Not just any old root beer! (#36 - Rated 6.75 out of 12)

It is Joe’s Root Beer! This brew is from Joseph James Brewery in Henderson, Nevada (a suburb of Las Vegas). Joseph James is a beer specialist who, like many, dabbles in root beer. The brewery originated in 2008, so it has less than a decade of history. There’s very little information on it on the Internet.

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

Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Color and natural flavors, Honey and Vanilla.

Nutrition 12 oz serving (from the bottle)

190 Calories

35 mg Sodium.

57g (19%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Calcium 4%

Aroma and Flavor – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

Upon opening the bottle, I thought this would be something other than a solid root beer. The aroma is a little more beer-like than root beer. Upon the first taste, it is easy to tell there is carbonated water, vanilla, and honey with little else. That should be expected since these are two of the five total ingredients. 

While pleasing, the flavor blend I love in a root beer is missing. While I love vanilla, not without the root flavor of a good sarsaparilla.  The beverage packs a higher sodium content and is the second highest of the root beer I reviewed, albeit natural.

Head – 2.5 out of 3 mugs  

The head was thought-provoking and wonderful, but it was short-lived. Within 30 seconds, there was only a small remnant of what was near perfect.

Zip – 1.25 out of 3 mugs  

This is simple in ingredients.  For zip, it is minimal.  If they increased the carbonation, I would think I was drinking vanilla and honey-favored seltzer water.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.5 out of 3 mugs  

This was not terrible, but it was not worth another try for me.

 

Would I recommend this at 6.75 out of 12 mugs?

If you prefer a bland root beer with low carbonation and honey and vanilla, try it.

Anthony’s Root Beer Barrel - 86 out of 100

Stark Raving Root Beer Blog - 3.5 of 5

The Three Stooges Wise Guy (#35 - Rated 6.75 out of 12)

This is another Rocket Fizz creation.  Rocket Fizz is most likely the soda maker that makes numerous soda varieties.  I already reviewed Judge Wapner's Root Beer and Gene Aurty’s Root Beer.  Rocket Fizz is predominately known for its diverse candy line (some say over 4,000 varieties), but unique sodas are a niche.  A web search found that they have made over 500 varieties of soda throughout history.  Not all are directly under the Rocket Fizz parent company.  

I have a little quote about the brew from Robert Powells, President and Co-Founder of the Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shops.  “Rocket Fizz is beyond excited to bottle The Three Stooges Wise Guy Root Beer.”  He was “the undercover boss” recently, the CBS hit TV show Undercover Boss.  “The Three Stooges brand is a natural fit for us. The Three Stooges is an iconic and nostalgic American brand, and Rocket Fizz prides itself on being all about Americana. And we all love The Three Stooges!”

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

Ingredients: Spring Water, Cane Sugar, Citric Acid, Ester Gum, Caramel Color, and Natural Flavors.

Nutrition 12 oz serving (from the bottle)

170 Calories

25 mg Sodium.

43g (14%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

Immediately upon opening, there was a strong wintergreen aroma. It was a little heavy, and there was also a molasses or licorice aroma. After my first drink, this was a relatively simple beverage. It had little overall flavor and tasted watered down. It had a unique taste that was not a traditional root beer taste. Could it be the Ester Gum ingredient? I had no idea what that was.

The funny thing is when I searched the Web, I found Ester Gum, which is often used in paints, lacquers, and varnishes, and it is something that they should avoid drinking.  One wrote, “People who think this couldn’t be further from the truth. I have found, through days and days of careful research, that it is, in fact, a wondrous creation that has transformative, healing powers.”  I am not so sure, as the guy also claimed to inject freaks into a broken leg and heal it faster. 

Head – 2.5 out of 3 mugs

This is extremely foamy, and its head takes nearly a minute to dissipate, although it never fully dissipates.

Zip – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

This lacks any zip or punch beyond licorice or wintergreen. I get a slight sense of vanilla as well. Carbonation was light to moderate, again having a watered-down feel. I could also taste the sodium content. That was the first time I thought I was drinking a higher-sodium beverage.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.25 out of 3 mugs  

It is not terrible, although it is not remarkable either. I scored the beverage slightly below average. It only scored higher because it had a great foamy head that lasted for quite some time.

  

Would I recommend this at 6.75 out of 12 mugs? (4.25 without the head!)

I suggest trying, but only trying. This was not a beverage for me. I love caramel, root flavor, and a good vanilla punch, but not the Three Stooges.

Other Reviews

Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer  3.5 out of 5 barrels