Old Town Root Beer Company

With an invitation to become an owner of one of their stores adorning the label, this might be the grassrootiest of all root beers.

John: Not bad. A little minty, sweet, and a dash of cinnamon if you try to notice it. There's a lingering syrupy aftertaste. It hovers somewhere around a ** or **1/2.

FRED: NOT BAD BUT THE MORE YOU HAVE THE LESS YOU LIKE IT. AVERAGE. **

Zuberfizz

From Durango, Colorado comes an independent brew with probably the weirdest name yet. Like the other Colorado brew we sampled (Barrel Brothers), Zuberfizz fancies itself a creamy, draft-style root beer. Let's see what else these Rocky Mountain beers have in common.

John: Yes, it is creamy. In fact, it tastes like some whipped cream was added to the pot. The flavor also suggests a touch of caramel. It is a sweet-tasting brew all around. A little too sweet, though, and not unique enough to ask for seconds. But assuredly a high quality brew. ***

FRED: SWEET GOOD FLAVOR. BIT TOO SWEET TO DRINK TOO MUCH. ***

Snake River Sarsaparilla

From the Jackson Hole Soda Co. comes another old west saloon staple: Snake River Sarsaparilla. Will it be pleasing, or will we flush it down the hole?

John: This is a sweetly herbal mix: with a very strong flavor of licorice and oily fennel plant, and a whiff of sagebrush, it's like drinking the deserty outdoors. In aftertaste, it is the licorice that remains. I probably wouldn't go out of my way to drink it again, but not bad at all. ***

Jo: This is a pretty good holiday treat, spicy and a hint of mint, and fragrant bouquet that tickled my nose. It fell short on the bubble factor, and was a little on the sweet side for me. ***

FRED: GOOD SARSAPARILLA BUT A BIT SWEET AND SYRUPY. STRONG LICORICE TASTE. ***

Pithy Little Soda Works

A small batch, small town, independent brew out of San Luis Obispo, CA, Pithy Little Root Beer is the creation of the Pithy Little Wine Company, who discovered that at their wine tasting events, there was invariably one "pour soul" who didn't drink wine and was stuck drinking water...until they invented their root beer, that is. So let's see how these small time vinters do in the Big Boy world of Root Beer.

John: Strong and bold and definitely one of those hard hitters. Strong anise, strong licorice, and the tart astringence of crushed pine needles. Not my favorite, but not disagreeable enough to low-ball with a 2. ***

Jo: Not shy on flavors! Strong at first taste but really balances out nicely. Different with the mint, licorice, and anise flavors. ***

FRED: PRETTY GOOD ROOT BEER. NOTHING SPECIAL EXCEPT STRONG LICORICE FLAVOR. LINGERING AFTERTASTE. **1/2

IBC

In the root beer world, three letters send waves of awe and admiration through thirsty enthusiasts' bones: I... B... C! Dating from the same year as the preeminent and iconic two-lettered brew A&W, in 1919 the Independent Brewing Company out of St. Louis, Missouri, crafted an American brew that is still the darling of legions of fans. We, however, are objective, critical, and as cold as a frozen mug in our reviews, so we'll give you a straight shot of truth when it comes to IBC's true quality.

John: Great looking bottle. Good initial spice taste that rapidly gets enveloped by sweet sassafras. Good fizz, and almost remarkable, but a little too generic at the end of the day. For a better alternative of a similarly styled brew, try Sioux City Root Beer (reviewed below). ***

Jo: Great effervescence. Great root beer smell, but the flavor just didn't measure up. Not bad but not a 4-star. ***

FRED: AVERAGE ROOT BEER. NOT EXCITING. ALMOST GOOD. ***

Jack Black's Dead Red Root Beer

Arrrrgh, Mateys, we've unearthed us some Pirate Brew. Claiming a vintage from 420 years ago (which is interesting considering root beer was only invented about 130 years ago), this is one of the newer, gimmicky root beers that is trying to sell to the younger crowd by including guarana and caffeine in their brew--two ingredients notably absent from virtually every other root beer on the planet, but ubiquitously found in energy drinks like Red Bull. We're willing to walk the plank and try some.

John: Mildly sweet, with a delicate berry flavor (the guarana extract) almost as prominent as the root beer flavor. Gimmicky, but as gimmicky as it is, it's not too bad. **

Jo: This is not root beer--not even 420 years ago. Flat, mild, fruit flavored beverage with a nasty aftertaste. *

FRED: BESIDES THE LYING LABEL THE TASTE IS UNPLEASANTLY ROOT BEER ISH. *

Triple XXX

From West Lafayette, IN, the home of the Purdue Boilermakers, comes a root beer with a tantalizing and intriguing name: XXX, which claims to "make thirst a joy." Will they get three stars from us to match their moniker?

John: It's hard to describe how bad this root beer is. The worst of the worst. Other one star brews may taste horrible, but at least they're trying; But XXX is the weakest, most watered-down impersonation of a root beer I've ever tasted. It's just root beer infused tap water--that got diluted with more tap water. Even the stuff you get for a quarter in a can from the supermarket is better (and cheaper). Exactly what you'd expect from West Lafayette. I'll give it one star instead of zero, only to make sure I don't confuse a Purdue grad who may be inclined to think I forgot to rate it. This stuff just sucks. Boiler down. *

Jo: Puck furdue. You can put that on my review, I don't even have to taste it. *

FRED: UNPLEASANT FROM THE FIRST TASTE. WEAK AND BORING. LIKE WATERED DOWN ROOT BEER. YOU HAVE TO BE REALLY THIRSTY TO DRINK THIS. *

Dad's

Dad's is an old-time Chicago root beer that dates from 1937. Could this be the brew to redeem the windy city for its slew of disappointing root beers? (e.g. Berghoff's and Filbert's).

John: Dad's is done right. Woodsy and rooty. Easy to drink and a great flavor. Nothing fancy, just good. A root beer anyone can handle. A classic to enjoy! ****

Jo: Finally, a good root beer! Hints of cherry and sweet woodsy flavors, and feels like little spiky needles in my mouth, which I love. ****

DAD: VERY GOOD OLD TIME SIMPLE ROOT BEER. ****

Sprecher's

Brewed with pure Wisconsin honey right from the combs, Sprecher is gas-kettle fired and ready to drink!

John: You can really taste the honey in this one, along with a startlingly prominent accent of oak wood. The aftertaste is sweet and lingers. All in all, a little too much: if they toned it down a little they perhaps could have attained our coveted four star ranking. ***

FRED: DIFFERENT AND GOOD BUT A BIT TOO MUCH HONEY AND WOODSY. ***

Henry Weinhard's

Originally brewed during prohibition, Henry Weinhard's is a gourmet root beer with foam, foam, and more foam to spare! Brewed with sassafras, vanilla, and wild honey, this just might be the tasty treat we've been waiting for!

John: Lots of foam, a smooth texture, and a mild and subtle taste profile (hints of vanilla ice cream and brown sugar) make this a truly delicious beverage. Due to the perfectly balanced carbonation, and with a texture that feels like it was poured right off the tap, this is the first root beer we've had that tastes like root beer, and not root beer flavored soda pop. Thick, luscious, creamy, delicious--but not overpowering. A root beer fit for Zeus. *****

FRED: GREAT OLD FASHIONED ROOT BEER. MILD FROTHY SMOOTH AND SIMPLE. *****

Kemper's

Thomas Kemper root beer dates from only 1990, but already enjoys a reputation as belonging to the upper echelon of root beers. Brewed with honey, this should be "one honey of a root beer."

John: Smooth and mild with gently sweet tones of spiced honey and cinnamon, and just a drip of vanilla extract. Smooth sipping, sweet, and sophisticated. ****

FRED: NICE. SWEET BUT NOT TOO SWEET. GOOD FLAVOR ROOT BEER. NICE MILD AFTERTASTE. *****

Sioux City Sarsaparilla

We already know that Sioux City root beer is a good, solid beverage...is their sarsaparilla even better? Continuing with the old west theme on the bottle, this claims to be "the grandaddy of all root beers." Let's taste and see if quality is handed down in the Sioux City family tree like a cherished Winchester '77.

John: Other sarsaparillas we've sampled have thoroughly overdone it, brewing an excessively rich and syrupy soda in their quest for individuality. Not so here. This is a solid, good tasting brew. Woodsy and mild, but brewed with a streak of sweet sassafras root that runs through the bottle like a gold vein, this is what western gentlemen drink on a Saturday night. Recommended. ****

FRED: EXCELLENT SARSAPARILLA. REFRESHING AND SATISFYING. MILD. *****

Frostie

It's time to get into the Christmas spirit, and what better way than to enjoy a nice frosty glass of Frostie root beer! With snow and Santa adorning the artwork on the front of the bottle, this is sure to be a delicious yule tide treat!

John: This root beer has too little to work with and is trying too hard: initially bland, a heavy wintermint flavor then evolves that makes this taste like a combination of chewing gum and listerine. The aftertaste sticks to your mouth and lasts, yet the drink still manages to taste watered down. This is the root beer equivalent of finding coal in your stocking. **

Jo: The best thing about this root beer was the flavor in the after-drink belch. I didn’t enjoy drinking it though, it was heavy and licorice-like, and coated my mouth with a film. **

FRED: AVERAGE ROOT BEER WITH OVERWHELMING AFTERTASTE. A BIT GUMMY. FLAVOR NOT PLEASANT. **

Barrel Brothers

From the rocky mountains comes a modern root beer that announces what it's shooting for right on the label: "creamy vanilla." So, if you don't like creamy vanilla, stay away. We like all stripes of root beer, so we drank it.

John: This is one of those root beers that makes a good first impression, but whose stock diminishes directly in proporition to the amount you put in your stomach. Nice foamy head? Check. Sweet vanilla flavor? Check. Smooth and creamy? Check. A little gross the more you drink it? Check. So share a bottle and it'll be worth the experiment. I'm feeling generous. ***

FRED: A NEW ROOT BEER. GOOD BUT NOT GREAT. VANILLA AND CREAMY. ***

Olde Brooklyn Root Beer

Something about New York root beers makes me hesistant, waiting to expect the worst. Maybe it's the legacy left by Dr. Brown's, but I had to steel myself for Olde Brooklyn and put my prejudice in the back seat. Who knows, maybe I'll be surprised and it'll be great!

John: Surprise, it's not that good. Good initial first taste, but after a few drinks it tastes like cheap, sweet soda with some artificial grape flavor added. Different, but not in a stimulating or interesting way (like Bundaberg's is, for instance); it just tastes like run of the mill sugar water. **

FRED: PRETTY GOOD ROOT BEER BUT A FLAVOR I CAN'T DESCRIBE. NOT GREAT. **

Filbert's Old Time Quality Draft Root Beer

Dating from 1926, Filbert's is a Chicago brew from the prohibition era, when George Filbert delievered milk, ice, and coal in a horse-drawn wagon to local homes. Evidently George figured that brewing root beer would be profitable during prohibition, and his secret recipe endures to this day! Let's hope that it's an improvement over that other Chicago brew, Berghoff's, which is disgusting (see review below).

John: Something's just not right. A little bitter, a little melted-vanilla-ice-cream flavor, it tastes like some tonic water fell into the barrel. **

FRED: PLAIN SIMPLE ROOT BEER. NOTHING SPECIAL. **

Boylan

A root beer that dates from 1891, this may be the olde-tymiest root beer on the market! The secret weapon on the ingredients label this time around is Yucca extract, a desert plant used to make soap. So I'm ready to wash my hands clean of my old root beer loyalties and try a taste from centuries ago!

John: A strong scent of burnt caramel wafts from the open bottle. On the tongue the caramel flavor is enhanced by an accent of sweet apples. I'm not sure where the Yucca extract fits into this, but overall it is a tasty drink, and very fizzy. A less carbonated, thicker texture might better suit the flavor profile. ***

FRED: AN INTERESTING DRINK AND QUITE GOOD BUT DOESN'T TASTE LIKE ROOT BEER TO ME. **

Jackson Hole Soda Co. "Buckin' Root Beer"

Yeeee Haw! Jackson Hole Soda Co. has delivered a root beer with a kick! Will it kick our love for root beer up a notch, or will we kick it to the curb?

John: A leathery, peppery root beer with a strong bite reminiscent of pepper trees, balanced by an underlying taffy sweetness. Not for the faint of heart. ***

FRED: REMINDS ME OF A BARNYARD. NOT A PLEASANT TASTE. STRONG. PUNGENT. *

River City Root Beer

Few root beers brag as much on their label about the quality of their brew as does River City--and they play the nostalgia card big time: "River City Root Beer brings back memories of a time gone by. When the sky was bluer and the clouds whiter and the breeze off the river kept you cooler." etc. etc. Since this stuff is made in Sacramento, their pitch sounds like pure P.R. The test is in the taste.

John: A sweet, rooty flavor, with an extra infusion of wintermint to add some bite and crispness. It stops way short of being remarkable, but falls squarely into the "good" category. It could exist, or not exist, and the world would go on turning. ***

FRED: GOOD ROOT BEER. ROOTY AND A HINT OF MINT. ***

Bundaberg Australian Root Beer

G'day mates! Today we're sampling a brew from down undah! Can those Aussies compete when it comes to America's national beverage?

John: The most interesting aspect of Bundaberg is the bottle: with instructions to invert before drinking, and a laundry list of herbal root extracts, it promises to be a unique root beer. The taste: sweet, herbal, homeopathically medicinal. Not recommended if you like a traditional root beer. But I didn't really dislike it to the degree my colleagues did. As the song goes: It's not root beer, but it's not bad. ***

Jo: The Witchdoctor called and wants his medicine back. I had a hard time swallowing the first dose. At least it has effervescence, but I'll stick to Robitussin. ** (only because the bottle was neat)

FRED: THE DIRECTIONS SAY TO INVERT THE BOTTLE BEFORE DRINKING. OBVIOUSLY IT IS MEANT TO BE DRUNK IN AUSTRALIA. AN OLD ABORIGINAL HERBAL REMEDY. IF YOU DRINK A FULL GLASS NEAR A TOILET YOU DONT NEED TO HAVE AN ENEMA. NO STAR.

Abita

Boasting "pure Louisiana cane sugar" on its label, Abita may be the last word in southern comfort.

John: A rich luxurious scent like syrup floats from the bottle, and the taste follows: too syrupy, too sweet, spiked with a tiny suggestion of mint and anise. A bit too heavy for this reviewer. **

Jo: With the tease of having 'pure Louisiana cane sugar', this beverage should be called 'Boring Cane Sugar Soda". Too syrupy and a sweet flavor, but not root-beery enough. The title says it all: it's just "a-bit-a" root beer flavor. **

FRED: ALMOST LIKE ROOT BEER. BORING. **

Rat Bastard

Rat Bastard root beer encourages its drinkers to "spread your lips and ingest." That's just what we did. Was it a fulfilling experience? Or did we do the walk of shame back to the refrigerator?

John: A pleasant licorice scent greets the nostrils, but the taste is rather mild and forgettable, with just a hint of licorice. The aftertaste is the worst part of the profile--a little acrid and bitter, like rat droppings on the back of your tongue. **

Jo: Hmmm, smells pretty good... vanilla, licorice, oh boy! But then I spread my lips to ingest a mouthful of flatness, bitter flavor, and a lingering dirty aftertaste. I wish I could have those calories back. **

FRED: NICE MILD ROOT BEER. BIT LICORICY. ***

Hank's Old Fashioned Root Beer

John: Unlike other root beers we've tried, Hanks had a very subtle cherry bark flavor that was mild and pleasing. Hanks is not thick and rich, but pleasantly light with fizzy carbonation. Refreshing and tasty, subtle all the way around. ***

Jo: The first gulp hits your mouth with loads of effervescence, and spiky mouthfeel. I only wished the bubbliness lasted till the last drop, it faded too quickly. The flavor was mild, with hints of almond and bark- a little woodsy and fruity. I'd drink it again for sure. ***

FRED: DARN GOOD OLD FASHIONED ROOT BEER. NO SPECIAL QUALITIES. BIT TOO MUCH CARBONATION. TINY BUBBLES. ****