It all started in the
80's 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 flavors of soda, 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 22oz. 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, it was 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, which is why I
have this to review.
So it is time for the review. (Click here for information
on the rating criteria and a table of all the root beer tested or to be 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 one of 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 are not to my liking. I am not much of a birch flavor lover.
Head – 1 out of 3
mugs
The head was
rather small and what did appear was gone just as quickly.
Zip – 2 out of 3 mugs
The carbonation was on the lower side and the flavor an interesting mix. Although I was not pleased with the flavors,
it scores high for the combination and zip.
Post Consumption Impression – 1 out
of 3 mugs
I will try this again in case I have
a bad bottle. Although, based on this
experience, I have a hesitation 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,
maybe give it a try. It really should be a 4 total score yet the zip was unique
and prominent, just not to my liking.
OTHER
REVIEWS
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