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+