Dog n Suds root beer

Background information: (from the website) "…in the early 50’s two school teachers from Champaign, Illinois started a small hot dog & Root Beer stand that rapidly grew thru out the Midwest. Soon there were Dog ‘n Suds Drive-In restaurants from coast to coast. Fifteen in the greater Grand Rapids area & over 50 in Michigan.

The 50’s Drive-In Root Beer stands are nearly a thing of the past whose tale is told thru Hollywood movies. Two original Dog 'n Suds Drive-Ins exist in the state of Michigan. The Dog ‘n Suds Drive-Ins in Montague & Muskegon are operated by a local family that won’t let those “…good ‘ole days” be forgotten."

This family has served frosty mugs of the “…world’s creamiest Root Beer” for over 45 years. Now available at retail food & beverage stores…"


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Bottled by Clover Club Bottling Co. Inc.  DNS Distributing Inc., 4221 Grand Haven Road, Norton Shores, MI 49441. 170 calories, 30g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  http://www.dog-n-suds.com/


Ingredients: Carbonated water, pure cane sugar, caramel color, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate (as preservative), natural and artificial flavor.


My thoughts: I've had some very carbonated drinks in my day, but this has to be the most violently carbonated drink yet.  They really dialed that carbonation knob up to 11.  The bubbles don't just dance on my tongue, but they have a prickly feeling and feel like they are not just bouncing around, but hurling themselves to and fro with all their might.  It's certainly an interesting sensation that I really enjoy (sort of a liquid Pop Rocks vibe), but I feel like it may be detrimental to the root beer experience.  Perhaps that is really a shortcoming of the flavor.  There is hardly any hint of root beer, as the tactile nature of the bubbles overwhelm whatever functioning sense I have left, including my taste buds.  Of course, what do you expect when "flavor" is the very last ingredient?  By the time I reached the end of the bottle, a slightly rootier taste appeared, but it was too little too late.  The aftertaste is slightly fruity, as it reminds me of eating a slightly rotten and fermented piece of gross fruit.  Never before have I had such a disgusting aftertaste in my root beer.  Sweetness seems fine but, due to the extreme carbonation, this is not a smooth drink at all.  Not recommended.


Rating: F
flavor: F
aftertaste: F-
sweetness: B
smoothness: F
carbonation: A-