Bar Harbor Old Soaker - #89, 7.25 out of 12

This brew was gifted from Leslie and Taylor Guillory, who found it on their honeymoon in Bar Harbor.  The Atlantic Brewing Company in Bar Harbor, Maine, brews Old Soaker Root Beer. They initially were the Acadia Brewing company in 1990, located inside the Lompoc Cafe in downtown Bar Harbor. The location only allowed them to brew one barrel at a time. A few years later, the demand forced two doors down from the restaurant and increased the capacity to seven-barrel batches.  In 1998, they outgrew that facility and moved to where they are today, 27 years after starting the business.  They occupy a 19th-century Maine farmstead that employs native vegetation and local stonework.

The company, which claims its root beer is a “Bar Harbor favorite and cult classic,” uses an old-fashioned root beer recipe made with natural quillaja extract from the bark of the yucca plant. In the past, I found quillaja to have foam but also an aftertaste I did not enjoy.

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, Pure Cane Sugar, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate as a Preservative

  

Nutrition 12 oz. serving (from the bottle)

      NONE FOUND ON THE BOTTLE OR WEB

Aroma and Flavor – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

There was minimal aroma from the bottle.  I was not sure what to expect.  The first drink was different from what I expected.  While this is a root beer, I had the sensation of drinking a mix of Cherry Dr. Pepper and root beer.  This is a very sweet and creamy beverage with noted caramel and vanilla.  There was just an odd taste, which I attribute to the quillaja.

Head – 2.5 out of 3 mugs  

The head is well above average, dissipating slowly and leaving a slight ring after several minutes. 

Zip – 1.75 out of 3 mugs  

There is a slight zip and a slight spiciness to the finish.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.75 out of 3 mugs  

Overall, I enjoyed the beverage, but I would seek it out differently from others.  I am sure it is the quillaja aftertaste.  After each drink, my mouth was left dry.

I recommend this at 7.25 out of 12 mugs.

This is for you if you enjoy a complex flavor that leaves a dry mouth with a slightly bitter aftertaste.  I, however, was happy to try the brew and would drink it again if it was the best option available. 

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