The Rootbeer Brothers

Rootbeer Road Trip: Stewart's Root Beer Stand

2012-02-15T14:00:00.000-05:00

I'm back on the east coast to start this wacky journey of ours and periodically finagle a root beer review. Because of that, these may prove to be rapid fire reviews. Don't expect too much wit and humor. Maybe you didn't think I had much. . . in which case I shouldn't disappoint too badly.

In hindsight it was an auspicious beginning. Not a bad beginning, but then again nothing to blog about either. At least that is what I kept telling Adam. Seriously any more than one root beer a day is asking for a world of hurt in terms of taste evaluation from me. Since you are reading this, he did not heed my sage advice and the "experience" was enough for a late night recap.

Well let us start with my favorite part, the bottle. It's back to the brown glass that I am partial to, and it even has it's name embossed on it.

That is all for the positive. Really it is.

Actually the rest is not negative, and that is the problem for me. Stewart's is pretty unremarkable. It is not creamy, not sweet, not aromatic, and not bold. I would have preferred if they had been adventurous and failed. At least I would not have felt like I wasted my time. After the 3rd and 4th swig, I was not amused by the lack of flavor.

Stewart's is like the middle child in the family, just kind of there. Not the responsible one, the smart one, the athletic one, and not the popular one. The one everyone asks who that is in the Christmas picture sent out to relatives during the holiday.

And so for taking precious time out of our coast to coast jaunt across America and not adding any value to it, Stewart receives 2 frosty mugs

-ray

Ray may have a point.... this was a stop that happened for nostalgia's sake only. It is not common to find these old Stewart's Roadside Root Beer Stands still in operation. In fact maybe only a couple dozen exist in modern day. But if we go back to the hay-day of root beer, these road side stands along with many other branded brews with their own operation of similar sort, were dotted along most major roads in the country. The fact of the matter is that those roadside stands made sense back then. That was before the time when we would buy a case (suite case) of soda and throw it in our fridge for a staple of hydration. Back in the old days soda was a treat and root beer was sweetest treat of all. Once a week would be considered too often by most parents of those days. In modern day, parents try to limit their kids to no more than 2 cans a day!!!

So it goes without saying that this old Stewart's Roadside Stand is also quickly falling out of relevancy. Sofia, the very nice owner/operator is making a very good go at it, all the same. The menu has expanded from the typical "dogs & burgers" which is most common with these stands. She offers a very wide variety of sandwiches which more align with local flavor. She was almost gitty, like my young daughters, when I explained who we were and what we were doing. Honestly that made the rather long side track well worth it. So after many months of being over due, I want to personally say "Thank you, Sophia, for keeping the Root Beer Dream ALIVE!!!"

So as Ray and I slowly muddle over our notes and failing memories as we begin to finally post our reviews from our September 2011 Rootbeer Road Trip.... I promise that our other stops were as tasty as this stop was nostalgic!!!! No offense intended, Sophia!!! Stewart's has much going for it...... but its more history and nostalgia....... than....... taste..... Stewart's was one of my first reviews back in 2007..... long before my experience was better grounded in much better brew..... so with that in mind it would not be good for me to re-review this old friend Stewart's.... after all, History does go a long way...... at least with me...... back then I gave it a half a frosty mug over the Rootbeer Standard.... because it was in glass....... so it shall remain.... 3.5 frosty Mugs
check out my review from 07' http://www.rootbeerbrothers.com/2007/03/stewarts-fountain-classic-root-beer.html

On to the BIG OOOOOOOOO-HI-OOOOOOOOOOOO .... but not before we stopped for roast pork subs at Tony Luke's!!!!! www.tonylukes.com

-Adam

check out Sophia's "Stewart's Root Beer Stand" which is located at:
537 South White Horse Pike, Hammonton, NJ

Ray & Adam begin the 2011 Rootbeer Roadtrip in Atlantic City, NJ

Ye Olde Brooklyn Brew Review

2012-02-10T15:58:00.001-05:00

Dear enthusiasts,

Whereas I'm starting to worry about being disowned (while my consumption hasn't really waned, my reviewing certainly has), I endeavor to tell you about this passable root beer I recently imbibed.

Following on the heels of Marc's recent review of Old Town Root Beer, I give you Olde Brooklyn. Given root beer's storied past and sentimental goodness, it isn't surprising that a lot of companies go for "old" in their branding (see Olde Heritage and Olde Philadelphia brews, previously reviewed on this site). In fact, the word "old" isn't even enough, we need to add an "e" on the end, as in olde, indicating a root beer so traditional, so established, so illustrious, that the even the spelling hasn't changed in hundreds of years.

In Olde Brooklyn's case, it is made by White Rock, established 1871, and "one of America's oldest beverage companies." While the Olde Brooklyn imprint hasn't been around that long, White Rock is certainly no fly-by-night beverage manufacturer. They also make the Sioux City line of soda pops, including, of course, Sioux City Root Beer. Still, root beer is just one note in their portfolio, which includes seltzers, mixers, drink boxes, a rainbow of soft drink flavors, and even organic sodas. That's not a bad thing, but don't be fooled: this is no small batch, hand-crafted brew.

The Olde Brooklyn line is touted on the White Rock website as having "more flavoring and less carbonation" (more and less than what it doesn't say), and that this somehow captures the "flavor and nostalgia" of the famous Brooklyn neighborhoods. Whatever you say, marketing guys.

All knee-jerk snarking against advertising mumbo jumbo aside, Olde Brooklyn is a decent root beer that I would gladly sample again. It is cane-sweetened and lives up to its low carbonation billing. It is creamy and carmely (carmelish?) with vague hints of anise and/or vanilla (it contains both natural and artificial flavors).

At the end of the day it is nothing spectacular. But it is eminently smooth, so smooth in fact, due to that lack of carbonation, that if I closed my eyes I was just a step away from drinking some kind of root beer milk. Memorable? Not terribly. Delicious? Yes.

I give it 3 frosty mugs.

- Joe

Root Beer Breakfast - Vance Gilbert & Paul Stanley

2012-02-06T23:31:00.001-05:00

Vance Gilbert the folk singer, Paul Stanley the lead in the rock band KISS, and the Rootbeer Brothers all have something in common...... Root Beer Breakfast!!!!! Yes, I have written about this before and for some reason I am compelled to do so once again. Check out my original post http://www.rootbeerbrothers.com/2008/10/root-beer-for-breakfast.html

So I know what your thinking, where does the "Star Child" fit in to all of this....well he have to go back..... way back to a "documentary" that Kiss put out in the early 1990's called Kiss:Exposed. I should state ahead of time that I am in no way promoting or encouraging any one to watch the so called documentary.... it is very derogatory and disrespectful toward women and not worth your time and besides you will actually learn nothing of value about the band. Well..... except for the one fact I intend to share here. In the early part of the film Paul Stanley discusses his morning routine which begins with a bowl of granola and root beer. In the film he literally filled a bowl of granola with a store brand root beer and chowed down, spoonful after spoonful, as he gave a tour of the Kiss Mansion. So between that and what could easily be the RBB anthem, Vance Gilbert's "Root Beer for Breakfast," I believe that we have some momentum going here.... maybe one day McDonald's will serve granola root beer bowls to go :) I guess you can always dream!!!

So I finally decided after 20 years to finally try out the breakfast of Paul Stanley..... Granola and Root Beer... I chose the standard... just for good measure..... and you know what, I LIKED it.... in fact if it had a fan page on facebook.... I would actually "Like" it and be proud that it was posted on my profile for all the world to see!!! I dare all of our fans to take the plunge.... forget the polar bear dunk in an icy cold river...... warm up to the Breakfast of Rock Stars and Rootbeer Brothers..... grab a bowl of Granola and Root Beer!!!! Be sure to download Vance Gilbert's "Root Beer for Breakfast" from amazon and play it in the background to make your morning complete!!!

-Adam

Click here to listen to "Root Beer for Breakfast"

Super Chill Root Beer: not the best way to chill

2012-01-28T15:45:00.000-05:00

I grabbed this store brand at a grocery store in Philly but I have since seen this same brand all across the country. I approached this review with very little expectations, despite the sweet “Tron”-like looking contemporary label. Which I must say was a little fancy pants for a generic root beer. So I “chilled” this 2-liter and gave it the proper ado regardless of my quick stereotypical judgment. My first impression only reinforced my bias with the presentation of very limited foam, not thick in any sense, and it quickly dissolved before my first sip. The carbonation was moderate, typical of store brands, but fell flat in flavor. No creaminess like the standard, very light on root beer extract, but somehow it pulled off a slight bite. I could barely tell that I was drinking root beer until that bite which was a very needed reminder. It was similar in darkness as the standard and it was certainly much cheaper. But overall really not a brew that I would turn to for an economic, mass food service situation, root beer option. Truly, it won’t make you blow chunks, but given the option between spending a few bucks on Super Chill Root Beer and serving free tap water…… I would choose the tap water. 1.5 Frosty Mugs

-Adam

Barq's Root Beer Float Icee... the wave of the Rootbeer Future

2012-01-26T15:07:00.000-05:00

What started as a practical innovation at a Dairy Queen soon became the future of cold soda.... the Icee story is certainly an excellent example of what "out of the bottle" thinking will get you. A guy named Omar owned a Dairy Queen franchise but didn't have the funds to buy a soda fountain machine....so he just kept the soda in his freezer with the ice cream. His customers thought it was pretty neat that his soda was a little icey and the rest is history.

Omar's innovation occurred back in the 1950's but it wasn't until now that his invention of the Icee was truly improved upon.... the most recent flavor addition has been Barq's Root Beer Float!!!! This flavor has been spotted most recently in Target stores at their snack bar. If your Target is behind the times simply ask the snack bar manager to get up to speed..... they are very responsive.... especially when root beer is involved :) Enjoy one of the best things that happened to soda since Omar froze those bottle of pop back in the 50's.... tell em that The Rootbeer Brothers said Thank You!!!!!!

to learn more about Icee go to: www.icee.com
to learn more about Target go to: www.target.com
to leanr more about Barq's Olde Tyme Root Beer go to: www.barqs.com

Old Town Root Beer Review

2012-01-23T19:40:00.000-05:00

Ok. Here it is January 23, 2012 in Ohio and 40 plus degrees. What a better way to celebrate than to pop open a cold brew for a review. I picked Old Town Root Beer. This brew didn’t have the typical twist off cap but from my last review when I tore my skin off I knew better this time. Anyway, this brew has been my fridge for about 6 months and was given to me by Brother Adam.

I always try to research the brew but when I went to the website from the label it was in Chinese but definitely not a root beer website. As I Goggled it, I found that they have a Facebook page. They have 431 like so far. More research I found they must have gotten a new domain. It’s oldtownrootbeercompany.com based in Temecula, CA. The website needs some work but I’m not here to judge their site, just their root beer.

I like micro-brewed root beers better than most mass produced brews. This one didn’t disappoint. At first pop there was a slight pressure release and fizz. At first pour the head was very light in my frosty mug. The aroma was light but nice. Cane sugar and honey is a plus in my book and the label touted both. The flavor of the root beer came through but compared to A&W, our standard, it was much lighter in flavor, not as sweet and did have a nice bite. I did taste the honey and vanilla. The color was a nice dark much like A&W. All in all this was a good brew. I’d like to taste a fresh one just a few days old.

I would definitely keep this in stock in my fridge. Not sure about the price but this brew came from the World Market with a price tag that said $1.49. Cheap in my book! I’m going to have to give this brew a good 3.5 frosty mugs. Good job Old Town! Keep up the good brew!

~Marc

Wawa vs. Royal Farms: Convenience Store Root Beer Love Affair

2012-01-10T14:50:00.000-05:00

During my 12-month internship near Philly I actually lived on Maryland's Chesapeake Bay in a very small harbor town. When I first arrived there was not much more than a post office, laundry-mat, a mom & pop pizza joint, and a very run down gas station. Soon after my arrival however, a sign was posted in a newly cleared lot in the center of this very small town that a Royal Farms Convenience Store was coming soon!!!! I am certain I yelled for joy!!! It was a lonely place......

It took many months for the Royal Farms to be built but as each stage was completed my excitement grew. In the meantime I had become familiar with the many offerings that could be had in the Mid-Atlantic states as I traveled each day through Maryland, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. It wasn't long before I stopped in to a Wawa Convenience Store. That was the first time I actually fell in love with a gas station. I could not believe how amazing this "gas station" was!!! They had things one would never dream of finding in a place they sold diesel. Fresh fruit and vegetables prepared in to-go boxes, a self serve milk shake machine, a huge soda-fountain machine, a fresh to order deli that served some of the best hoagies in Philly, a huge assortment of fresh coffee, fresh doughnuts, and a bottled soda selection that wouldn't quit!!!!! The staff in every Wawa was always amazingly courteous..... as if they were actually happy to help you..... let me remind you this was a GAS STATION!!!!!! So that is when I first started "cheating" on Royal Farms..... and they hadn't even opened their doors yet!

Eventually our small town Royal Farms opened and you can bet I was one of the first in that store eating their "World Famous Fresh Chicken"!!! They had many things that were equally positive as compared to Wawa. In fact their bathrooms were very impressive, much more clean and they are using the newest eco-friendly technology. Their chicken was in fact the best I had ever had from a gas station and it was fresh.... really fresh..... they had a very high-tech car wash and provided a nice little eating area where you could actually bet on horse races..... they were virtual horse races, but horse races none the less. But what they were not was a Wawa!!!!

So I broke things off with Royal Farms and made a full commitment to Wawa..... it was a short lived romance but Wawa made my internship so much more peaceful..... and tasty!!!

As I departed from Philly I stopped in Royal Farms and Wawa to say my final good byes.... I grabbed a bottle of their store brand root beer and headed west...... the purpose of me sharing the story of my convenience store love affair is to acknowledge the influence my experience may have had on the following review....... :)

We have often reviewed "store brand" root beer from a variety of grocery stores around the country. However, this was the first time that I actually found a "convenience store brand" and I found two, one in Wawa and one in Royal Farms. I thought it would only be appropriate if they were compared together. Since in many ways I had already compared the store themselves!!!

So Wawa Won my heart over again!!! Just to get that out of the way from the beginning!! The Royal Frams store brand called "RoFo Pop" came in a very unappealing 2 liter bottle as most store brands do.... it presented with very light and short lived foam, and sweet aroma that barely provided a hint of root beer extract. The carbonation was light, very light, and color was of a light caramel tinge. The flavor was watered down root beer..... I paid a buck and that was too much.... even for a 2 liter. The plus was that I am pretty sure this was an American brewed root beer, probably in or near Baltimore, near the headquarters of Royal Farms. It was root beer, there was certainly no doubting that, it was certainly a store brand, there was no doubting that either. I would say that it wasn't even a good store brand..... most store brands get 2 frosty mugs but this did not hit that mark..... once again Royal Farms was out played by Wawa.... RoFo Pop Root Beer earned 1.5 Frosty Mugs because it did have some root beer flavor in there and it did not make me sick.....

Wawa carries their own root beer that bears their actual name and comes in a 20 oz bottle that although has that "generic" "store brand" look they at least added some nice art work which included a couple full frosty mugs of their brew with foam flowing freely over the edge. For the same price as RoFo I got much less brew but the aroma I was initially presented with convinced me quickly that this was money well spent. The smell of root beer extract filled the air and although the color was not any darker than its peer I knew there was something better inside. The carbonation was slightly heavier which was evident from the full head of foam that lasted a moderate amount of time in my frosty mug. The flavor was exactly what one would hope for from a store brand, sweet and solid root beer flavor, no real frills, but a solid brew for the price. My one concern as I approached this root beer was three words printed on the label... "Product of Canada".... to my knowledge I have never enjoyed or heard of a Canada brew.... at least not root beer brew..... but they have laid at rest any fears I ever had. If our North American neighbors in Canada can make this level of quality in a store brand I am very hopeful for their more premium efforts!!! As I mentioned Wawa won my heart over once again..... I will miss Wawa..... their slogan is "Gotta Have My Wawa" and I AGREE!!!!!! The couple of frosty mugs on the bottle were very appropriate as Wawa Root Beer earned 2 Frosty Mugs....... xxxoooxxxooo I will never forget you Wawa!!!!

-Adam

check out Wawa www.wawa.com

check out Royal Farms www.royalfarms.com

Victory in 2012!

2012-01-05T19:10:00.000-05:00

Official Logo

Had a long day at work, got home and the wife had toilet seat in her hand and said, here change this!! AAHHHGGGHH! Dinner first, TV next and then the toilet task. Job well done. A reward for myself. Some frosty root beer.

This is my first review of 2012 so I chose the Victory brand to review to symbolize the victory of surviving another year and getting another year older. I forget how old I am now. I think 29??

Anyway, off to the review! First of all I tried to twist this cap off for a few seconds then realized one of two things. Either it isn’t a twist-off or I’m really a wimp! Nonetheless, I used a bottle opener to get at the frosty goodness. I later found out that they sell $5 bottle openers at their website. Hmmm. Good marketing strategy???? At first pop there was a nice carbonation “pop” as expected, the color was good and dark. The bottle is dark brown and matches the brew color. The first pour into my Steeler frozen, frosty mug produced a nice foamy head. About an inch or so high and holding longer than expected. The aroma was that of typical root beer with no surprises. The taste was very similar to that of my A&W but with a harder bite and not as sweet. The flavor overall was very good. There are several root beer brewers in Pennsylvania and I think that Victory can definitely be worthy of brewing the frosty goodness in their non-alcoholic version. Regretfully, the only thing I can find on their website about root beer was a T-Shirt for $14. I had to dig for that. Looks like most brewers of this kind tend to promote the “fermented” kind. Since I don’t drink that kind I can say that I’m pleased with their root beer. I give it 4 frosty mugs. ½ point reduced due to the “flesh eating” top mentioned earlier. Victory to the Victory Brewing company.

~ Marc

2012 - A Rootbeer Look Ahead

2011-12-31T11:58:00.000-05:00

As we ring out 2011 all of us Brothers wish to extend our Full Frosty Mug of thanks to our many fans who have made this our best year yet!! The response we have received this year from all of you has made what we do here as much fun as it tasted like :) As we look forward to 2012 we are very excited about the many root beer reviews that are ahead of us. We look forward to bringing you more facebook contests and we are especially excited about the brewery tours we plan to
attend. We have very high aspirations of moving forward with our YouTube channel and bringing some added antics to all the fun here.

On top of all of this the World of root beer is also going to bring some very exciting happenings. To begin with the comedy short "I Am Root Beer" is set to hit the screen. This film is something us Brothers and most of our fans will easily relate to..... a guy wants to be nothing more than a bottle of root beer..... This film is sponsored by our friends at Wild Bill's Olde Fashioned Soda Co. and is certain to be a HUGE HIT!!!!! check out the official movie site www.iamrootbeer.com

Another full flavored surprise coming in 2012 is the All New flavor of gum by the people at Extra Desert Delights who after hosting a popularity vote to decide their next flavor has identified that Root Beer Float WON by a landslide!!!!! With 662,811 facebook fan votes this new flavor will hit your mugs this Summer!!!! We wish to thank all who voted :)

The greatest Celebration in 2012 (after the Ball Drop of course) is sure to be the 75th Anniversary of the beloved Dad's Root Beer. To kick off the party right the folks at Dad's will be issuing this classic draft style brew in very vintage cans.... look for these in a soda aisle near you as these should be hitting the shelves very soon!!!!

2011 has been a tough year, no doubt, but for so many reasons we at RBB are looking forward to 2012 with a very hopeful heart and a full mug of root beer!!!!!!

Happy New Year!!!!!!!! Bring on some more Root Beer, 2012 Has Arrived!!!!!!

Root Beer's Gift to all People - Henry Weinhard's

2011-12-18T14:55:00.001-05:00

Long ago when Jeff and I were simply mailing root beer back and forth to each other I came across Henry Weinhard's during a visit to Idaho. It was winter, bitterly cold, and I was in the very rural town of Rexburg. This tiny dot on the Idaho map offers very little for those who stumble into the city limits. Back in 1998 when I was there the relatively little known Rick's College was all there was to offer. Since those days Rick's has become a thriving university and gained a much more prestigious name.... BYU-Idaho!!!!

When I first spotted this fine crafted brew in the long-neck amber bottles I was surprised to see that is was a Texas root beer. The "Blitz-Weinhard Gourmet Soda Company" is based in Fort Worth. Which should not be confused with the makers of the "other beer" by the same name which is based in Oregon. At some point during prohibition Weinhard made root beer, like many other brewers of that day. As time continued to unfold the "other beer" makers within the company lost interest in the soda side and the two were split.

So fast forward to 1998 in that tiny Idaho town when I found this brew while checking out the local grocery store. Yes, even as far back as then I would scour every city I visited looking for new brands of brew. My first impression of Weinhard's was formed when I hastily popped the top and to my utter amazement the foam nearly flooded my small Mazda pick-up truck cab. Although this may be a slight stretch, I assure you, the foam was a-plenty, more than I had ever seen , even to this day!!!! Since that day I have always been very mindful to respect this bottle of brew and open with care :) After I was able to clean my self and my truck up I was so pleased by the flavor that I almost forgot about the preceding incident. The flavor was so full bodied, so pleasing, perfectly sweet, and carried a richness of traditional root beer ambiance, I knew then as I know now, this was and remains my favorite root beer!!! There will always be certain aspects of other brew that I will specifically like more than what is delivered in this tall amber bottle but overall, this is the brew for me. During my current review I took the time to notice that the carbonation is heavy, so too the sweetness, but there is something in that flavor that cannot be matched by any other. The label reveals that vanilla, honey, and acacia sassafras extracts/essence are used. I believe that the acacia sassafras plays a huge role but the additional flavorings are almost as essential to claiming my top spot. Although I would not classify this as a stout root beer, I would absolutely classify it as a very traditional flavored full bodied root beer. This brew should be enjoyed straight from the bottle and not combined with dinner or lunch. This would be a great brew to enjoy while fishing, or sitting by a camp fire, and especially while around the Christmas Tree. Shoot its root beer, buy enough for everyone, even the kids, make a holiday tradition that all will enjoy!!!

I enthusiastically extend Henry Weinhard's Root Beer 5 Frosty Mugs - my very first review ever to receive this rating and only the second in RBB history!!!!

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, and Have a very Prosperous New Year!!!!!
Time to Pop-A-Top of some Henry's!!!!!!

-Adam

Move Over Egg Nog - Time for Julmust the Christmas Root Beer

2011-12-10T00:55:00.001-05:00

In Sweden the holidays are spent in similar activities as here in America. Lots of decorations, holiday music, lighted pine trees, gifts, family gatherings, and of course focusing on the reason for the season... the birth of Jesus Christ. Unlike America however, the Swedes pass on the egg nog. Instead they pop-a-top of their very own version of root beer which they call Julmust. Although they may not enjoy root beer throughout the year they make up for it by setting it apart as the official beverage of the Holiday Season.

The name Jul-Must is a combination of Swedish words meaning "Christmas-Juice" however NO JUICE here!! Not to worry because there are many other awesome ingredients like hops and malt.... sorta sounds like the "other" beer doesn't it? No Alcohol though so no concerns about unintentional wild holiday parties.

Julmust is not an easy brew to find in Sweden until the holidays roll around. Think about it, have you ever seen egg nog on Independence Day? But this stuff outsells Coke during the Christmas season. In America Julmust is simply not easy to find at any time of the year, holidays included. But have no fear there is one place you might actually find it, at least during this holiday season!!! Look no further than your nearest Ikea.... think about it.... yup of course Ikea the Swedish furniture store would celebrate the holidays Swede style!!!

Merry Christmas and have a Julmust Holidays :)

Saranac Root Beer - A Gift From the Adirondacks

2011-12-05T12:47:00.001-05:00

In New York there is a state park that is the Grand Daddy of all state parks. The park boasts 46 mountains with many that peak beyond 4,000 feet elevations, 2,800 lakes and ponds, 30,000 miles of streams, and offers some of the best hiking, camping, and paddling found in the country. This park is known as Adirondack State Park!!!! From this pristine outdoorsman paradise flows the water that is used at Matt Brewing Company located in Utica, NY. Since 1888 the Matt family has been brewing their fine crafted beverages using this wonderful gift from the Adirondacks. They named it Saranac after a word within the language of the local Native American Iroquois Tribe which means "cluster of stars".

Mike and I first came across Saranac in the Summer of 2010 when we were visiting Palmyra, NY for the annual Hill Cumorah Pageant. Mike fell in love at first swig ..... or maybe lust.... and ultimately decided to take Saranac to the prom (see Mike's post - click here Saranac - Updated) I have contemplated my relationship with this Adirondack offspring for sometime now. After much consideration I have decided to not take this brew to the prom.... but it would certainly make a nice blind date :)

To begin with you will notice the image of the tall frosty mug of Saranac Root Beer on the neck label which includes overflowing foam.... this is 100% accurate!!!! The reality is they could have taken their time capturing that photo. This head is very long lasting and thick. The brew was dark, much darker than the Standard but carried a very similar sweet aroma. This brew delivered a very subtle bite, not one that will burn your tongue but one that might nibble your lip, just to let you know its there. The brew is sweet, creamy, and smooth delivering a subtle root beer flavor that would perfectly compliment most meals. The downside from my perspective is that I am Dark Chocolate kinda guy. I like milk chocolate, it is certainly creamy and smooth, but when compared to Dark Chocolate it pails in comparison. This brew has all the makings of a Dark, or Stout, root beer... well all but the full bodied flavor.

Like I said Saranac may not be my prom date but this brew is fun, easy going, and very sweet, exactly what a blind date should be.... certainly better than the standard, worth catching some dinner with but not the girl that would meet your parents :) I offer 3.5 Frosty Mugs for this fun date!!!

-Adam

Check out Saranac Root Beer and Matt Brewing Company at http://www.saranac.com/page/root-beer

Learn more about Adirondack State Park http://visitadirondacks.com/

Margo's Bark Root Beer (Root Beer of the Dogs)

2011-11-29T19:57:00.001-05:00

Here’s a rootbeer that that has “gone to the dogs”. Not exactly, it was inspired by a dog called Margo from a shelter. The brew master made rootbeer for a science project. That’s where it all started.

The owner named Oscar Youd has a tag line on the bottle that says “Drink a bite”. Cute but there was a lot of bark with no bite. I mean that in a good way. This brew is one of my favorites to date! Brother Adam sent me about 6-8 of these to try. My wife had one and she was hooked! She drank all but two. I had to swipe one for my review and she threatened to drink the spare. I beat her to it.

The story is a good one and the proceeds go to help shelter dogs. A good cause and in my opinion a great rootbeer. From their website, here’s what’s in it:

Margo's Bark Root Beer is an all natural cane sugar soda microbrewed using natural spring water. We do not use any preservatives, nor do we use high fructose corn syrup. And we are caffiene free. Our ingredients are as follows: Carbonated Natural Spring Water, Evaporated Cane Juice, Caramel Color, Citric Acid, Molasses, Vanilla, Clove, Cassia, Nutmeg, Wintergreen, and Yucca Extract.

Comparing it to A&W it’s not as sweet and the flavor of vanilla spikes to me. The flavors were a wonder in my mouth. A very good blend comparatively. The color was a nice dark one.

Finding this brew may be difficult as they only list about 20 locations or chains out west. I went to the website to see what it costs to buy online. They utilize PayPal and a 12 pack is listed at $21. Not bad, right? There was a surprise, when I hit the estimate shipping costs to my zip code it showed an additional $31. $52 for a 12 pack. WOW! That is steep! It’s very good but not $52 for 12 good, if you know what I mean. Would I buy this from a store or at a restaurant? Most definitely.

The lowdown. The brew was very good, nice glass bottle with attractive labeling and a nice matching twist-off cap. The story is an added bonus and since they help sheltered dogs with the sale of this product, they get bonus points. All-in-all I give it 4.5 frosty mugs. I deducted ½ mug because I only had 12 ounces to drink. Good job Margo’s Bark. Don’t change anything!

~Marc

Root Beer Basted Turkey - Make Everyone Thankful!!!

2011-11-24T00:35:00.004-05:00

Rootbeer Brother's Official Recipe

Root Beer Basted Turkey

Ingredients

1 (10-14 pound) whole turkey - thawed, giblet/neck packet removed
1/2 cup softened butter
4-6 cups of desired brand of root beer (we suggest the RBB Standard A&W)
12 oz of stuffing (prepared as directed by stuffing packaging)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Wash the turkey and pat dry with paper towels.
Smear the whole turkey with butter, stuff with stuffing, and place the turkey into a roasting pan.
Pour 2 cups of root beer over the turkey.
Roast the turkey for 20 minutes for every pound of the weight of the turkey.
Baste the turkey every 30 minutes first with 1/4 cup of root beer and then with the turkey drippings. If the breast skin browns too quickly (which will typically happen), cover it with aluminum foil.
Check for doneness by inserting an instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh near the bone. When it registers 180 degrees F remove the turkey from the oven.
Allow to sit in a warm area for 15 minutes before cutting.
Serve with cold root beer and traditional trimmings.

Happy Thanksgiving from The Rootbeer Brothers

Vampires Love Root Beer almost as much as Blood!!!! Breaking Dawn Releases in Theaters

2011-11-17T17:16:00.005-05:00

Tonight as some of us Brothers (okay maybe only me) prepare to enjoy the Midnight Release of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn pt.1" my mind reflects back on that photo I obtained of Edward Cullen and his bottle of root beer. Not just any root beer mind you, that is a bottle of Stewart's. As the time has flown since my sweetheart and I enjoyed our 10th Wedding Anniversary on the very night of the Midnight Release of "New Moon" and I originally posted our rare photo of the vamp ( original post click here to see it "Edward Cullen Loves Root Beer!" ) I have gained new information about the vampire's love of root beer.

The fact of the matter is blood is thick and not as great tasting as they portray in the movie. In fact all those references of going to the woods to suck blood from deer is mostly a falsehood. No those "vegetarian" and even non-vegetarian vampires all sneak off to vintage Stewart's Root Beer Stands and feel right at home. They may grab a deer or bear along the way.... or a human sure,.... but they wash all that blood down with Stewart's. Now here is the real twist to this crazy aspect of Vampirism. Why Stewart's..... not sure but that is the brand and only brand for Vamps.... I am thinking that secret recipe that Frank Stewart developed back in the 1920's was meant to appeal to a much broader audience than just us humans. So the twist is why Kristen Stewart, as an heir to the Frank Stewart legacy, she has been raised on that yummy root beer her whole life. These vamps are not acting when they lick their chops around Bella (played by Kristen Stewart) nope she smells like Stewart's Root Beer, that stuff is just saturated in her veins!!!! That would be like having a root beer float.... if you know what I mean... two very yummy ingredients all mixed into one!!!!! Yup there is a reason why all vampires are truly attracted to Bella :)

Enjoy the show my root beer loving Twihards!!!! Bring a Stewart's...... that will make any vampires attending very happy!!!!!!

-Adam

Operation Freedom Foam: Thirsty Marines Need Root Beer

2011-11-03T23:29:00.004-04:00

This story is a great reflection of why I love America!!!!! This story was obtained from FoxNews.com at http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/10/08/indiana-soldiers-rootbeer-craving-turns-into-operation-freedom-foam/

Indiana Soldier's Rootbeer Craving Turns Into:

'Operation Freedom Foam'

Lafayette, IN – Dog N Suds drive-in in Lafayette, Ind., is popular for a lot of reasons. Some would say it’s because of their burgers, coney dogs or fries, but the most popular answer would be it's their rootbeer that keeps people coming back, Fox59 reports.

Normally in the fall, the demand for the soda goes up because of a discount the restaurant offers on 2-liter jugs before closing up for the winter. But this year, the demand is a little different and even more.

Jordan Fletcher, a Marine from Lafayette posted an unexpected request on the Dog N Suds facebook page saying: “Anyway I can pay for a few of those and get them sent out to me in Afghanistan? There are still people who haven’t tried this rootbeer and its Blasphemy!”

Within minutes, Fletcher’s comment was flooded with responses.The first person to donate was Mike Sticks Hicks with a donation of $15, sparking the catalyst for others to follow.

"From there it escalated into something we never expected," owner Dan Washington said.

In what became known as "Operation Freedom Foam," the restaurant started taking donations through a secure online site that could manage donations coming in from anywhere.

Shortly after, the root beer money began to grow with Jordan Fletcher himself giving one of the first online donations for $500.

“What that told us was that they needed more root beer than what we were thinking about," Washington said.

Having been used to only selling bottles from the drive-in, he made a call to his distributor to tell him about the special order.

"I explained to him what we were doing and he said, 'I'll tell you what, if you can find a way to get the root beer from Chicago to Lafayette, I will donate the root beer,'" Washington said.

That donation comes to a total of 54 cases of 20 ounce bottles.

"That's 1,296 bottles of root beer. He can share that with a lot of his buddies," Washington said.

Dog N Suds set a fundraising goal of $2,036 to pay Fletcher back for his $500 donation and to account for shipping.

A few days ago that's what happened.

They exceeded their goal and collected $2,474.

"We ban him from making any further donations," Washington said.

But they didn’t ban anyone else from donating.

"We will continue to ship root beer as long as there is money available to cover the cost," Washington said.

"And right now we're over our goal so we'll ship more root beer."

We extend our deepest thanks to the owner and staff of this amazing Dog-n-Suds root beer stand. Thank you for supporting our Troops and especially our brave Marines working hard to protect our freedoms.....Ooh-Rah!!!!!

to learn more about the Lafayette Dog-n-Suds Root Beer Stand and Operation Freedom Foam go to www.ourdognsuds.com

watch the video of the news broadcast:

A&W: The Official Root Beer of Halloween

2011-10-31T01:58:00.012-04:00

Although the celebration and superstitions that surround Halloween began long before 1919 when A&W first hit the root beer market in Lodi, California we know one thing for sure, A&W was the first beverage to fully embrace it. Coca-Cola claimed Christmas very early on and so why not grab what was left? A&W tagged along with the root beer guzzling dog named Snoopy and his Peanuts Pals and claimed Halloween. After all many family Halloween traditions often include home made root beer. So over the years they have celebrated this ancient holiday in a variety of ways. Most recently they have introduced each Halloween Season with a new monster can.

Each year it is a suspenseful surprise when the annual can is released. Over the years they have used images from the Munsters (a classic television show), images of spooky scenes, and most recently costumed like monsters. So with all this said we highly recommend that you grab some cans of the festive standard and make this creepy night complete.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN, time to POP-A-TOP!!!!

Old Dominion - Living the Root Beer Dream (factory tour and onsite review)

2011-10-29T13:07:00.009-04:00

During my brewery tour extravaganza in the greater Philadelphia area I was very much looking forward to my very last stop of the tour. The Old Dominion Brewery is located south of Philly in Dover, Delaware.

I was already a fan of Dominion Root Beer from way back in the late 1990's when a friend of mine brought me a case from his home state of Virginia. Back in those days Dominion was actually brewed in Virginia and used local honey as a way to secure a very distinguished taste. I was very interested to see if this relocated brew had maintained that very distinguished flavor.

I quickly learned that in fact that Virginia Honey was easily maintained because they simply ship that same local honey all the way to Delaware in 5 gallon buckets. I also learned that the move occurred in 2009 soon after Jerry Bailey passed his brewing torch to the current owners. Jerry began way back 1989 when he first started experimenting with home brew kits (of the other beer) and quickly began dreaming about having his own brew pub. That dream became reality and Jerry not only had his own brew pub but he established a renowned brewery.

One tradition that the new owners of Old Dominion maintained was that constant search for a better brew. Their root beer (along with many of their other beers) have gone through a host of changes and improvements over the years. The current recipe of their root beer is believed to be their best yet. Two ingredients have remained the same however, that Virginia honey and pure cane sugar. They still refuse to use HFCS.

During my tour of the brewery I personally witnessed how all their root beer magic happens. It begins in this very large mixing vat where the honey and sugar are mixed with water. From here the mix is sent to even larger vats where the brew master carefully regulates the chemical soundness of the formula.

It was certainly an awesome experience to watch the brew master at work. I wished Mike could have been with me, he would have had really good questions to ask. Me, well I just stood and stared with amazement in my eyes....

Once the mix has reached its optimal goodness it is passed down the line where the root beer extract and carbonation is added. From there it is forced into long neck amber bottles and into Cornelius kegs. While watching this amazing fast process I was told that at this brewery, despite them having so many "other beer" varieties, root beer reigns king. They bottle/keg more root beer than any of their other selections!

Having thoroughly enjoyed my tour it was then time to truly investigate the issue at hand. I grabbed a cold standard from my car and they provided me a six-pack straight off the line and the root beer review began.

My first impression was the divine sweetness Dominion carried. The honey was subtle, and the cane sugar strong, together providing a perfected delectable introduction to this dreamy root beer. I was surprised by the subtle bite that grabbed me and softly landed me into a bed of tantalizing root beer extract. The flavor was distinct, indeed distinct, and slightly different than what I had remembered. Not bad or good different, just different. The color was similar to the standard and provided a moderate head. If a solid sweet brew is what your after, take a trip to the Mid-Atlantic states and ask for Dominion by name!!! I offer 4 Frosty Mugs to this root beer dream....

I also extend my deepest thanks to all of the staff at Old Dominion who were extremely welcoming of this displaced Rootbeer Brother..... they made me feel like I was right at home :)

p.s. I am also grateful for the opportunity they gave me in being able to take part in their tasting panel for their current effort to improve their ginger ale. That was so cool!!!!! I am not a huge fan of ginger ale.... but hey it was still awesome to be a part of that.... BIG THANK YOU for that!!!!

-Adam

check out Old Dominion Brewery at http://www.olddominion.com/

Oogave Review (Ooooo No More Please!)

2011-10-26T20:02:00.000-04:00

My wife was complaining tonight that there’s too much rootbeer in the fridge and that I needed to get a review done or else! Did you all notice? I have a new mug. It was also an anniversary present from my wife. It is football season and yes I’m a Steelers fan that lives in Ohio. Most Ohioans are Steelers fans anyway, right?. Anyway, I have so much root beer to choose from and I saw this interesting looking bottle called oogave. I remember that our younger brother Joe just recently did a review on it. He gave it a pretty harsh review so I had to see what I thought about it.

I’d have to say he nailed it!

In my opinion, there was just a hint of root beer extract with what I call a Nutra-Sweet like sweetener that left an aftertaste. Compared to the A&W sitting beside it, there is no comparison on the flavor or sweetness. Kudos to the brewer for making it “good or you”. 98 Calories, no sodium, no cholesterol, no fat and no protein. All that means to me is “No taste”. Now if you’re into a healthier drink and want a root beer that tastes like “less than root beer”, OOGAVE is the drink for you. The color was good but on the light side of the usual brown. The bottle was a plus and simple design was nice. All in all the drink went down with no problem but I don’t think you’ll find this brew in fridge if you visit.

I give it a 1.5 Frosty Mugs. Points added for the bottle and the fact that it was beside a Steelers mug that allowed me to drink the brew even when I didn’t really want to. Sorry “oogave”, keep the product in a health food store.

~Marc

A-Treat Root Beer - Not Racist just Pennsylvania Dutch

2011-10-12T03:04:00.008-04:00

I love root beer.... that goes without saying.... but I love root beer with a history even more! One day during my internship I came across a root beer in the break room fridge that I had never seen. The bottle was plain, generic looking, and was simply labeled "A-Treat". Surely this is a store brand I thought, but then my Brother Mike researched the brew and found something much more than an ordinary store brand. A-Treat had a very interesting past and was in fact NOT a store brand.

Back in 1918 in the striving city of Allentown, PA a father and his two sons began a beverage manufacturing company behind their house. The name "A-Treat" is short for Allentown Treat which would certainly be alot to place on a label. The Egizio family eventually grew out of the back yard and relocated in 1932 not far from their home on the eastside of Allentown. To this day A-Treat is still produced in that same location that they established back in 1932.

A-Treat was a huge hit in Pennsylvania Dutch Country and in the 1990's they decided to cross state lines and expand their market into New York. This proved to be a disaster. The previously established beverage companies in New York ignited a massive controversy when they accused A-Treat as being owned by the Arian racist group known as the Klu Klux Klan (KKK). They even went so far as to claim that A-Treat had additives that would sterilize African-American males. The FDA debunked these wild claims but the damage had been done, A-Treat was a tainted name and they retreated back to Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

It took me awhile to actually find a location to purchase A-Treat. I was surprised to find that it was priced similar to the store brands but the taste, I was happy to learn, easily exceeded the store brands. I first found it in cans in a small grocery chain. Later I of course found the newly labeled bottles at Capt Wiso's Crab Shack.

The head was very light and short lived. The color is slightly darker than the standard and carries a distinct aroma. This brew delivered a nicely sweetened bite, possessing a Barq's like flavor with minimal if any creaminess. A-Treat maintained a solid root beer flavor and is easily distinguishable from the standard. You really know it when you drink it, it carries this good bite with a welcoming root beer flavor to back it up. On the can there is a hex sign similar to the Amish Dutch signs I have seen in Lancaster but the over flowing frosty foamy mug of root beer is a stretch. Somewhat deceiving since the foam was so light and short lived. I do agree with my Brother Mark this Allentown Treat really is a nice TREAT. I would leave it in the can rather than poor it in the mug (or boot mug if your Mike) but all the same a good Pennsylvania brew …… and for the record, the root beer really doesn't seem racist to me either...... I offer this treat 3 Frosty Mugs.

-Adam

check out the A-Treat Bottling Company, they do online mail order www.a-treat.com

Root Beer Floats are Twice as Good at the Twins Days Festival

2011-10-05T23:49:00.010-04:00

For the last three Summers I have found myself taking the very long drive to north-eastern Ohio where every year the largest gathering of Twins occurs. This small town of 17,000 people, appropriately named "Twinsburg", is literally invaded and ultimately overrun by around 2000 sets of Twins each year. I had never heard of this annual gathering until the birth of my twins back in 2008. My wonderful wife , who had wanted twins ever since we were married, enlightened me to the Twins Festival the Summer after our Twins birth. From our first visit I realized that our trek to Twinsburg would be an annual tradition.

This year our annual trek just happened to land on another very special occasion..... at least special for a Rootbeer Brother. It was August 6th also known as National Root Beer Float Day!!!! So as we made our way through the festivities I was very ecstatic to discover a food vendor soliciting Root Beer Floats. I had to grab 3, one for me and one for my Twins...

As I began to order I quickly recognized a root beer brand that I had not seen since childhood.... it was Ramblin' Root Beer!!! Now the fact of the matter is that Ramblin' disappeared from Coca-Cola's list of brands when they acquired the far more well known "Barq's" brand. This all happened around 1995. So I asked the guy what was up with the Ramblin' Root Beer and he just laughed. He explained that Coke wouldn't give him a new sticker for his fountain when they switched to Barq's and so he never changed it.

All the same me and my Twins, along with many other Twins, enjoyed some very cold and creamy root beer floats on National Root Beer Float Day in a small town in north-eastern Ohio. And in a very strange way these floats seemed to taste Twice as Good!!!

-Adam

to learn more about the Twins Days Festival go to www.twinsdays.org

Yards Brewing Company - The Beloved Root Beer in the City of Brotherly Love

2011-09-29T22:19:00.012-04:00

Located on the water front in the City of Brotherly Love a small craft brewery is making some VERY BIG BREW!! On my last few days of my internship in Philadelphia a local friend (thanks again Brian) gave me a grand tour of this very historical city. No tour in Philly is complete without some stops in the local breweries. As you can imagine the brewer we chose was known for much more than their "other beer". The more I asked around about local root beer makers, the more often I heard the name Yards!

Unlike many other brewers in the area that offer a full menu and restaurant, Yards Brewing Company takes a much different approach to opening up their brewery. A visit to their "Tasting Room" will focus all of your attention in exactly the right place, their BREW! During our visit to the Yards Tasting Room I learned that they have integrated the local Philly history into their craft by developing some "other beer" that is fashioned after original recipes from our founding fathers. They call the line-up "Ales of the Revolution" Very Cool!!!!

We eventually got to the subject at hand, Yards Root Beer. The Tasting Room staff were so delighted to talk about the root beer. I was very surprised in fact to notice that they actually had more to say about the root beer than the Revolution Ales! They explained that Tom Kehoe, co-founder of Yards, is also a huge fan of root beer. He apparently has taken much pride in developing their current recipe and is very proud of their outcome. The tough reality, as the staff explained, is that people who are interested in Philly craft brewers tend not to be as interested in the rooted beers. So Yards currently only offers their root beer on tap in the Tasting Room and in a couple of the local sandwich shops. Bottling their root beer may come in the future, but for now a visit to Philly is the only way to get it.

I was very excited to finally enjoy Philly's beloved root beer from Yards Brew Co. The environment of the Tasting Room put me in mind of being in a friends garage, hanging out, and spinning some "yards" :) The Tasting Room was a perfect setting, in others words, for Brian and I to sit back, talk shop, and enjoy some fine crafted root beer. The staff asked "ice or no ice"..... I just thought to myself.... "silly staff, ice belongs in soda, not root beer" but instead I simply replied "no ice please". My first impression came from the 16oz very uniquely shaped glass bearing the brewery name which held this very dark brew. The aroma was sweet, inviting, carrying a deep root beer extract smell with a hint of wintergreen. Carbonation was very subtle but perfectly mixed with the subtle sweetness the brew delivered. The wintergreen, or maybe it was anise, presented more apparently as the flavors all settled on my tongue. Ultimately Yards Root Beer carried a very similar flavor of typical home brews but with a just noticeable difference of deeper flavor, this deeper flavor is solid,a brew for Real Men, the flavor is what I would call a stout, not a heavy stout like Moxie, but a stout none the less. I think most people would agree that Yards carries a much more appealing flavor than Moxie as well..... I grant Yards Root Beer -a real mans brew- 4 Frosty Mugs.

-Adam

check out Yards Brewing Company at www.yardsbrewing.com

Crabs & Root Beer with Captain Wiso

2011-09-26T13:25:00.007-04:00

When I first moved to Philly I quickly realized that my internship stipend would not allow for housing in Philly and so I found myself living south of the border, so to speak. I actually lived in Maryland on the Chesapeake Bay and the first lesson I learned was what all the fuss was regarding the haled "Maryland Blue Crab"..... fact in point..... so YUMMY!!!! But what I also learned is that the best place to score some of these yummy hard shell blue crabs was NOT in Maryland!!!! The best place to grab a bag of steamed & perfectly seasoned crabs was actually in Maryland's smallest neighbor, Delaware!!!

I discovered a small crab shack in a very small city on the other bay. In Delaware City, Delaware on the Delaware Bay you will easily find the very unique location of Captain Wiso. At Wiso's Crabs you will be invited to grab a bag of many varieties of steamed to order seafood, but most importantly, bags of Maryland Blue Crabs. What does this have to do with root beer? Glad you asked.....

You see the reality is that Wiso's is not known for their root beer. The reason is simple, they don't make root beer!!! They are a crab shack..... they steam fresh crab and seafood..... what do you expect? I mean the place looks very strange as you drive up to the small shack, lots of silly decorations line the drive-way... but no signs of root beer anywhere????

From my perspective, the best food tends to come from some of the strangest... even shadiest..... looking places. I love tacos from roadside trucks, BBQ from permanent outdoor grills, and even burgers from a wagon (check out www.hamburgerwagon.com).... so a crab shack covered in Christmas decorations (in August), toilet seats, gas pumps, and rusty antiques held much promise for me.

As I entered this very promising crab shack one thing grabbed my attention even more than the very inviting aroma of freshly seasoned steaming seafood, it was the cooler full of root beer. Sure they have other soda in there but it was the A&W and A-Treat root beer that quickly caused my experience at Wiso's to border on a Nirvana experience (not the band, the transcendent experience of life without suffering)!!!! A world where freshly steamed crabs and root beer co-exist..... now that is a world I want to live in!!!! Welcome to the world of Captain Wiso!!!

The Captain probably did not realize at the time that he chose to stock his cooler with 2 brands of brew that he was creating a better world, but he did! The reality is that this Captain has probably not fully realized his obvious kind nature that pours out of him each day. Another example of this good nature is his support of Smile Train, a very important charity that truly blesses the lives of the most vulnerable children in the world. Wiso's sells ice-pops of which all proceeds are donated directly to this cause. The Captain is also committed to the equal treatment of those in poverty within his community. He proudly established a system in which those receiving social services can use their EBT card to purchase his yummy crabs and seafood. I have a wonderful feeling that there is a very diverse group of people that visit the shack.

For these reasons and many more I am happy to extend my full recommendation of Wiso's Crabs!! Grab you a bag and a can/bottle of brew and head to the nearby park where you can enjoy these scrumptious crabs and wash em down with some great brew.

In the future it is my hope that the Captain expands his list of available brew, he is certainly off to a great start..... the crabs..... no changes needed there!!!!

-Adam

to learn more about Wiso's Crabs go to http://wisoscrabs.com/wordpress/

to learn more about Smile Train go to http://www.smiletrain.org/

Durango’s Zuberfizz Rootbeer

2011-09-18T11:24:00.001-04:00

The name itself is fun to say. The label is very cool with fun colors. I think one of my favorite lables, easy to read and they stayed with the same font on most of the bottle. Durango even kept the font on the nice black bottle cap. Enough about the outside, how about the inside.

At first opening the bottle it had a good spew and light root beer aroma. As I poured there was a nice rise in the head and I figured this would be a very carbonated brew. To my surprise, it wasn’t. Actually I barely noticed the carbonation at all. A very smooth brew with a nice blend of cane sugar and root beer extract. Not as strong as the “standard” A&W and not as flavorful either. That’s not a bad thing. The blend made it, in my opinion, very good. Also a good “chuggable” brew.

Durango’s website really lets you know that they use the cane sugar and it does reflect in the taste. Here’s an excerpt from their website: The most important ingredient used in our sodas is pure cane sugar. Large companies have abandoned pure cane sugar to cut costs by using high-fructose corn syrup. It has been shown that this new widely-used ingredient is difficult to metabolize and is the leading cause of obesity and diabetes among Americans. Pure cane sugar also tastes much better.

I agree! Cane sugar is better and has a better flavor in any soda. The color was a bit darker than A&W. All in all this is a very good root beer. The cost is a bit pricey, 15 bottle for $36 shipped. If you’re in Colorado or Las Vegas, get some. You won’t be disappointed. Good Job Durango!

My rating is set a 4 frosty mugs. Points added for smoothness and a cool bottle!

~ Marc

Victory Root Beer: claiming Victory all day long

2011-09-12T13:11:00.002-04:00

After spending nearly one-year in Philadelphia my internship began to slow down which finally allowed me to engage in some activities that I simply did not have the time to do earlier in the year. One of these such activities was visiting the local root beer brewers, one of which was located, seriously, less than 5 miles from where I worked!!!!!

Located in Downingtown, PA a modest suburb of Philly, Victory Brewing Co. has been bottling micro-crafted beverages (the other beer) since 1996 when two beer loving friends came together to indulge in their shared love. The fact of the matter is that Ron Barchet and Bill Covaleski had been fine tuning their brew crafting skills as far back as the mid 80's and so when Victory opened their doors the sky was the limit. They chose this small suburb for two reasons, according to Bryan Audet the restaurant manager, the Brandywine River and the availability of an old Pepperidge Farm factory. They in fact use the water from the river for an added distinct flavor and have renovated the old factory into a full functioning brewery. Bryan assured me that they filter the water extensively but leave in all the good stuff. Victory has claimed some very significant crafted (other) beer awards over the years but he explained that at this point they have refocused on expanding their market share.

It is unclear when Victory began

brewing root beer but most recently they began bottling it in 12-ounce amber long-necks and the local response has been overwhelming. Bryan explained that they often run out of their drafted root beer at the restaurant and now the bottles even run scarce. I was fortunate in being able to grab a six-pack during my visit to the restaurant which is located on site at the brewery. I grabbed enough to pass to the other Brothers. I must admit however, that my arrival to the brewery caused some alarm. The parking lot is just as it was back in the Pepperidge days, it is set up like a factory. In other words, no parking near the door. I first thought maybe I was at the wrong place and that this was employee parking for the brewery. The reality is that it probably is employee parking along with customer parking. So my short walk from the parking lot led me to the entrance of a place that DID NOT look like the inside of a factory!! This restaurant was very impressive, modern, clean, nicely decorated, and not even a hint of an old factory. The wait staff seemed suspicious when I asked to see someone who could talk about the root beer. I tried to explain but it really is not easy to explain what or even why we Brothers do what we do. Hesitantly she ushered Bryan to my table. He was more than willing to tell me all that he could about Victory and the brewery, a real delightful conversation, indeed!

What I was first impressed with was the slogan I found on the six-pack packaging which read, "our root beer is our way to claim Victory at any time of day"!! Now that simply melted my heart!!! The next thing I noted was the fact that this was no "screw off top" nope I indeed (or actually the waitstaff) had to "pop the top". That was very cool!!! The brew had a very pleasant presentation, light and crisp, lots of vanilla and distinct yucca flavor. It may have been the yucca that caused a moderate bite, not a Barq's Bite but one that will be easily noticed. The flavor was distinct but not over bearing and carbonation moderate, a perfect brew to compliment my pizza that they served. In fact I should admit, the root beer was actually much better than the pizza.... please consider however that I have spent a year of eating pizza from downtown Philly where pizza has been perfected for generations!!! I am certainly one to enjoy a good brew with my food... any food... and Victory would be a good choice for that. As a stand alone brew I would say that Victory may not be so sure.... but you gotta eat sometime and you should follow it down with brew that won't make you forget what your eating. I extend 3.5 Frosty Mugs to Victory and a huge thanks to Bryan and the courteous waitstaff.

-Adam

check out Victory Brewing Co. at http://victorybeer.com/