manages to match up a lot of good attributes for a pretty decent root beer. 

Rating: B-
flavor: B
aftertaste: B-
sweetness: C-
smoothness: A-

carbonation: A- 

VitaLife Prebiotic root beer

Background information: This root beer is sold at Aldi grocery stores, but has no product information. It is a seasonal item, however, so may not be readily available.

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Dist. & sold exclusively by Aldi Batavia, IL 60510. 40 calories, 5g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.aldi.us

Ingredients: Water, Organic Water Kefir (Water, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Kefir Culture), Organic Agave Inulin, Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Apple Juice Concentrate, Organic Root Beer Flavor (Water, Organic Caramel Color, Organic Gum Acacia, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid), Organic Stevia, Organic Lemon Juice Concentrate, Organic Vanilla Extract, Organic Monk Fruit Extract, Tartaric Acid, Sea Salt.


My thoughts: I'll admit that I'm not generally a fan of prebiotic sodas. But I saw this root beer and figured that it needed to be added to my reviews, so I bought a can (from my local Aldi's).

Taking a whiff of the just cracked can, it smells like an ordinary root beer. Taste, however, is completely different. Okay, I guess not completely different, as there are some rooty undertones, but the overall flavor is kind of a fruity...something. It doesn't really have a specific fruit flavor so much as it creates an impression of the fruitiness without being a definite flavor. I know that may not make a whole lot of sense, but that's the impression I get. It's not a particularly pleasant flavor, but it's not gag inducing. The aftertaste reveals a little hint of the root beer undertones and some wintergreen or some such mint along with some vanilla. At this point, not having read the ingredient list yet, I suspect the fruitiness is monk fruit, which is often used as a natural sweetener (edit: monk fruit confirmed on the list).

One thing this gets right is the carbonation. While not the really aggressive bubbles I love, it's probably more along the lines of what the average person prefers, a suitably prickly experience that doesn't necessarily dance on the tongue. To go along with that, I feel like it has a decently creamy sensation, going down nice and smooth. As for sweetness, I don't like the flavor monk fruit imparts as a sweetener, so am marking the sweetness down as a negative due to the influence on the flavor profile.

Alright, so as a prebiotic soda, this isn't a terrible drink by any stretch. But as a root beer, it's just not good, falling well below the average tasting root beer. This might be a decent option for those trying to drink healthier beverages, though I'm sure that -as in many things- the health advantages are overstated. I'd rather just eat healthier in general and mix in good tasting root beers in moderation instead.

Rating: D-
flavor: F+
aftertaste: D
sweetness: D
smoothness: B

carbonation: B+ 

Zevia creamy root beer

Background information: (from the website): "Our mission is as clear as our Soda: Create a world of better-for-you flavor, better for people and planet. One can at a time, we’re cleaning up the beverage aisle with naturally sweetened, zero sugar deliciousness for all. Zero-compromise refreshment you can enjoy whenever, wherever, as often as your taste buds’ crave. Without a plastic bottle in sight.

The world is already pretty sweet, so we see no need to add sugar. So we are serving up a simple way to avoid added sugar by creating naturally sweetened, great-tasting, drink-as-much-as-you-want refreshment for everyone. It’s a knockout combo of better-for-you beverages and limitless enjoyment that’s accessible to all. We’ve got plenty of flavor for you, and not a single gram of sugar.

It takes guts (and smarts) to improve on a beloved classic. With Creamy Root Beer we’ve (re)created a classic root beer, but with a rich, creamy and naturally sweetened, zero sugar twist. ‘Velvety smooth and bursting with flavor’ some might say, even if they weren’t on our payroll. They might also comment on its clear color — in between pouring their ice-cold Creamy Root Beer into a frosted mug and adding a scoop of vanilla ice cream."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Distributed by: Zevia PBS, Los Angeles, CA 91436. 0 calories, 0g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.zevia.com

Ingredients: Carbonated water, natural flavors, Stevia leaf extract, citric acid.


My thoughts: Okay, I'll be up front and admit I am not a fan of zero calorie soda, especially of the Stevia sweetened variety. But in my unflagging quest to bring you more root beer reviews, I'll take the hit and give it a try. Maybe it'll surprise me?

Okay, the smell is classic root beer. That's promising. Now the flavor. I can tell it's going to be wretched. I scrunch up my face, close my eyes, take a swig, and just like I thought this is completely disgus---hey wait...this isn't too bad. It has a pretty classic root beer taste. Now, don't get me wrong, it does have that telltale stevia sweetened flavor to it that I find unpleasant and also hides picking out the individual spices in the flavor, though I do detect some vanilla. Aftertaste leaves behind the dreaded stevia aftertaste, but again, not as bad as I thought. The strong rooty taste helps mask it a little bit, I think.

Carbonation is pleasant, starting out pretty crunchy and tapering off to a moderate bite mid-can. Fairly decent for a canned soda. There is a little bit of a creaminess to it, though it's not the most frothy and creamy root beer. As for sweetness, it's a decent level of sweetness but unfortunately this comes with a healthy dose of stevia undertones and aftertaste, which is a huge hit to my enjoyment of this root beer. I new going into this that it was a "zero sugar soda," so was completely expected. That said, with 0g of sugar, this is a good option for those that can't drink sugary beverages.

So this wasn't the complete disaster I was expecting for a stevia sweetened root beer. It's drinkable, which is more than I can say for some of the other zero sugar root beers I've tried. It's no Dr. Pepper Zero levels of decent taste (which is where I set the bar for "good" zero sugar sodas), but if I had to switch to a no- or low- sugar diet, I'd consider making this one of my root beer choices. Fortunately for me, I don't need to so I doubt I'll be picking this up again.

Rating: C-
flavor: C
aftertaste: D
sweetness: C
smoothness: B-

carbonation: B+ 

poppi Prebiotic root beer

 

Background information: (from the website): "Founded by husband-and-wife duo Stephen and Allison and based in Austin, TX, poppi combines fresh fruit juice, apple cider vinegar, and inulin prebiotics for a deliciously refreshing, full-of-flavor soda with benefits.

With the help of an investment on Shark Tank, poppi has gone from farmer's-market-favorite to sitting pretty on the shelves of thousands of retailers across the nation. Along the way, we’ve become beloved by some new besties like Hailey Bieber, Kylie Jenner, Billie Eilish, Russell Westbrook, JLo, Olivia Munn, and more."

(from the can) "Facts... No one wants a basic drink. So make every hour happy with this bubbly, better for you prebiotic soda that keeps your gut happy and gives your bod a boost. Classic flavors that are downright delicious, these bubbles with benefits will be your new BFF."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Distributed by: poppi, Austin, TX 78731. 25 calories, 5g sugar. Aluminum can. https://www.drinkpoppi.com/

Ingredients: Sparkling Water, Organic Cane Sugar, Apple Juice*, Fruit Juice Color, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Organic Agave Inulin, Natural Flavors, Stevia, Natural Tartaric Acid. *Concentrate (Contains 3% Juice)


My thoughts: Prebiotic soda. These words strike some fear into my root beer loving heart. From the swampy depths of prehistoric earth emerge microorganisms, whose essence is being distilled into a soupy blend of sludge of slime molds, fungi, and bacteria, with the sole purpose of ruining what might be a perfectly decent root beer. Okay, perhaps I mischaracterize a perfectly decent beverage trend. Maybe this will be the best root beer I've had yet. We shall see if my preconceptions, though slightly exaggerated, hold true.

The initial flavor, when one expects root beer, is a bit confusing. It has a strangely subtle fruitiness which I can't quite explain (looking at the ingredients, I now see "apple juice" and "apple cider vinegar" listed, which likely gives it that flavor). Seeing those ingredients might also explain the tangy sensation with the vinegar. It's such a strange flavor combination, I don't quite know how to describe them. It's not bad, exactly, but I don't know that I particularly like it, especially as far as root beers go. There is a little bit of that rooty sassafras flavor in there, which becomes a more prominent as the initial flavors fade into the aftertaste. It also has a vanilla taste that grows stronger as an aftertaste.

Carbonation is fairly good, maintaining a decent fizz throughout the can. I tend to prefer my CO2 quite prickly, which this is a drink with smaller, less aggressive bubbles, but it does a decent job. The smaller bubbles don't froth a whole lot, which leaves it a little short on that bubbly creaminess I really like in my root beers, but something in the drink is leaving a thicker, creamier sensation behind. As for sweetness, I'm usually a bit skeptical of drinks sweetened with agave and Stevia, but the blend with cane sugar here works well, with no unusual sweetness related flavors I can detect. With only 5g of sugar (about 1/8 the usual amount), if leaves a much cleaner sensation behind.

I'm a bit puzzled on how I should rate this. It's not a great root beer, but it's fairly decent as a "healthy" probiotic beverage. I wouldn't mind having it again, but if I'm putting it purely into the context of a root beer, it's certainly not one I'd seek out again. So when you see the lower score, just keep in mind that I think it's a moderately decent Prebiotic soda (and not some awful swamp water sludge), but not exactly a great root beer. But, if I had to keep my sugar or calorie intake low, I do think it beats most diet root beer options and would likely be one of my low sugar picks.

Rating: C-
flavor: D+
aftertaste: C-
sweetness: A-
smoothness: C
carbonation: B