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.

Click here for rating criteria information and a summary chart of root beers rated.

Ingredients:

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

  

Nutrition 12 oz. serving (from the bottle)

      NOT 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 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.

Would 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. 

OTHER REVIEWS

• Anthony's Root Beer Barrel  86 out of 100
• Eric's Gourmet Root Beer  3.5 of 5 barrels
• Steve’s Root Beer - 6.5 out of 10

Sparky’s - #88, 5 out of 12

It all started in the 80s with a beer brewing kit in Pacific Grove, California. Kevin Knox got hooked on home brewing, and his beers won many local, state, and national awards.  He also wanted to make soda to give away to friends and family. After experimenting unsuccessfully with various soda flavors, he began developing a recipe for his boyhood favorite, root beer. It took many years and many five-gallon batches before the recipe became fine-tuned. Throughout that time, Sparky’s was hand bottled in the same type, 22 oz bottles used for his beer, and gave both away as gifts, especially at Christmas.  After much encouragement from friends and family to offer Sparky’s Root Beer to the public, on April 1, 2000, this brew was born and debuted in Pacific Grove, California, at the annual Good Old Days Celebration.

To make Sparky’s, a small commercial kitchen was rented and converted into a root beer brewery. The original plan was to produce Sparky’s on draft only, in 5-gallon kegs, for use in restaurants, private parties, and other special events.  Now, in bottles and distributed, I have this to review.

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

Ingredients:

Carbonated Filtered Water, Pure Cane Sugar, Honey, Caramel Color, Natural and Imitation Flavorings, Spices, Sodium Benzoate as a Preservative, Phosphoric Acid and Caramel Color.

Nutrition 12 oz. serving (from the bottle)

 160 Calories

 45 mg Sodium.

 42g ( %) of Daily Carbohydrates

 0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1 out of 3 mugs

Immediately upon opening, the aroma was cough syrup or overly fermented. I have long questioned if soda can just go bad. I will need to try this again, just like Sassy Lil’lass, which I tried three times and found very disliked by me. The taste had a strong birch, wintergreen, and honey Flavor that really was not to my liking. I am not much of a birch flavor lover.

Head – 1 out of 3 mugs

The head was relatively small, and what appeared was gone just as quickly. 

Zip – 2 out of 3 mugs

The carbonation was on the lower side, and the Flavor was an interesting mix.  Although I was not pleased with the flavors, it scored high for the combination and zip.

Post Consumption Impression – 1 out of 3 mugs

I will try this again if I need a different bottle. However, I hesitated based on this experience, as it was not one I enjoyed at all.

Would I recommend this at 5 out of 12 mugs?

If you like birch flavor and high sweetness, try it. It should be a 4 total score, yet the zip was unique and prominent, just not to my liking.

OTHER REVIEWS

• Anthony’s Root Beer Barrel – 95 out of 100
• Brad’s Brew Review – 10 out of 10
• Cosmo’s Root Beer Review – 2 out of 10
• Eat Like No One Else – 4 of 5 stars
• Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer – 4 of 5 barrels
• Kyle’s Root Beer Galacticus C+
• Root Beer Respect – 6 of 10
• Reviews for the rest of us – B+
• Saw-Whet Root Beer – 9 out of 10
• Steve’s Root Beer – 8 out of 10
• The Root Beer Review – 1 of 10
• Thirsty Dudes – 5 out of 5
• 5 Star Soda – 4 of 5 stars

Death Valley - #87 - 7 out of 12

Death Valley Root Beer is brewed by Indian Wells Brewing Company, based in Inyokern, California, and is owned by Master Brewer Rick Lovett. The company and location have been in the same family for three generations, and this historic location of Indian Wells Spring has a rich history.

It began as a U.S. Army Cavalry outpost in the 1860s. Then, it became a freight and stage station until the turn of the last century. From 1900 to 1920, it was a healing water resort, a base for the CCC and WWW in the 1930s, and a doctor's office in the 1950s. In 1960, it became a restaurant: Indian Wells Lodge.

The Indian Wells Lodge Restaurant has slowly expanded from its small 1,000-square-foot building to its current 6,500-square-foot location. In 1995, Indian Wells Brewing Co. was born in one of the restaurant's rooms. By 1997, the company's beverages had gained popularity, requiring expansion into the 10,000-square-foot building.

All sodas at Indian Wells are produced using pure artisan spring water from the historic Indian Wells Spring (California Historical marker #457), and the brewery is proud to say the artisan spring water gives their sodas a clean--pure taste. An artisan spring contains water that naturally flows and bubbles to the surface. The company has access to a spring originating in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Geologists believe that melted waters from Mount Whitney snow packs journey by an underground river and follow through a fissure to form Indian Wells Spring. For Indian Wells Brewing, the water is captured below the surface and, because of its altitude, can flow to their brewing operation via gravity. No man-made power is used to transport the water.

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

Ingredients:

Indian Wells Artisan Spring Water, Cane Sugar, Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Real Vanilla, and Citric Acid.

Nutrition 12 oz. serving (from the bottle)

180 Calories

25 mg Sodium.

45 g (15%) of Daily Carbohydrates

0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and Flavor – 1.75 out of 3 mugs

The aroma is medicinal, with dominant licorice and a hint of wintergreen. At first sip, the licorice intensified.  There is a rooty aftertaste I can't place.  Even though it read "Real Vanilla" on the ingredients, I found little or no vanilla flavor. 

Head – 2.0 out of 3 mugs

The head is frothy yet not overly foamy.  It took minutes to dissipate. 

Zip – 1.5 out of 3 mugs

The odd situation is that the flavors are simple, and the medium carbonation made it difficult for me to determine the rating for this category. It is complex yet simple. I could debate each way, so it is 1.5.

Post Consumption Impression – 1.75 out of 3 mugs

This is an odd but pleasing beverage.  I compare it to sucking on the old-fashioned root beer candy with a strange, bitter aftertaste.  Yes, that means good and bad at the same time.  

Would I recommend this at 7 out of 12 mugs?

This brew is a love-hate brew. The trouble is, I love the sip and hate the aftertaste. Try the brew, but only one bottle, before purchasing a six-pack. 

OTHER REVIEWS

Anthony's Root Beer Barrel – 77 out of 100

Cosmo's Root Beer Review – 4 out of 10

Eric's Gourmet Root Beer – 2.5 of 5 barrels

Root Beer Respect – 7 of 10

Reviews for the rest of us – C

Saw-Whet Root Beer – 9 out of 10

Steve's Root Beer – 7 out of 10

Thirsty Dudes – 4 out of 5