30 Days of Root Beer - Mission: Accomplished

After thirty consecutive days of new root beers, I've learned a lot about the varying flavors, spices, and potential deviations from the usual.  I've taken a little break since hitting #30 about a week and a half ago, so as to not overdose on this delicious (or on certain occasions, not so delicious) nectar.  It's pretty impressive just how many root beers there are out there and I look forward to sampling the other brands I come across in the future.  I will continue to post reviews from time to time, but with the upcoming holiday work crunch, I won't have nearly as much time to locate, drink, and write.  But fear not, more will be upcoming.  Bottoms up!

Berghoff root beer

Background information: (from the website) "The Berghoff story begins with Herman Joseph Berghoff. It's the quintessential American success story of an immigrant who built a hugely successful business that has stayed in one family for more than a century.

Herman left his native Dortmund, Germany, at age 17 and landed penniless in Brooklyn in 1870. Barely 12 years later he founded his namesake brewery in Fort Wayne, IN. The beer was well-received, inspiring Herman to open a café in Chicago to showcase Berghoff's Dortmunder-style beer. It sold for a nickel a glass, a dime for a stein, and sandwiches were offered for free.

The bar remained open even through Prohibition by selling near-beer and Bergo soda pop and became a full-service restaurant that still carries the Berghoff name. When Prohibition was repealed in 1933 the city issued liquor license No. 1 to the Berghoff and has done so each year ever since."


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Prepared and bottled under the authority of The Berghoff Restaurant Co., Chicago, IL 60603.  The Berghoff Brewery Inc., Monroe, WI.  125 calories, 31g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top. http://www.theberghoff.com


Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, natural flavoring, yucca extract, ethyl alcohol, propylene glycol alginate and triethyl citrate, preserved with citric acid and sodium benzoate.


My thoughts: Another root beer with a German-sounding name, though this one actually has authentic German origins.  "Berghoff" must be German for candy* because this root beer tastes more like liquid candy than it does a serious beverage.  The root beer flavor is a joke, strong but not very rooty.  Aftertaste has some wintergreen flavor; again, very candy-like.  The carbonation shares one particular characteristic with Hitler: dead.  There is absolutely no life to this aspect.  Despite the candy-nature artificial flavor of this drink, sweetness isn't awful, as there isn't a particularly sugary coating left in my mouth. If this "old fashioned" root beer is indicative of the "old fashioned" power of the Germans, it's no wonder they got their asses handed to them during WWI and (eventually) WWII.  In fact, after holding out for so long on joining the war effort, President Franklin D. Roosevelt was given one of these root beers while taking a leisurely afternoon respite from the day's hard labors.  But after tasting it, he leaped off his laurels and suddenly declared, "F*ck it gentlemen!  Any country responsible for producing the sort of twisted man who could make such a terrible blight of the sacred beverage of root beer deserves to be be wiped off the map.  To War!  To war!"**  Unfortunately for Hitler and his fellow Third Reich compatriots, Roosevelt didn't realize that Berghoff had abandoned Germany back in 1870 and that the then-current-Nazi-Party was in no way responsible for this particular beverage, but the mistake came to light too late and the U.S of A. had already plunged themselves into the war.  The rest, they say, is history.

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

*Süßigkeiten is actually the correct German word.
**I'll bet they didn't teach you that in history class!

Dad's root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Dad's Root Beer, one of America's most popular soft drinks, was developed in the 1930s by partners Barney Berns and Ely Klapman in the basement of Klapman's Chicago-area home. The first trademark registration was filed on September 24, 1938, granted on February 14, 1939 to The Dad's Root Beer Company of Chicago, and alleged use since February, 1937. Dad's unique and delicious flavor earned a loyal following. The Dad's Root Beer brand was famous throughout the Midwest and by the late 1940s, was one of the most consumed brands of root beer throughout the United States. Jules Klapman, son of co-founder Ely, successfully took the Dad's brand international. The name Dad's Old Fashioned Root Beer was selected in honor of Ely Klapman's father, and other fathers, who used to make root beer at home for their families (popular in the early 20th Century)."

(from the bottle) "Orca Beverage Soda Works.  Manufacturer of nostalgic and gourmet glass bottle sodas.  See our authentic 50's style bottling plant at OrcaBeverage.com"


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Produced under the authority of the Dad's Root Beer Company, LLC, Jasper, IN 47546.  160 calories, 40g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top. http://www.dadsrootbeer.com and www.orcabeverage.com


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


My thoughts: "Oh yeah?!  My Dad's can beat up your Dad's!"  Okay, maybe not.  Either way, this root beer may not be worth beating anybody up for, even though it tastes somewhat good.  The initial flavor is a fairly sweet, moderately rooty taste, with hints of other flavors.  These other flavors develop a little, but remain somewhat vague in the aftertaste, though there's certainly some wintergreen in there and a bit of the soda water flavor makes itself present as well.  I initially thought I may have detected some licorice too, but am not quite so sure now.  Carbonation is slightly sub par and could use a bit more kick to it.  So does Dad's win the father of the year award?  Not quite.  Turns out this Dad's is only about average.

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

Faygo root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Ben and Perry Feigenson, who were bakers in Russia, opened the Feigenson Brothers Bottle Works of November 4, 1907.  Their original flavors, grape, strawberry and fruit punch were based on their own cake frosting recipes."


Product details: 12 fl. oz. Faygo Beverages, Inc., a National Beverage Co., Detroit MI 48207.  170 calories, 43g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top. http://www.faygo.com/


Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, potassium benzoate (as preservative), citric acid, natural and artificial flavor, gum acacia.


My thoughts: My favorite scene in Faygo is when Gaear (Peter Stormare) is finishing up his job wood-chipping Carl (Steve Buscemi) and the foot is sticking out of the machine.  Oh wait, I was thinking of Fargo, the brilliant 1996 film by Joel and Ethan Coen.  Faygo, on the other hand, is decidedly not brilliant.  The root beer flavor is boring and bland, just your typical artificial root beer extract taste with some cooling, wintergreen flavor mixed in.  Aftertaste is just like Fargo's expansive, ice covered landscape; more of the same and cool.  Just as Gaear is caught flat-footed at the wood chipper by police chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand), so too is this drink caught flat, but in a literal sense.  Carbonation is abysmal, with only the minutest hints of CO2.  Sweetness is okay, but not exceptional.  While I heartily recommend Fargo, I say "go far" away from Faygo, as it's not a root beer worth drinking.

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

Frostie root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Frostie Old Fashioned Root Beer was first bottled in 1939 in Catonsville, Maryland near Baltimore.  George Rackensperger, then president of The Frostie Company rented an abandoned jailhouse to launch his Frostie operation.  A garage formerly housing the police wagon was used for bottling equipment and jail cells were employed to store sugar, crowns and other supplies."

(from the bottle) "Orca Beverage Soda Works - manufacturer of nostalgic and gourmet glass bottle sodas.  See our authentic 50's style plant at OrcaBeverage.com"


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Produced under the authority of Leading Edge Brands, Temple, TX 76504.  160 calories, 40g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  www.orcabeverage.com and http://www.frostie.biz/


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


My thoughts: With a name like "Frostie" and a Santa Claus-like bearded man adorning the label, I expect something that reminds me of the holidays; the smell and taste of spices and herbs; the sweet smell of baking treats; a new pack of underwear from Aunt Deanna.  Sadly, the snow (which also graces the label) better reflects this disappointing brew, which left me cold (emotionally as well as physically).  Maybe I was just naughty this year, so Santa delivered me a root beerish lump of coal.  The initial root beer flavor is strong, but artificial; sort of like "root beer barrel" candy.  Not a good thing.  The aftertaste is more of the same, with a sugary, candy-like taste that drops off fairly rapidly but leaves the sugar coating behind.  The carbonation is interesting, as it doesn't seem to bubble so much on my tongue as it does against the roof of my mouth.  A very peculiar sensation that I've yet to encounter in another root beer and my favorite aspect of this root beer (though that isn't too difficult of a feat, as the bar has been set pretty low).  Unfortunately, since the bubbles don't make themselves known on my tongue, I get an impression that the drink is slightly flatter than it should be.  I gotta make sure I get on Santa's good list so that he doesn't leave any of this bummer of a soda in my stocking this year.

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

Sioux City root beer

Background information: (from the website) "Sioux City embossed bottles were developed in 1987 and were one of the first western-themed soft drink brands in the country. This premium line of drinks boasts the leading sarsaparilla drink and other unique flavors that capture the flavor of the Old West using brightly colored ACL graphics and in either amber or flint glass. When you’re ready to belly up to the bar, reach for a thirst-quenching Sioux City."

(from the bottle) "Orca Beverage Soda Works.  Manufacturer of nostalgic gourmet glass bottle sodas.  See our authentic 50's style plant at OrcaBeverage.com"


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Bottled under the authority of White Rock Products Corp., NY 11357.  160 calories, 43g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  www.orcabeverage.com or www.whiterockbeverages.com


Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, sodium benzoate (a preservative), natural and artificial flavor, citric acid.


My thoughts: I'll keep this one short and simple, as this root beer does nothing particularly wrong nor right to merit much discussion.  Flavor kicks off with a strong, though moderately artificial root beer flavor.  It follows that up with...nothing else.  There are no hints of extra spices or flavors.  Carbonation is good.  A bit sweet, leaving a faint syrupy sugar coating in my mouth.  Just your run-of-the-mill root beer, though at slightly higher than run-of-the-mill prices.

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

Brownie caramel cream root beer

Background information: (from the internet) "Brownie Root Beer was one of the many carbonated beverages made by the Atlas Beverage Company. Atlas was started in Detroit, Michigan in 1929 by a Polish immigrant named Tomaszewski. When he retired, he passed the business to his sons, Walter and Butch. They ran the company together until Walter retired and Butch bought his share of the business. Atlas Beverages closed about 1996 and the building was sold around 2003."

(from the bottle) "With a Sprite on the label, it's easy to see how this mischievous and delicious blend of root beer & caramel came about.  Produced with care in small batches, Brownie has been enjoyed since 1929."


Product details: 12 fl. oz.  Bottled by & under the authroity of Orca Beverage Soda Works, Mukilteo, WA 98275.  170 calories, 43g sugar.  Glass bottle with twist off top.  www.orcabeverage.com


Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (a preservative).


My thoughts: Popping off the twist off top, I'm greeted by the aggressive crackling of carbonation.  So it comes as a bit of a surprise when I find out that the carbonation is mostly bark and not as much bite.  Not that it's bad, but it does run a little bit flat.  On the other hand, the flavor makes up for the lack of gas, coming on strong and hearty.  There is a very straightforward root beer taste and the "caramel cream" designation lives up to its claims, having a noticeable vanilla caramel flavor, which holds on into the aftertaste.  This is one of the creamiest root beers I've had so far and is probably partly related to the warning on the bottle: CONTAINS MILK.  The after-aftertaste is hard to describe, but feels once again like it may have to do with the aforementioned milk warning, as it has dairy overtones to it, but with a bit of tang.  Not really a plus, but it's there.  While initial sweetness seems fine, it leaves a slightly over-sugary coating in my mouth afterward, something that other drinks manage to not do.  Overall, I was moderately disappointed by the undelivered promise of carbonation, but the taste is a winner in my book.  If they just get that fizz upped a little bit and figure out how to reduce the sugary coating feeling, then they'll have a more well rounded root beer capable of contending with the highest ranks.


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