B.R.P.
Enterprises, d.b.a. Northwest Soda Works, often referred to currently as
“Bedford’s Sodas” was the brain child of Ed Bedford in 1983. It took Ed a year
to find a couple of investors and launch the first bottling in 1984. Steve
Sourapas, then owner of the Dr. Pepper Bottling Company in the Georgetown area
of Seattle was a believer in the idea of marketing a premium crème soda, which
Ed choose to call Crème Beer! Crème Beer was a very popular flavor during and
following prohibition, many a small town and larger brewers as well went into
the soda business when they could no longer produce beer.
Investors
eventually decided to go other directions and two thirds of the company was
sold to Unique Beverages of Everett Washington. Unique marketed the product for
about five years and decided to put it up for sale. At that time Ed purchased
the stock of Unique and became sole owner of the brands. At this time Ed
decided to change all the formulas from corn syrup to pure cane sugar and only
produce in glass. Working with Orca Beverage of Mukilteo Washington, the
company is seeing continual growth today and has added three new flavors. Today
you can find Crème Beer, Root Beer, Ginger Ale, Ginger Beer and the latest
Orange Crème offered through many grocery stores and restaurants throughout the
United States.
Bedford,
now semi-retired, following nearly 45 years in the beverage business is
enjoying his passion in the soda business, traveling just enough to enjoy
watching the company grow again and teaching his children about the business
for the future.
So it is time for the review. (Click here for information
on the rating criteria and a table of all the root beer tested or to be tested.)
Ingredients:
Carbonated Water,
Caramel Color, Pure Cane Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Gum Arabic Qualia,
Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate as a Preservative
Nutrition 12
oz. serving (from the bottle)
180
Calories
40 mg Sodium.
44 g (15 %) of Daily
Carbohydrates
mg Caffeine
Aroma and Flavor – 2 out
of 3 mugs
Before
I start, this is another brew that has Quillaia. The last few I noted a similar strange, hard
to place taste and thought it may be the Quillaia.
The
aroma is a very vanilla scent with slight root beer undertones. The first sip was smother and very strong in
the caramel and vanilla flavor. This is
a very unique soda. There is a cherry
Dr. Pepper hint to the flavor. There was
that aftertaste that I have found before in the Qualia beverages. Not sure if that is the odd taste or
not? The aftertaste left me with a dry
mouth.
Head – 1.0 out of 3 mugs
The head was rather small
and short lived.
Zip – 1.75 out of 3 mugs
The
zip is rather limited. While there is a
flavor that is unique, then blend is limited to vanilla, caramel and slight
cherry.
Post Consumption Impression – 2 out of 3 mugs
I did enjoy the drink yet did not like the
dry mouth sensation after finishing the brew.
I would not hesitate to try it again, unless there was a favorite
available as an alternative.
Would I recommend this at 6.75 out of 12 mugs?
This is the first time I see sugar listed as the third
ingredient. There is a higher than I
prefer in sugar and sodium content yet that should not deter trying the
beverage. The brew would have been a point higher without the cherry
taste.
OTHER REVIEWS
No comments:
Post a Comment