Tower root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Prospect Hill Beverages, LLC is bringing back Tower Root Beer to the New England area using the original recipe bottled and distributed by Prospect Hill Bottling and Soda Water Co. Tower Root Beer was first established in Somerville, MA in 1914 by Domenick Cusolito who immigrated to the United States from Salina, Italy and settled in the Boston area. After World War II, his sons, Jack, Richard and Paul, assumed the responsibility for the management and operation of the family business. Now, Larry Cusolito, Richard’s son (Domenick’s grandson) is heading up a third-generation of the family, to reintroduce the Tower Root Beer brand in the New England region and re-establish the Cusolito family tradition in the soft drink market.

Tower Root Beer is being bottled by EMPIRE Bottling Works, Inc., a contract bottling company located in Bristol, RI under the ownership of Mr. Ed Borges, until such time as a manufacturing facility can be secured for private production. Mr. Borges’ operation is also a family business with a tradition that goes back to 1930."


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Prospect Hill Beverages LLC.  150 calories, 41g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  www.TowerRootBeer.com


Ingredients: Pure carbonate water, cane sugar, natural and artificial flavor, caramel color, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness).


My thoughts: This root beer comes from Boston, and we all know what else is in Boston: Harvard, school of choice for Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerburg.  So does this root beer get liked or does it get banished to the dark corner of our wall, joining ranks with the aunt I never talk to and the political posts by people who haven't the slightest clue what they are taking about?

I have to admit that flavor isn't bad at all.  There is a nice strong rooty taste with a hint of wintergreen.  The aftertaste doesn't really reveal any additional flavors, but gives a vague creamy and almost buttery sensation.  This drink is very smooth.  Sweetness seems dialed in just right and carbonation is well balanced.  Nothing about the drink blows me away, but the parts work together to create a pleasant root beer that is a bit better than I expected.  This root beer gets a "like" in my (Face) book!

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