Surf City, USA root beer

Background information: BrewBakers is a pub and brewery located in Huntington Beach, California. The location is showing up as permanently closed, so this may not be produced any longer.

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Brewed for BrewBakers, Huntington Beach, CA. n/a calories, n/a g sugar. Glass bottle with pry off top. https://www.averysoda.com/

Ingredients: Carbonated spring water, sugar, raw honey, artificial flavor, vanilla.

My thoughts: This root beer is actually somewhat local to me, so it's fun to try one from around here. The "Surf City, USA" name makes me think of The Beach Boys, and all the fun, energy, and good times they would have, so I'm expecting this root beer to live up to that image.

The flavor of this one is a decent, rooty sassafras with a noticeable honey flavor and some vanilla. While the flavor is pretty strong, it does fade away fairly quickly, with the aftertaste mostly just a diminished version of the initial flavor. I really like what the honey is doing to the aftertaste, though. And I don't necessarily taste wintergreen, but I am feeling the slightest cooling sensation, which I like.

The bottle I got was pretty flat. It has a tiny bit of carbonation at first, but was pretty much totally flat about halfway though the bottle. I'm not sure if this is maybe some old stock since they are no longer in business, which may explain the low carbonation. Sweetness is really good, and I like that the honey is pulling some double duty as a flavor and a sweetener. While it does leave a sugary feel, it leans towards the honey side and doesn't seem as objectionable. Since it is so flat, I have a hard time judging smoothness, but it does have a semi-thick consistency (as opposed to watery and light); not syrupy or anything, just it has some body to it.

The words "Surf City" bring to mind the rolling waves and active ocean, which to me, would be a soda with lots of carbonation making the liquid feel alive and energetic. Instead, we get more of a flat pond, which I find disappointing. I really do like the flavor, even if it's just a honey-enhanced basic formula, lacking some of the wider range of spices that normally get me excited. This one is different enough, however, from a standard root beer that I'd like to give it another try and maybe I'll get one from a fizzier batch if that's possible.

Rating: B-
flavor: B+
aftertaste: B+
sweetness: A
smoothness: n/a

carbonation: F+