Otto's root beer

Background information: Otto's is a brewery and distillery that makes both sodas and alcoholic beverages. The site doesn't really have any background information.

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Brewed and Bottled by Otto's Pub and Brewery, State College, PA. 180 calories, 45g sugar. Glass bottle with pry off top. www.ottospubandbrewery.com

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, dark brown sugar, caramel color, gum arabic, natural and artificial flavors, phosphoric acid, citric acid, sodium benzoate, yucca extract, vanillin, and ethyl vanillin.


My thoughts: Despite being a little creeped out by the Otto's mascot's mustache, I'm hoping that their pub and brewery expertise is better than their graphic design sensibilities. Just know that the creepy little guy kept staring at me as I drank the root beer. Sure, he's toasting some sort of festivities, but behind those beady eyes is the mind of a deranged serial killer, I'm sure of it.

As far as root beers go, this one knows exactly what it is. There's a very strong root beer sassafras flavor. It's bold and good. Too often root beers are like, "I think I might want to be a root beer, but I'm not sure...so I'm just going to kind of do the flavor." Not here. Underneath the initial rooty flavor, I like what the brown sugar is doing. It's not as strong as some of the other brown sugar ones I've had, but I think the balance and slightly subtle molasses and vanilla/caramel taste is spot on. The aftertaste reveals a pleasant cooling wintergreen mint effect, with not too much mint flavor. Again, I like it when it doesn't feel like toothpaste minty, which this one happily avoids. I'll save that strong mint for when I'm brushing my teeth. probably my only knock against it is that it plays it a bit safe with the formula rather than trying anything super interesting with the spices. But sometimes I just want a solid root beer that's not trying to be too fancy.

Right out the gate, this isn't one of the aggressively carbonated root beers, but has a crisp, bubbly feel to it that only slightly prickles the tongue. This really comes down to personal preference, where I prefer the large bubbles of carbonation that attack my tongue, but this one is pretty dang good. I never felt like it was too flat. Sweetness is great, if not ever so slightly on the sugary side. I think this has to do with brown sugar feeling a bit thicker, but it's a tradeoff I'm more than happy to make. Finally, Otto's does have a creamy sensation, helped a bit by the vanilla flavor I'm sure, but it went down nice and smooth. Again, not a top-tier performer for creaminess, but much better than your average root beer.

Despite Otto being a complete creep, I just turned the bottle around so he faced away and couldn't stare at me with those eyes while I enjoyed the root beer. This one does a lot of things right and I would gladly recommend giving it a try.

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

Chumlee root beer

Background information: (from the website): "The Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shops, LLC was founded in 2007 by Robert (Rob) Powells and Ryan Morgan and in 2012 Rich Shane became the company CEO. The original store opened in 2009. The Ventura, CA and Portland OR locations are company-owned. The Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop is the largest and fastest growing soda pop and candy shop franchise brand in America. Besides the two company owned stores all of the other Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop locations throughout the U.S.A. and Canada are franchised and are independently owned and operated. As the creators and co-owners of the entire Rocket Fizz system, Rob and Ryan carefully select each Rocket Fizz franchise store operator."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Intellectual property of and bottled by the Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shops, LLC., P.O. Box 5400, Incline Village, NV 89450. 170 calories, 42g sugar. Glass bottle with pry off top. www.rocketfizz.com

Ingredients: Carbonated artisan spring water, pure cane sugar, citric acid, ester gum, caramel color and natural flavors. No preservatives: flash pasteurized for safety.


My thoughts: Okay, I've seen the occasional episode of Pawn Stars and at least know who Chumlee is, but why he needed his own root beer, I'll never know. Seeing as how this comes from the Rocket Fizz lineup of root beers, I have a suspicion that it'll be another generic repackaging of their standard formula. I haven't had any of the Rocket Fizz root beers side by side to compare directly, but looking over my reviews they seem to provide a very similar experience, so maybe one day I'll do a side by side to see if they are all the same with just a different label, or if there is actually some customization of their basic recipe for each one. But today is not that day, so onto the Chumlee review I go.

Up front, this is a wintergreen minty root beer, as the mint is immediately noticeable as a main flavor rather than just an aftertaste. It blends with the usual sassafras root beer flavor in a decent mix, but with those two absolutely dominating the flavor profile, don't leave room for other more subtle spices to make themselves known. There is a little hint of vanilla in the aftertaste, but this is primarily a wintergreen flavor profile, with the minty taste and cooling effects lingering behind long after drinking it.

The carbonation is nice and crispy, though there's not as much of it as I would like. It doesn't feel flat, by any means, but it's not as infused with the sharp bite of the bubbles as I prefer, though I do tend to like my carbonation on the more aggressive side. Sweetness is fine, though it's slightly hard to say if it feels less syrupy because the cooling effect of the mint may cover up my ability to feel the more subtle sugary sensation. It doesn't seem to be as creamy as some of my favorites, but again, I wonder how much of that is my mouth being cooled/numbed by the strength of the mint.

This isn't a bad root beer by any means. In fact, I thought it was fairly good, slightly above average. I'm not a huge fan of extremely minty root beers, as I prefer a little more subtlety so I can enjoy the other flavors. Even so, I did enjoy this one and if you love minty root beers, then this might be what you're looking for. This also seems to be a fair bit mintier than past Rocket Fizz root beers, so I guess I can safely say that they do allow for variation in their root beer recipes, so at least all their drinks are just rebadges of the same thing.

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

Root Jack Orange Flavored root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Welcome to the Interport home of RootJack, the Pirate's most delicious alternative to the bane that is known as Scurvy!

Rest ye squiffy boots and hear the tale of Cap'n Astrea Valentine and her magical elixir what kept the crew healthy and n'er put one foot in the locker.

Rootjack will not only balance out yer four humors, you'll step lively and spot futher than ye even thought possible. Thar's power in this draught.

RootJack's a tasty Root Beer with a hint of Orange flavor and Vanilla, Guarana to liven yer step, and a full daily dose of Vitamin C to keep scurvy in check.."

(from the bottle) "A tasty Root Beer with a hint of Orange flavor, Guarana to liven yer step, and Vitamin C to keep scurvy in check."

(note about website info): while the website ingredients show "high fructose corn syrup" and also proclaims that no preservatives are used, the actual bottle label lists "sugar" as an ingredient as well as "Potassium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (preserves freshness)," which are both preservatives, so I suspect the web info must be out of date.

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Manufactured for VooDoo Elixers, Inc, Mishawaka, IN. 190 calories, 47g sugar. 100% Daily Recommended Value of Vitamin C. 120mg Caffeine. Glass bottle with twist off top. www.rootjack.com (root beer site) www.PVKII.com (tie in with a video game). Not recommended for children, pregnant women or those sensitive to caffeine. 

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid, Quillaja, Xanthan Gum, Ascorbic Acid, Caffeine, Potassium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate (preserve freshness), Potassium Citrate, Caramel Color, Guarana Seed Extract, Calcium Disodium EDTA.


My thoughts: Yarrrrr! What be this draught of root beer? When me pirate crew needs a kick in the seat o' them britches, an energy drink they demand! Will this elixir ward off the scurvy, or tis it fit only fer them lily-livered landlubbers? We shall see if this earns its spot on me crew, or gets sent straight to the plank.

What an interesting concoction they have made. I can certainly taste the orange and there's some root beer flavor to it as well, but there's a good reason the two flavors are not typically mixed. While not awful, I don't think they are very complimentary flavors (and I really like orange vanilla coke, so I'm okay mixing orange with other flavors). Perhaps the problem lies not in the mixing, but in the base root beer taste. The drink has one of those slightly sour hints at first and I'm not a fan of the sour root beers. That sourness lingers around as the aftertaste leaves a very basic root beer taste that clashes with the orange. The aftertaste texture isn't too bad, as the taste fades away to a creamy, slightly vanilla, sensation.

When I think of pirates, I think of the high energy attacks on their enemies, with pirates swinging to and fro, leaping from banister to banister. Well, unfortunately the carbonation reminds me more of when they're in the middle of a large, empty ocean with the bright noon-day sun overhead, as the crew lounges around in the few spots of shade, the ship slowly lolling over gentle waves, rocking everyone to a lazy slumber. More directly to the point, the carbonation is weak, offering very little pizazz. In hand with this, there isn't enough carbonation to create a froth or creaminess to the drink, though there are hints of creaminess as part of the aftertaste, likely due to the quillaja in it. Not only does it betray me with little carbonation, but I'm left with a slightly filmier sugar feel in my mouth, with a touch too much sugar for my taste.

Shiver me timbers, this here root beer is goin' to walk the plank. It's got no sea legs and has no place on any self-respecting pirate ship, other than to ward off the scurvy. Alas, I be sending this one down to Davy Jones's locker. 

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

Batch brown sugar root beer

Background information: (from the website) "We feel that when you have a carbonated soft drink, it should be uncommonly good. A sweet and sticky corn syrup soda may not be a necessity, but it can be pleasurable. Make that experience all the more pleasurable with Batch Craft Soda.

Batch Craft Soda has been concocted to be just that: an exceptional beverage in every way. Our expert amalgamators blend only the finest ingredients to create a truly outstanding libation. Weights, measures, temperatures, rest times, and even the order in which the ingredients are added were carefully tried and tested. Efforts to create the perfect recipe took batch after batch."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  No company address info on the bottle. 174 calories, 45g sugar. Glass bottle with twist off top. www.batchcraftsoda.com

Ingredients: Purified Sparkling Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Caramelized Unrefined Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Spices, Yucca Extract. No Caffeine.


My thoughts: Brown sugar? Color me intrigued. I think this might be the first root beer I've tried that uses it as a sweetener. The question is, will it actually do anything to the flavor or is it more of a gimmick? We shall see.

This is one of the more interesting flavored root beers I've had in a while. It's definitely a root beer, but it's doing something a bit different with the flavors. There is the usual rooty flavor, but something in it gives me a slight souring impression. I generally don't care for the souring sensation of some past root beers, but this one is subtle enough I don't mind it too much (note: the souring reminds me of the souring process of dairy, not of sour candies). The brown sugar turns out to be a very welcome addition. I like the flavor it imparts, giving this root beer a little more flavor texture to the sweetness. There is the usual vanilla in there as well, perhaps a bit of cinnamon. The aftertaste is dominated by the brown sugar, which I enjoy. I don't necessarily taste any wintergreen, but there is a soft minty, cooling sensation.

Carbonation is mediocre. The bubbles are not particularly spirited and it comes off a tiny bit flat. It at least maintains this lower level of carbonation as I drink the entire bottle rather than vanishing completely, as many of the weaker ones usually do. There is a decent smoothness to it, helped in part by the lackluster effervescence, but not necessarily creamy, as that requires enough carbonation to form a froth. As for sweetness, I touched on it already, but I really like what the brown sugar is doing here. Perhaps it's just the novelty, but it adds a different feel to the sweetness that I welcome. Overall sweetness levels seem about average, with a bit of the expected sugary feeling one gets from sugar-based sodas.

There are a few things this does right, and a few not so much. I don't know what causes the souring sensation in some of these root beers, but I'm not a fan, even when it's more subtle. The carbonation is not impressive at all and could use a good kick in the pants. But I do like the mixture of spices they're using to flavor this one and think the brown sugar is a really nice touch. 

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

REBBL root beer

Background information: (from the website) "A CAUSE LOOKING FOR A COMPANY…

REBBL was born out of a passionate collaboration between global thought-leaders to identify an innovative solution to uplift vulnerable communities around the world."

(from the can): "Deliciously supercharged plants to power people."

"Every can of organic REBBL POP is packed with deliciously refreshing, nutrient-dense, plant-powered ingredients that support immunity and digestive health. We ethically source our ingredients, supporting the communities that grow them, and use sustainable packaging."

"Good for you, great for other, better for the world."

Product details: 12 fl. oz. Distributed by REBBL, Emeryville, CA 94608. 50 calories, 5g sugar. Contains 3% juice. Aluminum can. www.rebbl.co

Ingredients: Sparkling water, organic acacia, organic coconut nectar, organic natural flavor, organic vanilla extract, organic stevia extract, pink salt, organic monk fruit extract, vitamin C (ascorbic acid). Contains: coconut. 


My thoughts: Following up on my last "healthy" root beer review, I have yet another root beer with similar claims, with "supports immunity & digestive health." Sounds like another flavor disaster waiting to happen, but we'll see if this one can't offer something a little more palatable.

First off, the rooty sassafras flavor isn't very pronounced. It does come across as definitely being a root beer, however. The stevia is just ruining it with a very pronounced taste. If you like Stevia, no big deal. But I detest the flavor it imparts and in this drink it overwhelms the other flavors with its presence. Notes of vanilla and what I believe is the monk fruit (which -according to the internet- has a caramel/toffee taste). There are some other flavors that I can't quite identify, though I do like what they are doing, but it's hard to sort them out underneath the oppressive stevia. The aftertaste starts out not very good, with more stevia taste on the menu. But an interesting thing happens if I wait a bit longer, as the stevia finally fades away and I can start tasting more of the underlying flavors that were hidden away before, with the vanilla and monk fruit finally taking over. This is one drink that is vastly improved by the aftertaste and benefits from longer pauses between taking another drink. One thing I didn't notice earlier in the drink is the wintergreen, but as I got down to the last 1/3 of the can I started to notice it and it seemed to get stronger the closer to the bottom of the can I got. It never did get too strong, though.

The carbonation is on the weak side, but at least doesn't seem to totally vanish as I make my way through the drink. Again, when carbonation is low it's harder to gauge smoothness, but I'd rank this about average. It's not particularly creamy (I like a creamy foam froth), but there is a little bit of creamy texture in there. Sweetness is fine, leaving a pretty clean feeling in my mouth, but comes at the price of destroying the flavor, so gets some points knocked off for that detrimental side effect.

Whereas the last "healthy" probiotic root beer I tried was an absolute failure on all levels, this one at least offers a somewhat pleasant experience. Other than the overly strong stevia influence, I like what the flavors are doing here. Yes, it could use a little more rooty sassafras taste and veers more towards a vanilla caramel flavor in the aftertaste, but overall I enjoyed this flavor blend that was hidden underneath. I think this is a good choice for those that are looking for very low sugar alternatives. If you're okay with the stevia taste, then adjust my rating accordingly as that was the main factor for my lower score. Absent that sweetener, this might be a mid to high "B" rating instead. I wish they'd offer this same blend with a cane sugar sweetener, as I think I'd really like it.

Rating: D+
flavor: D+
aftertaste: C+
sweetness: D+
smoothness: C
carbonation: D

Olipop classic root beer

Background information: (from the website) "OLIPOP tastes like the soda you grew up sipping, but with the added benefit of microbiome and digestive health support. With plant fiber, prebiotics, botanicals, and a touch of magic, we made soda healthier AND more delicious!"

"Our botanically driven Root Beer marries a classic bite with a creamy sweetness with extracts of sweet birch, smooth-vanilla bean and naturally sourced burdock root. We recommend pairing it with your favorite ice-cream."

(from the can): "We've spent years crafting a drink that;s as good for your digestion as it is delicious. OLIPOP combines the benefits of prebiotics, plant fiber and botanicals in a sparkling tonic that supports your microbiome and benefits digestive health."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Manufactured for OLIPOP Inc., Oakland, CA 94610. 35 calories, 2g sugar. Contains 3% juice. Aluminum can. www.drinkolipop.com

Ingredients: Purified water, OLISMART (Chicory Root*, Jerusalem Artichoke*, Kudzu root*, Cassava fiber, Cassava syrup, Marshmallow root*, Slippery Elm bark*, Nopal cactus*, Calendula flower*), Apple juice, Organic Root Beer Flavor extract*, Stevia*, Burdock root*, Pink rock salt, Vanilla bean essence, Sweet Birch*. *extract 


My thoughts: Okay, I'm feeling adventurous. Not only is this not a bottle, but it hits all the buzzwords: Prebiotics; botanicals; plant fiber; digestive health. Seems like it could be a perfect pairing with my avocado toast. I jest. Sort of. Avocado toast is tasty.

Okay, this is an interesting mix of flavors. I can tell it's a root beer, as it has some of the classic sassafras rootiness, but there are a lot of other competing flavors. A lot of the flavors I can't identify, as they are way outside my normal wheelhouse: Cassava, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke, Kudzu root, etc (see the ingredients list above and most of those I have never had before). These flavors do lend a slightly "healthy herbal medicinal" sensation to the flavors, and I'm not entirely sure I like it. Vanilla is somewhere in this mix and I can taste it a little. The worst offender is probably the stevia, of which I have never been a fan. The stevia lingers strongly in the aftertaste, making me regret this drink.

With my first swig, the carbonation wasn't too bad. Weak, but okay. The effervescence quickly dissipated, leaving an almost entirely flat drink. (note: I had purchased this once before and only noticed it was past it's "best by" date after trying it and discovering it was totally flat, so I dumped it out. Giving it a chance with a newly purchased, fresh can, it seems that being flat is just how this drink rolls.) It's hard to judge smoothness in the near-complete absence of carbonation, but there is a sense of some creaminess. Sweetness is awful, not due to the texture, but the fact it's primarily sweetened with the awful stevia sweetener. Gross.

So this was an absolute failure as a root beer, or even as a moderately drinkable beverage. There is so much going on flavor-wise, with a few hits but mostly misses. I get that this is supposed to be a healthy alternative to regular soda, but they certainly didn't do a good job of convincing me that they are a viable competitor with my regular, not-at-all healthy, root beer. I had a hard enough time finishing this one can and certainly won't be consuming this again.

Rating: F
flavor: F
aftertaste: F
sweetness: D-
smoothness: C-
carbonation: F

Oak Creek root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Through a decade long journey, the team of Master Soda Craftsmen at OAK CREEK cultivated a unique process in which traditional sodas can be delivered in multiple varietals through time honored barrel aging techniques. This passion project was inspired and influenced by the rise of the barrel aged culture of wine, beer, and spirits. For the soda connoisseur with an eye for innovation and a thirst for a unique drinking experience, OAK CREEK Barrel Aged Sodas represent the next evolution of craft soda.

OAK CREEK uber-premium Root Beers are hand-crafted in American Oak barrels with a medium char which increases the oak’s influence on the color, aroma, flavor, and overall style. Naturally flavored and made with real sugar, each small batch of OAK CREEK Root Beer spends no less than ONE YEAR aging in the oak so that the full benefits can be drawn out and delivered to your glass."

(from the bottle): "Barrel aged root beer is a traditional root beer turned upside down. Well, more like turned on its side and the aged in a medium-charred American Oak barrel. We're paying homage to the original soda fountains while elevating the process for the next Millenium. Share your vintage!"

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Oak Creek Barrel Aged Sodas. 150 calories, 41g sugar. Glass bottle with pry off top. www.oakcreekbarrelagedsodas.com

Ingredients: Water, sugar, natural & artificial flavor, caramel color, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate.


My thoughts: Oak Creek's sodas are what they call "barrel aged." I'm not sure what exactly barrel aging is supposed to do to a soda, but I imagine it's supposed to impart a woody flavor to the drink. *Or are barrels made of plastic and metal these days? I'm hoping for a woody, earthy drink and am very curious what I'll find: pure marketing hype or something new and interesting?

First off, the flavor is a little weaker than I usually like. Not terribly so, but the sensation that there could be a bit more rooty sassafras flavor was the first thought in my head. This was followed by me noticing a flavor profile that I couldn't place. Not being a drinker of other "barrel aged" beverages, perhaps this is the note that wooden barrels impart upon their contents. I like it, as it gives a subtle taste that sets it apart from the usual root beers. In a blind taste test I wouldn't note it as a wood flavor, but it does have a "natural" sort of inclination rather than the synthetic. The aftertaste is just a slow fade of the passable, but not entirely exceptional, root beer flavor. There's a very tiny hint of wintergreen and maybe a little anise.

Moving on, the carbonation is a little disappointing. It's ever so slightly on the flat side, though not too detrimentally so. This might just be because I prefer more aggressive carbonation, as others may find it perfectly serviceable. As such, it's fairly smooth to drink, but lacks a certain creaminess that the finer root beers possess. Sweetness-wise, I thought it seemed to leave a little more of a sugary coating than usual, so I was surprised to look at the nutrition facts and see that it actually has a little less sugar than the average. It's not cloyingly sweet and, like the carbonation, would likely not even register to the casual root beer drinker that it was any different than normal.

As I look at each individual trait, it seems like a fairly disappointing root beer. But somehow the parts add up to one that exceeds the sum of the parts. I liked it pretty well. Perhaps it's the illogical part of me that enjoyed the novelty of the "barrel aged" flavor that is imparted to it, causing me to forgive the shortcomings in other areas. Whatever it is, while I wouldn't heartily recommend this as a top choice, it's one that I would recommend trying and one I wouldn't mind revisiting again in the near future.

Note: after drinking the root beer I read the label which reveals that the root beer is "aged in a medium-charred American Oak barrel."

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