Barq's root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Barq’s has bite! Do you know why? Well, it’s unique Barq’s spice is what makes this root beer soda truly original and truly tasty, complete with a caffeine kick. Not to mention the full-bodied flavor that is so distinct and different it can only be Barq’s."

The Barq's Brothers Bottling Company was founded in 1890, with Orangine being their most popular flavor. Root beer was introduced to the lineup around 1900, though not marketed as a "root beer" as Hires was attempting to trademark that. It was owned by the family until they sold their remaining operations to Coca-Cola in 2000. Barq's is notable as one of the caffeinated root beers.

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  The Coca-Cola Company. 160 calories, 44g sugar. Caffeine content: 22mg/12 fl oz. Glass bottle with pry off top. https://www.coca-cola.com/

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, sodium benzoate (to protect taste), citric acid, caffeine, artificial and natural flavors, acacia.

My thoughts: In my younger years, Barq's was one of my less favored standard root beer offerings. I've only had it as a fountain drink, so this will be my first bottled experience. I'm curious to see if I still consider it a lesser of the average root beers.

The first flavor to stand out is the basic rooty sassafras taste that gives root beer its iconic flavor. It has a medium strength to it, though it tapers off into slightly thin tasting as the aftertaste develops. The vanilla is quite present and it has a light minty taste that becomes more apparent as the initial flavor wears off. I'd say it goes just a tiny bit too minty, but isn't nearly as overwhelmingly so as the worst offenders.

The "Barq's has bite" slogan works decently for the carbonation, as it has a decent fizz to it and the bubbles are slightly prickly. It does foam up a little bit and has a creamy sensation, so goes down smooth in spite of the slightly more aggressive than normal carbonation. It is sweetened with corn syrup instead of sugar, and leaves a bit more of a coating on my mouth than I prefer, but it's not too thick feeling.

Well, I'd have to say that young me was fairly spot on with his assessment of Barq's. It's a decent root beer, but not one that really wows me or anything. It's a perfectly serviceable one, however, even if the flavor feels a tiny bit thin to me. If I wanted cans just to make floats with or something, then Barq's would be in the running along with A&W for something I can just grab a 12-pack of off the shelf of any grocery store.

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

carbonation: B+