WBC Goose Island Chicago Style root beer

Background information: (from the website): "Chicago’s visitors are awestruck by its towering skyscrapers, iconic bridges, and breathtaking lakefront, but locals never miss a chance to enjoy one of its lesser known but equally memorable experiences…a WBC Chicago Style Root Beer. Made with 100% REAL SUGAR, naturally caffeine-free and never pasteurized, it’s unlike any of those syrupy concoctions you’ll find in an aluminum can or two liter bottle. Rich, creamy, and thick in tradition, each sip of our WBC Chicago Style Root Beer reveals a flavor as unique as the city it’s named for. Just like Chicago, we’re sure you’ll find yourself wanting to visit it again and again. Our Chicago-made brew is still made with the original recipe."

"While drinking a bottle you’ll notice the vanilla notes up front and wonder what familiar taste you’re getting at the end. The wintergreen finish will cause you to reach for that second bottle. Maybe pour it over some vanilla ice cream this time? As the line up’s first born, WBC Chicago Style Root Beer expresses its own personality with a fresh design that plays on classic Chicago iconography while making it clear who the star is in the soda line up."


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  WIT Beverage Company.  180 calories, 45g sugar. Glass bottle with twist off top.  http://www.witbeveragecompany.com


Ingredients: Triple filtered carbonated water, cane sugar, natural and artificial flavor, caramel color, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate as preservatives and citric acid.


My thoughts: While on a trip to Chicago, my friends introduced me to this root beer, which they had bought two cases of.  Seeing as how they have good taste, I had high expectations for this root beer.  Fortunately, I was not disappointed.

Initially, I'm greeted with a nice, hearty rooty flavor.  Not too artificial.  As promised by their website, there is a hint of vanilla.  The aftertaste fades rapidly, but a very slight wintergreen lingers behind, subtle just as it should be.

It doesn't leave too sugary of a feeling in my mouth and I'm extremely happy with the amount of carbonation, tickling a little bit but not with too much bite.  I wouldn't call this a creamy root beer, but it certainly isn't bad.

I was also a tad disappointed to discover that, despite the namesake, I could detect neither the flavor of goose (I had been hoping for a hint of hearty Dutch Emden or perhaps a smidge of delicate French Toulouse) nor the earthy tones of island flavor, or at least it had no flavor of any island that I've ever sampled in my many travels.  The lack of goose and island flavor aside, I found this to be a quite delightful beverage and would recommend it to my friends, not only in the Chicago region, but those geographically arranged elsewhere.

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