Spring Grove (#18 - Rated 8.5 out of 12)

The website states Spring Grove started making soda in 1895.  It was started by G.G. Risty, who they say was a Pharmacist who developed soda for his store.  Some say he was just an entrepreneur with a great idea.  Either way, it was a long time ago.  The website states that the formula for Spring Grove Pop has remained basically the same since the business was founded. However, this can’t be true as they use HFCS now, which was first marketed in the 1970s. 

They say the soda was bottled in returnable glass bottles in the early years.  But by 1980, most sodas were bottled in plastic and aluminum cans, so people were not accustomed to returning the returnable bottles.  Therefore, there was an acute returnable bottle shortage.  Since returnable bottles were cost-prohibitive to purchase new, the owners then purchased the necessary equipment to bottle in non-returnable glass bottles.  It is the same equipment that is still used today.

Click here for the rating criteria and a summary table of all the root beers tested.

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Corn Syrup, Artificial Flavoring, and Artificial Color - Yellow no. 5, Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, preserved with less than .1% Sodium Benzoate.

Nutrition (from the 12 oz bottle)

Calories 170

 45 mg Sodium.

 42 g  Sugar (14%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 2.0 out of 3 mugs

The strong vanilla and honey aroma was strong. The first sip was as expected, with a unique caramel aftertaste. It is very smooth yet a little too sweet. There is a complex and spicy flavor, with too much licorice and not enough sarsaparilla, and the flavor fades.

Head – 2.5 out of 3 mugs

This is the largest and longest-lasting head of any root beer I have tested.  It was excessive for my preference.   See the picture, which evolved after my first two sips.

Zip -- 2 out of 3 mugs

There is a decent spice with middle-level carbonation. It goes down nice and smooth, yet it has a high sodium and syrupy taste.

Post Consumption Impression – 2 out of 3 mugs (0.5 docked for HFCS)

While I appreciate the full head and creaminess, this is just too sweet for me. It has a sticky, sweet, and spicy aftertaste with a hint of licorice. It also has a high amount of sodium, impacting overall enjoyment. My top 5 root beers have zero to 0.63 mg per ounce, whereas Spring Grove has 3.75 mg per ounce.

Would I recommend this at 8 out of 12 mugs?

It's better than average, but I would still pass it up if I were looking for a nice sipping brew.  However, I would not have avoided this if it had been on the shelf.

Other Reviews

Cosmo's Root Beer Reviews 5 of 10 IBC's
Rob's Root Beer Review  7 out of 10
Steve's Root Beer 9 out of 10