Steelhead root beer

Background information: Steelhead Brewery was a restaurant and brewery in Eugene, OR (and Eugene's first major brewery) that, after 32 years in business, shut their doors in March 2024. Besides their alcohol beverages, Steelhead made a root beer (in partnership with Orca Beverages). I only heard about this root beer over a year after they closed, so I thought I had missed my chance to ever try it.

Alas, a good friend was up in Oregon recently and the restaurant they were eating at had bottles of root beer, so he sent me a picture and asked if I had ever had Steelhead. He thought they might have gotten (and were drinking) the last bottles available, but the restaurant found one more that he brought back for me, so this might be the very last bottle of Steelhead root beer.

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Produced and Bottled by Orca Beverage Inc., Mukilteo, WA 98275. 160 calories, 41g sugar. Glass bottle with twist-off top. www.steelheadbrewery.com (no longer functioning) www.orcabeverage.com (not listed on their site)

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Honey, Maltodextrin, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (A Preservative), Real Vanilla, Phosphoric Acid, Salt.


My thoughts: When I first started this root beer review blog, I decided to grade on an A-to-F scale, with the middle "C average" represented by what I considered to be an all around average root beer; A&W. Now, some may think a "C" is a bad score (in a world where any movie that isn't an "A" is a terrible movie), but it truly represents the average expectation for what a root beer should be. I've been a fan of "dirty sodas" for some time now, but wonder how close a factory produced soda can come to a soda with real dairy creamer in it. Let's see if A&W manage to capture lightning in a bottle.

The forward flavor is rooty, but not particularly strong. I can tell it has honey, which always adds a nice flavor profile and the vanilla is present without being overpowering. The aftertaste lets the honey flavor shine a little more as the fairly weak rooty sassafras flavor doesn't stick around, but unlike a lot of weaker flavored root beers, this one doesn't feel thin, just less intense.

Carbonation is definitely not a strong point on this one, with just a hint of effervescence letting me know that this is supposed to be a carbonated drink. It does not prickle my tongue at all and I can barely detect any bubbles. Sweetness, on the other hand, is dialed in. Between the cane sugar and honey, it doesn't feel too sugary (at least for a sugar-based soda) and the honey also ends up playing double duty by giving it the aforementioned flavor profile. While it's hard to accurately judge smoothness without the accompanying carbonation, I like how thick this root beer feels. Usually the weaker flavored root beers feel thin and watery, but not this. It has a body to it that I really enjoy.

It's too bad that Steelhead Brewery shut down and this root beer will no longer be made. I like the flavor profile (even if it could use a little more rooty oomph) and always enjoy a honey-sweetened and flavored root beer. I can't help but wonder if the lack of carbonation is due to being an older bottle since new ones are no longer getting produced, so would have been interested in revisiting this one. Alas, I'm glad I got to try it, even with some of the shortcomings.

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

Old Keg root beer

Background information: (from the website) "We’ve traced the Old Keg root beer back to 1941. The Excelsior Bottling Company in Reading, PA bottled beer, porter, brown stout, ginger ale, seltzer, and carbonated drinks. including root beers. The company was owned by T. J. Fessler and S. G. Dunkelberger. Not much is known of the distribution or other brand names and flavors. The Old Keg root beer is often praised for its classic, nostalgic taste, featuring a smooth, creamy texture with a good amount of carbonation, making it a beloved choice for those seeking a traditional root beer experience. Our Old Keg Root Beer, made with honey and brewed to have a full, smooth, rich flavor, will surely be one of your favorite root beers."

Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Old Keg is a trademark of Orca Beverage Inc., Mukilteo, WA 98275. 170 calories, 45g sugar. Glass bottle with pry-off top. https://www.orcabeverage.com

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Caramel Colors, Brewed Natural & Artificial Flavors, Honey, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (A Preservative).

My thoughts: Orca beverages has been slowly acquiring various brands of soda under their manufacturing roof. It's hard to say if this is good or bad, as Orca has a pretty good distributor reach that smaller labels would struggle to achieve, making many of these available in places they otherwise wouldn't have. Bottling all at one bottler may remove some of the uniqueness, however, as processes are more corporatized. Whatever small changes may have been made, I hope these root beers are able to retain most of their core identities. Okay, enough of my corporate observations, you're here for the root beer itself.

Old Keg opens up with the smell of vanilla wafting out. It has a good rooty sassafras flavor up front with vanilla undertones. As those two basic flavors fade into the aftertaste, the honey flavor makes itself known, adding a little bit of complex sweetness that I find quite pleasant. I can't say I really detect any other spices hiding underneath the somewhat basic root beer flavor, so they're not swinging for the fences in flavor profile, but it is a solid root beer taste.

Carbonation is moderate, with bubbles that are both moderate in aggressiveness as well as quantity. This mellow level of carbonation is fine, even if I am a fan of slightly higher levels. Sweetness is excellent, combining both cane sugar and honey for an added benefit that shows up in the flavor, as mentioned above. I like what honey does in my root beers. Even though the sugar content is on the slightly high side at 45g, it never feels syrupy or like it's leaving an unpleasantly thick coating in my mouth. The moderate carbonation lends itself to a smooth drinking experience, though I do with it had a little more of a creamy froth to it.

For being such a basic root beer flavor with a simple spice profile, I think it's fairly good. The honey does a lot of the heavy lifting to add some flavor variation to this recipe and I think it pays off, even if it can't quite elevate the whole profile in a way that more spices can. That said, it's quite enjoyable a little better than a basic level, mid-tier root beer.

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

carbonation: C+

Deadworld Creeper root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Dead World Premium Zombie Soda is a premium craft soda beverage line conceived and marketed by Caliber Entertainment LLC, located in Michigan. Based on the Dead World comic book series published by Caliber Comics.

Currently, the Dead World Premium Zombie Soda beverages are available in FIVE flavors. What makes the zombie sodas unique is our partnership with various comic book artists who have provided their own creative spin to the bottle labels with depictions of various zombie images. Primarily based on the characters and events that take place in the Dead World comic book universe."

Deadworld used to be produced by Intrastate Distributors (who also made Frostie and Towne Club root beers) and came in 12 different flavors. Fast forward to today and they are now made by Orca Beverage and only come in 5 flavors. Orca is a pretty large conglomerate that houses many sub-brands under its roof.


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Produced and bottled by Orca Beverages Inc., Mukilteo, WA 98275. 170 calories, 43g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top. http://www.deadworldzombiesoda.com/


Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (A Preservative), Caramel Color & Blue #1.

My thoughts: This is the third Deadworld root beer I've tried, having already reviewed their Twilight Shuffler and Slow Decay vanilla root beers, both of which I liked. It appears both of those root beers have met their doom, however, and this new Creeper root beer has risen from their worm-infested corpses to live again.

This is a very strongly flavored root beer, though the actual sassafras rootiness isn't super prevalent, with a sweet vanilla and butterscotch-like flavor dominating the flavor profile. In a way, it reminds me a bit of a root beer vanilla ice cream bar. The vanilla/butterscotch taste holds over into the aftertaste, where there is little "root beer" to be be found. If you really like butterbeers, butterscotch, and vanilla profiles, then this hits all those notes.

As mentioned above, there's a sweet vanilla butterscotch flavor that gives this a kind of candied sweetness. Perhaps a touch sweeter and sugary feeling that I prefer, but it's not syrupy at all. The carbonation is good, with a fair amount of bubbling and it persists throughout the duration of drinking the whole bottle. I'm a big fan of super aggressive carbonation, which this is not aggressive, but I was still pleased with it. With the vanilla/butterscotch flavor comes the sensation of a creamy smoothness. It doesn't quite froth up as much as my very top tier rankings for smoothness do, but it offers a pleasant drinking experience.

With the old version of Deadworld root beers (produced by Intrastate Distributors) having been put in their graves, and this new one risen in their place, Creeper root beer, like its human zombie counterpart, has lost something in this death and zombification process, rising as a lesser version of its former self. While I still like it, it's a bit less of a "root beer" and more of a "sweet vanilla butterscotch treat" drink, so I have to knock the flavor score down a bit as this is a "root beer" review. But if I'm not confining it to just root beer, then it's a fine soda on it's own and one I would certainly not mind enjoying again.

edit: I went back and looked at my Slow Decay vanilla review from a decade ago and I see almost identical thoughts on the flavor, so I suspect this "Creeper" version is just a rebranding of the "Slow Decay vanilla" flavor they offered before, with very minor changes in formula (such as the 5g sugar increase). You may notice I gave Slow Decay vanilla an "A" at the time while this is getting a "B". While I'm guessing there isn't a big change in taste, I suppose the score drop reflects a change in philosophy that an "A" flavor drink doesn't necessarily make for an "A" level root beer, so consider my scores in that context.

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

O-So Butterscotch root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Orca Beverage was created in the 1980s by owner Mike Bourgeois while he was studying a new and emerging class of beverages called the “New Age Beverage Category” at the Albers School of Business at Seattle University. This new and exciting extension of the larger Carbonated Soft Drink category was made up of products that were alternatives to the mainstream brands that dominated the industry."


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  O-So Delicious is a trademark of Orca Beverage Inc., Mukilteo, WA 98275 425-349-5655. 170 calories, 43g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  http://www.orcabeverage.com


Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Vanilla Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (a preservative).


My thoughts: Having reviewed the O-So Vanilla Butterscotch root beer about two and a half years ago, I can't exactly recall what it tasted like, but I have a sneaking suspicion that this "non-vanilla" butterscotch root beer is the same drink, minus the "vanilla" in the title. I'll skip looking at my review from then (so as to not influence the outcome of this one) and then go and compare this to the old review after composing my thoughts.

Now, as I was then then, I'm a fan of butterscotch root beers. On the butterscotch front, this doesn't disappoint. There is a very strong butterscotch component to this drink, with that flavor perhaps overwhelming the usual sassafras flavor that root beer is known for and leaving me wanting a bit more rootiness. I feel like the vanilla gets a bit outdone as well, but is still noticeable. After the initial flavor, which quickly fades, I'm left with predominately a lingering of the butterscotch taste, and nary a hint of sassafras. After some time, I feel that I can also detect a lingering hint of coolness that is normally a side effect of wintergreen, though I'm not noticing any sort of the flavor.

The drink feels excellently sweetened, tasting nice and sweet (butterscotch does benefit from a slightly candy-like sweetness), but without leaving a syrupy coating of sugar in my mouth. They seem to have struck just the right balance with this. In full disclosure on carbonation, I've had this bottle sitting around for quite a while, so perhaps the carbonation has decreased from when it was fresher (I don't know if carbonation decreasing is a thing as drinks sit unopened), but it's pretty flat. Not much fizz or bite to the carbonation. I can hear the bubbles, but don't really feel them. Smoothness is a mixed bag, as the lack of carbonation makes it fairly smooth, but it also lacks the punch to generate a creamy foam. I think some extra carbonation would go a long way to improving the consumption experience.

So, now I'll go look at my "vanilla butterscotch" review and see how they compare...

Seems like the flavor has stayed more or less the same, with a weaker root beer flavor than I generally like. Interestingly, my carbonation experience last time was vastly different than this go-around. Did I let my bottle sit too long? Did I get a bottle from a  badly carbonated batch this time? Was the last one from an exceptionally carbonated batch? It's hard to tell without going out and finding a third bottle to see which side of the equation it falls on. I'm going to err on the side of caution with my ratings and consider the carbonation and smoothness scores a little less than I normally would. At the end of the day, however, I think this is the same formula as the previously tested "vanilla butterscotch".


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

O-So Vanilla Butterscotch root beer

Background information: (from the website): "Orca Beverage was created in the 1980s by owner Mike Bourgeois while he was studying a new and emerging class of beverages called the “New Age Beverage Category” at the Albers School of Business at Seattle University. This new and exciting extension of the larger Carbonated Soft Drink category was made up of products that were alternatives to the mainstream brands that dominated the industry."


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Orca Beverage Inc., Mukilteo, WA 98275, 425 349 5655.  170 calories, 43g sugar. Glass bottle with twist off top.  http://www.orcabeverage.com


Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Vanilla Extract, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (a preservative).


My thoughts: I gotta say, I do like my butterscotch root beers and O-So is no exception.  It all starts with a moderate rooty taste.  There isn't a whole lot of complexity as far as the root beer flavor is concerned, seeming about average, if a bit thin.  But the aftertaste, oh the aftertaste!  That is a divine flavor!  The butterscotch has just the right amount of kick to it, with a thick, strong flavor.

With such a strong aftertaste, I would have thought it would leave a syrupy coating in my mouth, but was pleasantly surprised that not only was it not too sugary, but that the flavor dissipated just enough, leaving behind just a hint of the buttery goodness.  The carbonation is nice and strong, with a pleasing bite.  Typically, having bite to the carbonation negatively impacts the smoothness, but the rich butterscotch flavor lent a feeling of creaminess to the drink.

I debated an overall score of "B+", but the initial flavor was just a bit too weak to justify the "+".  As far as all the other attributes go, O-So is doing it right.  If they would just kick up their initial root beer flavor a notch or two, then this would certainly be in grade A territory.


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

Bedford's root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Bedford’s sodas have been a Pacific Northwest tradition for over 30 years. Handcrafted and known for outstanding flavor, Bedford’s is now available from coast to coast and considered a fine example of a regional soda made with care and quality ingredients. Enjoy a Bedford’s for flavor and refreshment."


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Bottled by Orca Beverage, Mukilteo, WA. 180 calories, 44g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  http://www.orcabeverage.com/


Ingredients: Carbonated water, caramel color, pure cane sugar, natural and artificial flavors, gum arabic, quillaia, citric acid and sodium benzoate (a preservative).


My thoughts: Some root beers aspire to be more than just root beer flavored.  This is one of them.  There is a certain root beer flavor, but it's easy to tell that there is a lot of other things going on, not all of which are identifiable by my mediocre taste buds.  There seems to be some vanilla, but it there is also a fruity cherry aspect that hides just below the surface.  The aftertaste has the root beer fade a little and the vanilla gets a wintergreen companion, while the fruity note becomes stronger.  I like what it's doing (then again, I'm a big Dr Pepper fan).  Where this drink falls short is in carbonation, as it runs flat.  Sweetness is a little strong as well, feeling a bit sugary and leaving my throat a little more coated than I care for.  Overall, they are doing some nice things with this drink, but are held back by carbonation issues.


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

Americana root beer

Background information: (from the website) "If the name didn't already give it away, Americana, this line of retro soda flavors harkens to the simpler times of soda fountains, sock hops and 5 cent sodas. While we can't bring back the 5 cent soda, we've tried our best to recreate the taste of classic American flavors. A traditional root beer with hints of vanilla, licorice and honey. The creamy licorice undertones balance all the flavors together for a smooth creamy addition to your root beer favorites. Made with pure cane sugar and bottled in a long neck glass bottles."

(from the bottle label) "The era of soda poppery began in the early 1900's.  Early soft drinks or "tonics" were brewed in a variety of flavors.  Our extracts and flavor ingredients are brewed to duplicate the authentic production methods of yesteryear -- we think this method creates the most flavorful soda.  Enjoy well chilled.  Cheers!"


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Bottled by & under the authority of Orca Beverage, Mukilteo, WA 98275.  160 calories, 43g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  www.OrcaBeverage.com


Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, natural & artificial flavors, caramel color, pure organic honey, extracts of licorice and sassafras root bark, citric acid, phosphoric acid.


My thoughts: Very strong, complex root beer flavor right up front.  This root beer follows the advice of Faith No More: "I swallow, I swallow, I swallow.  Be aggressive! B-e- aggressive!  B-e-a-g-g-r-e-s-s-i-v-e-!"  The sharp, aggressive flavor is nicely balanced with a soothing sweetness of cane sugar and honey, giving it a nice natural taste, but not very creamy (an attribute I like in my root beers).  Not only is it well flavored, but the liquid has excellent viscosity; neither too thin and watery nor overly thick and syrupy.  Once the initial kick recedes, a pleasant aftertaste of honey with a very subtle hint of licorice sets in.  I typically don't like licorice flavor, but this is so subtle that I actually like it.  Carbonation is dialed in just right, with the effervescence superbly matched to the strength of the flavor.  Just when everything seems to be so right, it strikes me: it isn't frothy at all.  I partially blame this omission of froth for the aforementioned lack of creaminess, as the froth helps to carry that particular attribute.  While I don't let froth factors determine the final score (as pouring it into a cold mug may significantly alter any given root beer's frothiness), it keeps this root beer from achieving the loftiest of heights possible, only flirting with greatness rather than reaching the pinnacle of perfection.


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