Rev'd Up Sprecher - #95. 6.5 out of 12 mugs

Sprecher Brewing Co. is stated to be the oldest Craft Brewery in Milwaukee. Randy Sprecher had the idea.  Randy’s love affair with brewing began in Europe. He was drafted into the army during the Vietnam War, but due to color blindness, he was sent to work for a general in Augsburg, Germany. There, Randy fell in love with German beers. After his time in Augsburg, he returned to California, where he grew up, and began brewing German beers at home. In 1972, Randy decided to take his hobby to the next level and applied to study fermentation science at UC-Davis. Then, he perplexed the State of California by establishing a microbrewery—a concept that the state did not understand. Down but not out, Randy secured a post as Supervisor of Brewing Operations at Pabst’s Milwaukee brewery. He packed up everything he owned into a VW Van and moved to Milwaukee.

Sprecher continues to fire-brew delicious craft sodas and beers in the Milwaukee area.  

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

Ingredients:

Carbonated Water, Glucose Syrup, Maltodextrin, Raw WI Honey, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate (As a Preservative), Phosphoric Acid, Quillaia/Yucca Extract, Sodium Chloride, Caramel Color, Caffeine.

 

Nutrition 12 oz. serving (from the bottle)

 

260 Calories

75 mg Sodium.

55 g (24%) of Daily Carbohydrates

93 mg Caffeine

 

Aroma and Flavor – 1.75 out of 3 mugs

 

The aroma is easily identifiable; this is a root beer.  At first sip, a rich whole body that’s sweet with honey flavors. The Maltodextrin is noted for its strong sugar taste and a flavor I couldn't determine, but it may have been masked by the caffeine.

 

Head – 1.75 out of 3 mugs  

 

The head was medium, which is odd as the original speaker has a very full head when poured.   It slowly dissipated.

 

Zip – 1.5 out of 3 mugs  

 

The carbonation is on the lower side.  The flavor mix compensates for the lower carbonation, resulting in a zip score of 1.5.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.5 out of 3 mugs  

 

I would not seek this out as a beverage of choice, but would consume it if this were the only option.   The sodium content is in the top ten for sodium per ounce.   

Would I recommend this at 6.5 out of 12 mugs (4.75 out of 9 mugs without head)

 

Personally, I prefer this root beer, which I would not eliminate from my purchases, although the high level of caffeine is not an option for me.  

 

OTHER REVIEWS

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer –  4 out of 5 barrels 

Root Beer Safari - Lower end rated due to caffeine 

Zuberfizz Creamy Root Beer - #94 - 8.5 out of 12 mugs

In 2002, Durango Soda Company, Inc. was founded by Banden Zuber (hence Zuberfizz) and Dan Aggeler.  They were roommates at Colorado State University who brewed their own beverages.  They state that the most essential ingredient used in our sodas is pure cane sugar. Large companies have abandoned pure cane sugar to cut costs by using high-fructose corn syrup. Zuberfizz Creamy Root Beer is handcrafted with fresh triple-filtered Rocky Mountain water.  

The environment is essential to Durango Soda Company, which uses only glass bottles.  They employ environmentally friendly best practices during commercial production and packaging.  

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

Ingredients:

Triple Filtered Carbonated Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Caramel Color, Gum Arabic, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Benzoate as a Preservative

 

What is Gum Arabic?  This is the first time I've seen this ingredient (at least I don't recall it before).

I found Arabic Gum is primarily used as an emulsifier and stabilizer. It reduces the surface tension between oil and water, allowing them to mix and form a stable emulsion, and maintains the emulsion stability, preventing it from breaking down or separating over time.  In some beverages, gum arabic can also contribute to a smoother and creamier mouthfeel.  Gum arabic can help stabilize the foam, preventing it from dissipating quickly. 

 

Nutrition 12 oz. serving (from the bottle)

 

159 Calories

30 mg Sodium.

43 g (14%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

 

Aroma and Flavor – 2.25 out of 3 mugs

 

The aroma is delightful.  At first sip, a prominent vanilla and caramel flavor is noticeable.  If you like a hint of mint, this may not be the beverage for you.  It would be strong, but adding a slight amount of water makes it more pleasant to my taste. 

 

Head – 1.5 out of 3 mugs  

 

 The head was small yet slowly dissipated.  There was some slight foam residue minutes after the pour.

 

Zip – 2 out of 3 mugs  

 

While the zip score is two, that is because the carbonation and flavors blend well to give a pleasant taste.  There is nothing that grips you, as it is a smooth, flavorful beverage.  It lacks the root and mint flavor that many appreciate, which would earn a higher score in this category.

 

Post Consumption Impression – 2.25 out of 3 mugs  

 

Since I love the vanilla flavor, I find this enjoyable and would drink it again.  It's an enjoyable and straightforward root beer, but not one that leaves a lasting impression to make me choose it as my first selection when a few others are available.   

Would I recommend this at 8.5 out of 12 mugs (6.5 out of 9 mugs without head)?

 

I recommend this brew if you're looking for a simple yet pleasing beverage.  The flavor score (excludes the head score) places this as #31 in the 94 brews reviewed to date.  

 

OTHER REVIEWS

Anthony’s Root Beer Barrel – 77 out of 100

Cosmo’s Root Beer Review –  5 out of 10 caps 

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer –  4 out of 5 barrels 

Root Beer Respect –  7 out of 10

Reviews for the rest of us –  Rated B+ 

Soda Fry - 8.3 out of 10 CLICK HERE FOR REVIEW 

Soda Jerks - Grade A CLICK HERE FOR REVIEW

Steve’s Root Beer – 8.5 out of 10 

Kyle’s Root Beer Galacticus - Score C

The root beer person - Scores 2 out of 5