Henry Weinhard, a brewer from Portland, Oregon, commenced his journey in the beer industry in 1862. Notably, many early brewers also ventured into root beer production, and Weinhard was no exception. During the Prohibition era, it became a common practice for brewers to diversify their product offerings to ensure their continued viability. In this regard, Weinhard partnered with Arnold Blitz to establish the Blitz-Weinhard brewery. However, the company was subsequently acquired by Pabst Brewing Company in 1979, which later sold it to Stroh’s in 1996. By 1999, the brewing operation had been sold, and the final batch of beer produced at the original Weinhard brewery was released on August 27, 1999. Despite the brewery's closure, the Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve brand has endured and is currently owned by SAB Miller in London, England.
Upon opening the bottle, the aroma is not overpowering. It suggests a sweet brew, with the vanilla being particularly notable (a highlight for me). The flavor is quite prominent, and the body is rich, full, and sweet. The smoothness is pleasant, evoking a sense of contentment. I anticipated a syrupy taste and feel due to the presence of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) as the second ingredient. However, the honey, in combination with the balance of vanilla and sassafras, imparts a high degree of sweetness while moderating the HFCS’s impact.
This is the finest head of any root beer I have reviewed. It is the ideal head, long-lasting, and does not diminish the beverage’s quality. There is little more to be said about the top-quality head. However, the head is excessive if consumed directly from the bottle.
Although there are no significant differences in the taste of beverages that do not contain HFCS, it is evident that you are consuming more than HFCS, which elevates this beverage’s ranking compared to similar options.
The Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer experience concludes with a relatively clean finish, leaving a pleasant aftertaste. While this root beer is solid, I personally do not favor High Fructose Corn Syrup. Compared to many other products, this one stands out as superior in every respect.
Would I recommend this at 8.7 out of 12 mugs (6.2 out of 9 mugs without head)?
Other internet ratings highly recommend this product. However, I am the only reviewer to have reduced the score due to the presence of HFCS. Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer has the potential to be a gourmet root beer if it were not sweetened with HFCS. To date, I have observed that root beers generally excel in one aspect while falling short in others. The spice blend and the head make it a challenging brew to surpass. Additionally, the level of HFCS significantly impacts the sugar and calorie content, with nearly 4 grams of sugar and 14 calories per ounce.
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- Derek Janiak - 8.5 out of 10
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