Sunday, August 13, 2017

Bulldog - #86, 9.25 out of 12

Been a while since I completed a review.  In fact, almost three months.  There is a reason for the delay.  I was hospitalized with deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and anemia.  Well, over a month since I left the hospital, I still battle the issues with plodding progress.

Before the hospitalization, I set up a Microsoft Word file long before the test. I get links to the brew in the file and type basic information for each brew. This makes my review the focus instead of all the extraneous information I like to add first. This brew was rated 10 out of 10 by many and high by all. So, that builds some anticipation?

The slogan is "Unleash the Taste," a bold statement. They also use real bulldogs on the label, appropriately named Barley (male) and Hops (female).  The dogs live in Fresno, California. The website has some decent history.


Ingredients:

Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Honey, Maltodextrin, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Sodium Benzoate, Real Vanilla, Phosphoric Acid, and Salt.

Nutrition 12 oz. serving (from the bottle)

160 Calories
45 mg Sodium.
41 g (14 %) of Daily Carbohydrates
0 mg Caffeine

Aroma and flavor – 2.5 out of 3 mugs

Before opening the bottle, I noted that this was the first brew I had ever seen that used three different sweeteners (Cane Sugar, Honey, and Maltodextrin) and listed "Salt" as an ingredient. Upon opening the bottle, I knew it was root beer dominated by vanilla, which was also noted in the first sip. Now, I love vanilla, so I should love this brew. Yet the sweetness factor was very high. This score is high due to the vanilla flavor, which I love.

Head – 2.5 out of 3 mugs

The head is very tall with very fine bubbles.  It dissipates slowly yet completely dissipates in about 90 seconds.  An excellent head.

Zip – 2.25 out of 3 mugs

You can taste the honey and vanilla, yet they are balanced and do not detract from the brew. However, there is a sticky sensation that I was okay with, but it may detract from the favorite mix for some. There was medium carbonation, and the scores were slightly lower as the flavor was very fine, just overpowering the sweetness.

Post Consumption Impression – 2.5 out of 3 mugs

The brew was a lot like Henry Weinhardt's without the excessive foam. I really loved the flavor (strong vanilla), yet the salt and sugar were also highly noticeable.

Would I recommend this at 9.25 out of 12 mugs?

Yes, it is a highly-rated brew, although it scored slightly lower for me due to the sweetness.  Then again, it scored high for the vanilla.  If I disliked vanilla, I would take two points off in the full range.  I also found it much more enjoyable when it was on cold ice and slightly watered down from the ice. 

OTHER REVIEWS
Derek Janiak – 7.4 out of 10 




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