Caamano Bros Root Beer (#32 - Rated 6.5 out of 12)

It's hard to believe this soda originated from two kids, Sebastián and Alejandro Caamaño, aged 12 and 13, who wanted to try to make soda pop. Their father, Christopher Caamaño, a chef, had experienced home-brewed carbonated water and decided to make his own. The story goes that the kids realized adding sugar and flavoring to their homemade carbonated water would provide soda.

In 2010, Caamaño Bros Soda was born. Their father loved sarsaparilla, and the brewing effort resulted in a root beer stand at a local nursery.  The word spread, and soon, they were in demand at the local farmer’s markets.  It has grown today to a large, 100% family operation.

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

Ingredients: Water, Cane Sugar, Organic and Natural Flavorings, Caramel Color, Organic Acadia Gum, and Citric Acid.

Nutrition 12 oz serving (from the bottle)

170 Calories

20 mg Sodium.

40g (15%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.75 out of 3 mugs

Upon opening the bottle, I had high expectations.  The aroma was light, with a good balance of vanilla and sassafras.  The first drink was mixed, as there was a slight medicinal taste.  It was much like I felt about Capone’s, but there was an aftertaste that I disliked.  Depending on the mood, it could be one of my best or least favorites.  I noted that using the bottle directly rather than over ice was better.  I could not tell if this was a root beer as it had a hint of cherry. It was not a cherry Coke but had that same slight Cherry taste.  The vanilla is faint with no caramel flavor, which I prefer.  The sarsaparilla is noted but also slight.  This taste was interesting and overall enjoyable for a soda.

Head – 1.25 out of 3 mugs

Very foamy and dissipated in less than 20 seconds.  There was not even a rim on the edge of the glass.

Zip – 1.75 out of 3 mugs

While the tantalizing mix of flavors was average overall for creating a memory. Nothing stood out, yet there was nothing bland about the spice mix.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.75 out of 3 mugs

I liked the brew. I am not sure I would seek it out on purpose, but I would not hesitate to purchase each six-pack to enjoy with a good meal.

Would I recommend this at 6.5 out of 12 mugs?

This was average at best.  With the history I was hoping for a GREAT drink, but did not get one.  I would not shy away from this like several others I have tested, but there are others I suggest first.

Other Reviews

Steve’s Root Beer Journal 8 out of 10

Saw-Whet Root Beer 4 out of 10

Anthony’s Root Beer Barrel 91 out of 100

Pop Shoppe (#31 - Rated 5.75 out of 12)

The Pop Shoppe originated in 1969 in Canada, London, Ontario, to be more precise. The goal was not to be overly commercial and to enter the retail market in non-traditional ways. Eventually, the demand was such that Pop Shoppe sold 30 different flavors throughout North America. 

By 1980, sales were weakened from off-brand competition and closed in 1983.   Since that time, some small soft drink bottlers in the U.S. have sold pop using some of the millions of bottles and cases left abandoned by the closure

By 2004, many of the original flavors returned.  In 2012, The Pop Shoppe announced they replaced corn syrup with cane sugar in all their beverages.  This is a plus for me!   The bottle I consumed stated it was bottled in Las Angeles, California.

See more information at http://www.thepopshoppe.com/about/.

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

Ingredients: Water, Cane Sugar, Caramel Color, Citric Acid, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Propylene Glycol, Natural and Artificial Flavor, and Phosphoric Acid.

Nutrition 12 oz serving (from the bottle)

180 Calories

20 mg Sodium.

46g (15%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

The aroma was a mix of unidentifiable scents.  At first drink, there is a creamy sensation with a slight fruity taste. Juicy Fruit gum is more potent than that kind of flavor.  It was not really what I would call a root beer.  It was a cross between a stale barq’s and Dr. Pepper.  While there is a faint overall root beer taste, the aftertaste is more of a bad Coke. 

Head – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

The head is frothy with very fine bubbles.  It reduced quickly to a small amount around the rim, which stayed long.  Based on my follow-up (Web search), is the propylene glycol the difference?

Zip – 1.25 out of 3 mugs

Zip is very minimal, as I can’t determine what the flavor mix is for this beverage. The odd aftertaste was a real deterrent. It almost has a chemical taste with lower carbonation.    

Post Consumption Impression – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

This is a soda. I don't know what kind it is, but as a variety of flavors, I found no common root, vanilla, or caramel flavor.  

Would I recommend this at 5.75 out of 12 mugs?

It is worth a try, but I will pass on it unless there are a few options.

Other Reviews

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer – 3.5 of 5

Root Beer Reviews  B-
Alliray Review 2.5 out of 5

Dorothy's Isle of Pines (#30 - Rated 5.0 out of 12)

Dorothy Molter, who lives just outside Ely, Minnesota, originated this brew.  Being from North Dakota, I fondly heard of the “Root Beer Lady” years ago but never visited her location.  However, several years ago, someone brought me a bottle of her root beer (before she passed on), and I liked it.  It was not the best, but it had a unique flavor that was not overly street. 

Looking at the bottle, I immediately realized this would not be the same.  Since Dorothy passed, it appears they commercialized the beverage and filled it with High Fructose Corn Syrup and other artificial ingredients.  WHAT A SHAME! 

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

Ingredients: Water, Sugar and High Fructose Corn Sweetener, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Citric Acid, Acacia and Quillaia Extract

Nutrition 12 oz serving (from the bottle)

160 Calories

18 mg Sodium.

46g (15%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

Upon opening the bottle, I noticed a commercial root beer aroma, much like Barq’s.  The first sip was mixed between enjoyment and disappointment.  There was such a strange aftertaste.  I recalled having this taste in the past.  After searching, I realized it was the Acacia, also in Big Bens, which scored 4 of 12.  Just as I was mixed on my positive impression of Big Bens, I am also mixed on this brew.  Just left me confused more than disappointed or excited.

Head – 1 out of 3 mugs

 The head was not noteworthy!  It disappeared in less than 15 seconds, and you had no clue there was ever a head, even at the rim.  This may be a great root beer for a float?

Zip – 1.0 out of 3 mugs

There is nothing special or unique about a spice blend or carbonation.  It is actually the lower end of carbonation, which I prefer.  At best, the Acacia is the only notable spice.  Even the stated caramel flavor is faint.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

This was a root beer with nothing special. It is a shame that whoever bought the rights to the brew used HFCS, which alone altered the taste. 

Would I recommend this at 5.0 out of 12 mugs?

While I recommend you try it, I suggest doing so with the purchase of a single bottle.  You may find you are going to miss the rest of a six-pack.

Other reviews

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer – 2 of 5

Root Beer Reviews  C+

Cosmo’s  4 of 10 IBC’s

Thirsty Dudes 3 of 5

Sassy Lil' Lass (#29 - Rated 1.5 out of 12)

Before I even start the official review, I have a few issues. First, the label (seen below) lists this as 2.5 servings per bottle. Each serving is 8 ounces, and it is a 12-ounce bottle. I hope they are better at making root beer than proofreading. They also must be sensitive about the words used. Most manufacturers are just calling High Fructose Corn Syrup just that, although this maker stated “sweetener” as opposed to “syrup.”  

I could not find any information on this brew on the web. There is no history or background. The bottle says established 2014. I also only found one other review. Before I start, let me say I have had this twice (there is an extra bottle around), and each time, I dumped it. Not for the review. I will do my best not to be swayed by the past two strikes.  I am not looking forward to this!

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

Ingredients: Water, Sugar, High-Fructose Corn Sweetener, Caramel Color, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), and Natural Flavors.

Nutrition 8 oz serving (from the bottle)

120 Calories

30 mg Sodium.

29g (15%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 0 out of 3 mugs

Right at the start, it smelled like a fermented mess. I took one drink, and three-week-old spoiled milk came to mind. I tried to get others in the house to take a sip, but they refused once they smelled the beverage. 

Head – 1 out of 3 mugs   

It has a head, an inferior head, but it deserved a score.

Zip – 0.5 out of 3 mugs  

I gave this 0.5 as the taste is so bad that it only gives a slight nod for that reason.  Rancid is a taste, right?

Post Consumption Impression – 0 out of 3 mugs

Run, forest, run!  I do not wish any root beer lover the miserable experience I have after just one ounce.   

Would I recommend this at 1.5 out of 12 mugs?

No way!  Never!  I am unsure how anyone could feel good about selling this product as root beer.

           

Other Reviews

Steve’s Root Beer Journal 3 out of 10 (Started the review with “This was not good.”)

Dad's (#28 - Rated 7.0 out of 12)

Dad's Root Beer is one of America's most popular soft drinks.  It was developed in the 1930s by partners Barney Berns and Ely Klapman in the basement of Klapman's Chicago-area home. Dad's flavor earned a loyal following. The Dad's Root Beer brand was famous throughout the Midwest and, by the late 1940s, was one of the most consumed brands of root beer throughout the United States.

Dad's Root Beer distinguished itself as a brand and industry innovator when it became the first product to use the six-pack format invented by the Atlanta Paper Company in the 1940s. Dad's also introduced the half-gallon bottle, becoming the first brand to market this size. Dad's was marketed as a family. The "Junior" bottle size was the smallest, 7, 10, or 12 ounces. Mama was a quart bottle, and Papa was a half-gallon bottle.

The Klapman and Berns families sold all rights to the Dad's name and logo to IC Industries in the 1970s.  During the 1970s, Chicago-based television advertising for Dad's featured a different jingle sung by an ensemble with the following lyrics:

If it foams up to meet you

It's gotta be Dad's, it's gotta be Dad's

If it foams up to treat you

It's gotta be Dad's, it's gotta be Dad's

(The announcer would read the ad copy while a short instrumental section of the jingle played, and then the song continued)

So ask for Dad's, it's good old-fashioned

With the taste of yesteryear

If you don't ask for Dad's

All you're gonna get is,

All you're gonna get is,

All you're gonna get is,

...root beer!

The Monarch Beverage Company of Atlanta acquired Dad's from IC Industries of Chicago in 1986. At that time, Dad's was distributed by the Coca-Cola bottler network sold 12 million cases annually and held the second-largest share of the root beer category behind A & W.

In 2007, Hedinger Brands, LLC purchased Dad's Root Beer from Monarch, along with the Bubble Up, Dr. Wells, and Sun Crest brands, and licensed them to The Dad's Root Beer Company, LLC. The company headquarters is now located in Jasper, Indiana.

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

Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavors, and Sodium Benzoate (preservative).

Nutrition 12 oz (from the bottle)

230 Calories 

35 mg Sodium.

44g (15%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 2 out of 3 mugs

When opening the bottle, the aroma was commercial.  That means it had a more sugar-coated wintergreen aroma and a hint of an unknown spice.  At first drink, it really was overly carbonated, and wintergreen was the dominant flavor. The aftertaste is metallic.

Head – 2 out of 3 mugs

The head is not the best yet, but it does foam up well.  It is much like I would anticipate from a higher carbonated, heavy sugar drink.

Zip -- 1 out of 3 mugs

This could have been more uneventful.  While not bad, it is just a sugar beverage. 

Post Consumption Impression – 2 out of 3 mugs

Dad’s is above average but not much more than average.   

Would I recommend this at 7 out of 12 mugs?

While it has some allure, it is also the highest-calorie (almost twice that of Rocky Mountain Root Beer), and I have no idea what sugar they use. It sure has a corn syrup taste. This would rank very high if only used for a root beer.

Other Reviews

Anthony’s Root Beer Barrel – 67 out of 100

Cosmo’s – 6 out of 10 IBC’s

Robs Root Beer Review – 6 out of 10

Rootbeer Reviews – B-

Root Beer Respect – 5 out of 10

Saw-Whet Root Beers – 8 out of 10

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

Darek Janiak - 1.7 out of 10

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