welcome to anthony's root beer barrel! here anthony reviews root beers, birch beers & sarsaparillas, randomly rambles about the topic and probably some more stuff. so check it all out, feel free to comment on reviews or rate brews yourself.

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changes still coming

November 28, 2007
Filed under: random junk — anthony @ 4:32 pm

you may have noticed the site changing before your eyes this week, and there will probably be a few more of those happens, so just hold onto your bottlecaps and keep children at bay.
recently added was a new navigation bar on the top there to get to specific pages, including a FAQs page with a listing of the sodas with caffeine which will dynamically update if i review any more. this seems to be a big concern of people coming here, so there you go.
i have also been trying to find a stats plug-in that i like. basically i have something now i like but would like a counter which will count unique visits. that does not seem so much to ask, but perhaps it is. i suppose i could write it myself, maybe. when i get some time i will try probably.
what else? i am still adding links and trying to make sure they all still work but that will take time too. bear with me.
thanks again for the suggestions and comments and for bearing with me!

 
 

it’s alive!

November 26, 2007
Filed under: random junk — anthony @ 12:10 pm

ok, so after a good month or so of work, i have completed the redesign of this site. hopefully all issues are fixed and things work as i want them to. if you find an issue or have an opinion, please let me know.
the idea was to allow more of a community to happen, people can comment on reviews and offer their own opinions on the brews.
i am still migrating the reviews over, but that is the long and tedious part so bare with me, i think i have 282 of the 329 done already.
UPDATE: ok, got all of the reviews up! hooray for me! there are a couple more tweaks i want to do but nothing vital. enjoy!

 
 

Route Beer 66

November 1, 2007
Filed under: root beer reviews — anthony @ 6:12 pm
Type: Root Beer Comes In: 12oz glass bottle
Available: AZ, CA, IL, KS, MS, NM, OK, TX, online Obtained in: mail from company
Head: Large Sweetener: high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar
Caffeine: No
Website: http://www.route66sodas.com/

not to be confused with the other two sodas with the “Route 66″ motif, although i think at least one of those is no longer produced. anyway, on to this soda! i had known of its existance for a while now but never got around to getting some for myself, but then it appeared on my doorstep so all was good in the world again! the taste of this brew is fairly standard, albeit a little bit weak/watery. and i think there is my issue with the root beer. i do enjoy it but i struggle to keep a hold of the taste as it is rather fleeting on my tongue. (ok, that may be the most pompous thing i have ever said or written about a root beer, but it is true!) the head is strong, making it look good. the flavor that is there is smooth with a hint of spice, perhaps a cinnimon-ish undertone? it is not bad by any means, as i said i do enjoy it but it does not wow me.
Anthony’s Rating: 79
Your Rating: 43
# of ratings:2

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Simpson Spring Root Beer

November 1, 2007
Filed under: root beer reviews — anthony @ 5:57 pm
Type: Root Beer Comes In: 10oz glass bottle
Available: MA Obtained in: from company store
Head: Medium Sweetener: sugar
Caffeine: No
Website: http://www.simpsonspring.com/

I have been trying to obtain this soda for quite some time. Everytime I have gone up to Boston in the past few years I had forgotten to swing over and stop here for some sodas. But then new years this past year was to be on Cape Cod and I knew this place delivered there so I was on it! My friend Craig offered to arrange delivery and all since he lived around there and junk. But the minimum order was too high so I decided to just stop there on my way up. Which I did. It was quite rad to see the place where it all happens, deep in the woods and all. I got a case of mixed sodas and headed out. Upon arrival at the house I found that Craig has also stopped and gotten a case for me! So very kind of him but funny in a way. Oh well. More soda for me to drink!
So anyway, I am quite enjoying this brew. It is not terribly unique, but it does the predictable root beer thing just right. Just the right amount of carbonation, just right sweetness, just right flavor level. I have very much enjoyed many bottles of this since the new year and would be happy to have more. It is a bit curious to me that the bottles are only 10 ounces instead of the more usual 12, but maybe corners have to get cut somewhere. I suggest a visit to the spring and brewery, perhaps I will try to get a tour next time myself.
Anthony’s Rating: 85
Your Rating: 0
# of ratings:0

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Simpson Spring White Birch Beer

November 1, 2007
Filed under: birch beers reviews — anthony @ 5:53 pm
Type: White Birch Beer Comes In: 10oz glass bottle
Available: MA Obtained in: from company store
Head: Tiny Sweetener: sugar, fructose
Caffeine: No
Website: http://www.simpsonspring.com/

I really do love me some white birch beer. as a beverage group, it may be the one I enjoy the most consistantly. perhaps it is the wintergreen yum or how the flavor is much more subtle and multi-layored, I am not really sure. This one right here is a pretty good example of the genre. It is a little bit heavy, in a syrupy sense, but just barely. It goes down well otherwise and the taste develops over a matter of a few seconds, from first drink until after the swallow itself. There are better clear birches out there, true, but this one is not a bad one to have. This is especially true as there is no corn syrup, well, unless there is, which is possible as “dextrose” and “fructose” could both be corn syrup under different names. I hope not though.
Anthony’s Rating: 79
Your Rating: 0
# of ratings:0

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