Big Ben's (#27 - Rated 4.0 out of 12)

This is a brew bottled by the Catawissa Bottling Company in the rolling hills of Central Pennsylvania. They say they have been making Big Bens since 1926. They appear to stay true to simplicity, as the website looks like it was built in the 1990s, early Netscape Navigator. That is about all the information I could find on them. Unfortunately, there is little history, as I like to have a full background.

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

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Sugar, Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Citric Acid, Yucca Extractives, and Acacia.

I had never seen Acacia before and am still trying to understand why it was added. Then I tried to see what Yucca Extractive was. Web MD explained it best at this link.

Nutrition 12 oz (from the bottle)

180 Calories 

30 mg Sodium.

44g (15%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

Upon opening the bottle, either I had a bad cold or the water was in the bottle.  It was nothing extraordinary.  At first drink, I was delighted. (The reason it scored that high!)  As I continued, the pleasure waned.  It has a very soft and sugary taste.  The sodium content is high.  

Head – 0.5 out of 3 mugs

What, there is a head?  Where is it?  It was nearly non-existent.  The little foam appearance ring around the outside of the class remained, but not much to be proud of in a head.

Zip - 1 out of 3 mugs

The beverage was average in zip. It had low carbonation and a slightly creamy taste, but it could have left a lasting impression.

Post Consumption Impression – 1 out of 3 mugs

While it was not considered bad, the more I drank, the less I appreciated the beverage.  There is more of a slight root beer taste with an excessive sugar taste.  It reminds me of a moderately flat Barq’s.

Would I recommend this at 4 out of 12 mugs?

If you were to have several friends who wanted to try this, go ahead but limit the brew to 2 ounces.  As the first taste was tolerable, finishing the bottle was the issue.

Other Reviews

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer  3 of 5

Cosmo’s 2 of 10 

Route 66 Root Beer (#26 - Rated 7.0 out of 12)

The beverage is new on the market compared to others. It originated in 1996 and is bottled in Mokena, Illinois. It is hard to find much history at all!  Underlined text is updated text!

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

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, caramel color, natural and artificial flavorings, citric acid, and sodium benzoate.

Nutrition (12 oz from the bottle)

Calories  160

41 mg Sodium.

28g Sugar (12%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.00 out of 3 mugs

Is it possible to get a bad bottle of root beer?  Well, based on my second try, yes.  The second bottle is different from the first.  While it is still not GREAT, it is slightly above average.  Enough to up the score from the original 1 to a 2 for this category.  The second bottle lacked the aroma and had a pleasing mix of spice.  It still lacked a little e in the Sarsaparilla, but the caramel was noted.  The aroma is slight.  My first thought was this was going to have a medicinal taste.  I was right!  My first sip made me realize that root beer has no memorable qualities and little enjoyment.  It is almost tolerable at first sip, and then some unknown aftertaste arrives.  I can’t place it, but I do not like it.  I sense a slight vanilla taste with a caramel splash.  Still, the unknown aftertaste is a little more than I enjoyed.  Almost a rancid aftertaste.  Can root beer go bad/sour?

Head – 1.0 out of 3 mugs

The head is a decent height but fizzes away too quickly.

Zip – 1.25 out of 3 mugs

The zip tingles the tongue, and the carbonation and spices are very odd. The aftertaste is a sweet, creamy vanilla.  The second bottle was much better in the Zip category.  It was even carbonation with no odd twang to it at all.  The score increased from 1.25 to 2.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.00 out of 3 mugs

This brew is just not to my liking.  I am still trying to figure out the almost rancid aftertaste. The second brew was actually enjoyable.  While it had a commercial style carbonation, it lacked in the preferred vanilla flavor, I was impressed by the second bottle to go from a 1 to a 2.

Would I recommend this at Second try a 7 - initial 4.25 out of 12 mugs?

If you like Dad's Root Beer, you will also like this brew. Again, the first bottle must have been fermented, as the second bottle's score almost doubled. Sure, I wish we had freshness dates on some of these bottles! I would not recommend this beverage unless it is free and you want to try it. While the sugar was relatively low, the sodium was very high. The aftertaste was not pleasing at all, confirmed by two others in the household.   

Other Reviews

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer  3.5 out of 5

Cosmos Root Beer Review  1 out of 10

Root Beer Respect  8 out of 10

Columbia Soda Works (#25 - Rated 10.6 out of 12

Columbia Soda Works is a mystery.  I tried to find information on the history, but the website went nowhere.  The bottle states it was established in 1996 in the gold-mining town of Columbia, California. The label reads, “The flavor will take you back to the days of yesteryear when miners and settlers enjoyed the rich tastes of these early refreshments.  A taste as rich as the Mother Load.”  It even boasts greater by saying Columbia Soda Works Sarsaparilla is “A VERY PRECIOUS LIQUID.”   That is all the information I could gather.

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

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Sugar, Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid and Gum Acadia.

Nutrition (from the bottle)

170 Calories 

20 mg Sodium.

45g (14%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 2.8 out of 3 mugs

This soda definitely tastes more like a sarsaparilla.  The carbonation left a nice fizz in my mouth. The hints of caramel and light wintergreen were quite impressive.  The only thing that kept this from a perfect score was I prefer a hint of vanilla. 

Head – 2.2 out of 3 mugs

The head is not strong and dissipates quickly. It varies depending on the glass's temperature and the pour method.

Zip – 2.7 out of 3 mugs

This dark root beer has a unique flavor.  The mix is not harsh with a faint wintergreen taste.

Post Consumption Impression – 2.9 out of 3 mugs 

This was enjoyed from the start and left me wanting another.  No HFCS (I think, as it just states sugar), so that is a plus.  Super flavor balance with the right mix of carbonation.  You can’t go wrong with this beverage!

Would I recommend this at 10.6 out of 12 mugs?

Yes, I would, without a second guess.  When I visit the store next year, this is currently my first root beer to choose from.   As you can see from other reviews below, I am not the only one giving the beverage high marks.

Other Reviews

Thirsty Dudes - 4 of 5
Eat Like No-one else - 4 of 5

Root Beer Respect 9 out of 10 

Saw-Whet Root Beers 9 out of 10 
Steve’s Root Beer Journal - 7.5 of 10 
Anthony's Root Beer Reviews  88 out of 100

Frostie Vanilla (#24 - Rated 3.0 out of 12)

Frostie was initially produced as a root beer in 1939. Over time, they expanded the varieties to 10, of which three are root beer-based. In 1979, Frostie was purchased by Monarch Beverage Company (Dad’s and Ramblin Root Beer). In 2000, after years of faltering sales, it was sold to Leading Edge Brands, which in 2009 sold it to Intrastate Distributors.

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

Ingredients: Carbonated water, High Fructose Corn Syrup and/or sugar, caramel color, Sodium benzoate, Citric Acid, and natural and artificial flavors

I assume they list more than one sugar option, so they can add the least expensive option when making the beverage and would not need to upgrade the bottle.

Nutrition (from the bottle)

180 Calories 

50 mg Sodium.

46g Sugar (17%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.0 out of 3 mugs

Immediately upon opening, I realized frosty vanilla root beer is not a root beer. The first aroma is like opening a heavily fragranced aroma vanilla candle.  I compare it to what I would envision a cupcake stuffed up my nose would be like.  It took little knowledge to understand this was corn syrup-based as it gets the same aroma from opening a corn syrup bottle.  

Then came my first drink.  Crazy vanilla soaked in sugar cubes is my first thought.  It gave me an ill feeling after a few minutes.  This is not a beverage I will purchase again.  I only awarded this a 1 as it is intense, and they deserve some credit if that is the desire. They were trying to mimic a bad vanilla ice cream root beer float.

Head – 0.0 out of 3 mugs

The head was practically nonexistent. Even when I tried to make it using every technique I could, it was really visible.

Zip – 1.0 out of 3 mugs

This is flat.  At times, I almost thought I was drinking lightly carbonated corn syrup.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.0 out of 3 mugs

I hate to give any beverage less than a 1.0, as I am sure there are some merits.  I can’t find anything I prefer in the Frostie Vanilla Root Beer beverage.  The sweetness and intensity are overwhelming!  In fact, I tossed the last portion as I could not continue drinking this liquid vanilla almond bark.

Would I recommend this at 3 out of 12 mugs?

I had some people try it in the house, and one of them said it's like putting excessively vanilla frosted birthday cake in a blender and taking a drink. It isn't good in a soda!  Looking at the ingredients, this is as artificial as one could get. It is obviously a heavy commercial drink. Made at the lowest cost to gain the highest consumer. With 50 mg of sodium, it is the highest I have ever encountered, and 46 g of carbs/sugar is excessive.  You will love this beverage if you liked Golden Maple (which I hated).  Otherwise, move to another option. 

As you can see below, only a few agree with me.

Other Reviews

Rob’s Root Beer Review 8 out of 10

Root Beer Respect 6 out of 10
Saw-Whet 5 of 10

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer Review 4 of 5 barrels

Anthony’s Root Beer Barrel 65 out of 100
One Bad Veggie Scored A
Cosmo's Root Beer  5 of 10

Ramblin Root Beer (#23 - Rated 7.5 out of 12)

According to my research, this is a major commercial root beer created in 1979 by Coca-Cola. Why introduce a root beer when Hire's, A & W, Mug, Dad's, Barq's, Shasta, Faygo, Nesbitt's, and various store brand knock-offs are available? I assume it was market share grab Coca-Cola already had Dad’s.  It was a memorable advertisement from my younger days with a young Sarah Jessica Parker.  I am not sure I ever consumed it, but must have, as I always loved Root Beer.

It was limited production after Coca-Cola purchased Barq’s Root Beer in 1995, with some saying it had been out of production for over a decade and had recently been reintroduced into the market (this year – 2015).    

One thing I noted is that it has Quillaia Extract in the ingredients. What is Quillaia Extract? After significant reading, I learned that it is a foaming agent—an artificial ingredient that makes foam in a drink. I thought that was reserved for detergents.

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

Ingredients: Carbonated water, sugar, caramel color, Potassium benzoate, natural and artificial flavors, gum Acacia, Quillaia Extract, and Phosphoric Acid.

Nutrition (from the bottle)

160 Calories 

0 mg Sodium

39g Sugar (14%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.8 out of 3 mugs

Upon the twist of the cap, it was just a root beer aroma.  At the first taste, I knew I was drinking root beer, although it had a slight medicinal taste.   There was no vanilla.  It seemed to have a slight sarsaparilla taste, yet it was very artificial taste. 

Head – 2.5 out of 3 mugs

This was so foamy, it was past ridiculous.  You need to be cautious when pouring!  It was the most significant I have ever seen, but it was foam, not bubble style foam, but thick foam, like the thickest Afro one could imagine.  I guess I should not be surprised as it has Quillaia Extract, which is intended to create foam!  It received a lower score as the foam impacted the enjoyment.  If I did like the advertisement and guzzled this, it may not matter!

Zip – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

The beverage is uneventful.  Then I found nothing that gave me a solid sensation of enjoyment yet nothing to stop me from wanting another sip.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.7 out of 3 mugs

This was an odd review to complete as I could see loving this like no other or hating it like no other.  It really depends on how I drink the beverage.

Would I recommend this at 7.5 out of 12 mugs?

I am not sure what the huge push to bring the beverage back was, unless it was to guzzle and move on to the next task at hand.   I would love this is I was really thirsty and wanted a quick sugar drink.  I think in the middle of an ultra-marathon it would do the trick.  Otherwise, I would look for another option, yet would not turn this beverage down.

Other Reviews

Brad’s Brew Review scored 8/10

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer Review 3.5 of 5 barrels

Red Ribbon (#22 - Rated 6.25 out of 12)

Red Ribbon Home Brewed Root Beer is from Pennsylvania.  It is from the Natrona Bottling Company in Natrona, Pennsylvania.

The company was founded as the Natrona Bottling Works in 1904 by Ed Welsh and was purchased by the Bowser family in 1939, who changed the name to the Natrona Bottling Company. John Bowser hired his 15-year-old brother Paul, who worked at the company after school and on weekends. Paul operated and later owned the company – for a combined seventy years – until he died in 2008.  They have a YouTube video of the company.  Looks pretty vintage.

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

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Citric Acid and Caramel Color.

Nutrition (from the bottle)

120Calories 

15 mg Sodium.

30g Sugar (10%) of Daily Carbohydrates

 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

My first impression is that this is an average root beer. It has a unique taste and carbonation, which is not common. It almost has a tonic water-based taste. It is watered down with a slight root beer flavor.

Head – 2.0 out of 3 mugs

Decent head.  Dissipated fast but not too frothy and with a medium-sized bubble.

Zip – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

They use CO2 from dry ice to create carbonation and supposedly help the flavor. I can only describe it as lightly flavored tonic water.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.25 out of 3 mugs

 This is not terrible, yet it is plain. It did not leave me wanting more. I compare it to mineral water with stevia root beer drops. That would be zero calories and close to what I felt from this beverage.

Would I recommend this at 6.25 out of 12 mugs?

I would not seek it out but would not turn it down if offered as a beverage, yet I would ask for other options before accepting. 

OTHER REVIEWS

Eric's 2.5 out of 5 barrels
Cosmo's 5 out of 10 IBCs

Barons Sarsaparilla (#21 - Rated 7.9 out of 12)

More information about this soda needs to be provided on the web.  I searched every possible search names to find some background and came up empty.  The bottle stated that the e-mail is baronsbeverages@icloud.com and distributed by Barons Beverages.  

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

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Natural Flavor, Caramel Color, Citric Acid and Gum Arabic.

Nutrition (from the bottle)

Calories 140

15 mg Sodium

 36g sugars (12%) of Daily Carbohydrates

 0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 2.4 out of 3 mugs

This has a great root beer aroma.  I immediately had high hopes!  I was not let down.  While it is missing the heavy vanilla I generally like, this just had that homemade and simple root beer.  The level of sweetness is lower, with sugars being 3.17 g per ounce and sodium being 1.25 mg per ounce.  While not the lowest, it is notable.   If there would be a vanilla hint, it would be close to perfect. What was odd is it had a minor cherry taste as well. 

Head – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

The head was small and dissipated quickly.  Average at best.

Zip – 1.75 out of 3 mugs

 The low carbonation and minimal ingredients make this category more than average. Overall, it does have a solid taste, but not a root beer taste, but a gourmet soda with a slash of cherry.

Post Consumption Impression – 2.25 out of 3 mugs

It was enjoyable but more like a low-carbonated, cheery Coke than a solid root beer. I would not hesitate to drink it again. The first drink was enjoyable, yet the enjoyment decreased the more I consumed.

Would I recommend this at 7.9 out of 12 mugs?

It is worth a try. It has a mix of scores from other users. I understand that, as it is really an average-tasting yet enjoyable beverage.

Steve’s score 3 out of 10

Anthony’s score 88 out of 100

Root Beer Respect score 7 out of 10

Saw Whet Root Beers scored 9 out of 10