Simpson Spring Sarsaparilla

December 11, 2007
Filed under: sarsaparillas — anthony @ 12:45 pm
Type: SarsaparillaComes In:10oz glass bottle
Available:MA, onlineObtained in:factory store
Head:MediumSweetener:corn sweetener, sugar, fructose
Caffeine:No
Website:http://www.simpsonspring.com/

how did this soda also elude my testing scrutiny for so long? i bought it last year when i went to Cape Cod for new year’s eve. i suppose i just assumed all along that i had reviewed it long ago as i have drank many a bottle of it since that time.
this is very well carbonated, particularly for being in my fridge for so long, impressive indeed. so this makes one rather gassy, that is one attribute. if it is a plus or a minus is up to you and the particular social situation you find yourself in at the time of consumption. although i am unsure just how often you would be at a fancy gathering consuming sarsaparilla unless it is an attempt to be ironic or something, which would obviously fail badly.
there is a definite “biting” quality to this beverage, in a good way. it is sharp somehow, even beyond the high carbonation level. i like it, it makes this pop different from others. but i don’t love it, it is a bit too sharp really. different does not always mean better, just ask Journey about that one. it also lacks body somehow, which is not really bad, just something i would think this soda should have. go all out and make it hearty and sharp and junk.
Anthony’s Rating: 77
User’s Rating: 85
# of ratings:1
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Tommyknocker Root Beer Float

December 10, 2007
Filed under: other reviews,root beers — anthony @ 10:24 pm
Type: OtherComes In:12oz glass bottle
Available:CO, FL, GA, IL, IN, KY, MD, MA, MI, MN, NE, NC, ND, OH, RI, SC, TX, UT, VA, WI, WY, onlineObtained in:random town in Utah
Head:LargeSweetener:high fructose corn syrup
Caffeine:No
Website:http://www.tommyknocker.com/ourSoda.html

a few months ago my girlfriend and I went to Utah, to go to three national parks, do a load of hiking, see some rad stuff and all of that. and we did indeed do all of that. i was a bit saddened though that i did not find any new root beers, especially in Moab, that seemed the perfect place for a wacky brewery to be. that is until one of the last days when we stopped at a random store in a small town for some snacks for our final car ride back to Salt Lake City. and in the refrigerated section of that grocer’s inventory was the full line of Tommyknocker sodas! i was excited, mainly because i quite enjoyed their regular root beer but also because this soda was there too! but i never tried it until now.
here is the short review for those of you pressed for time: it tastes like bubble gum, exactly.
now for the longer part: yup, it really does indeed taste just like bubble gum. how in the world is that anything like a root beer float? what are you thinking Tommyknocker people?! i think this stuff may in fact be discontinued and i definitely see why, if so. if not, i think it should be as this wreaks mass havoc upon the fine name of “Tommyknocker!” so let this be a plea to anyone in anyway affiliated with that company, stop them! now! please?
Anthony’s Rating: 22
User’s Rating: 45
# of ratings:8
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Lotsa Root Beer

December 9, 2007
Filed under: root beers — anthony @ 10:21 pm
Type: Root BeerComes In:3L plastic bottle
Available:OHObtained in:Odd Lots, Springfield, NJ
Head:SmallSweetener:high fructose corn syrup
Caffeine:No

i suppose when a beverage can be obtained at a rate cheaper than water, in this case 99 cents for a three (3) liter bottle, it probably won’t be all that high quality of a delight. in this case, that statement is true indeed. i am not telling you this is awful, but it is not good. i would honestly rather not have it though. i might pick the aforementioned water instead even if given the choice. it is a mainly generic root beer taste but washed out. it does not command the full attention of your taste buds and tongue, it just sort of lazily slides over them, too tired or bored or timid to do much except lazily sprinkle them all with a hint of root beer. and not in a good way either mind you. so the moral of this fine tale is to just get the store brand or something instead of this if you have a dollar and change and need a huge jug o’ root beer goodness since this won’t get that job done so well.
Anthony’s Rating: 42
User’s Rating: 0
# of ratings:0
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IBC in a weird can

December 9, 2007
Filed under: random junk — anthony @ 9:57 pm

so, last week i was coming home from teaching a Spin class when i thought i would swing by the local dollar store. that sort of establishment seems to be a very fine hunting ground for new and/or random root beers. i mean, something like Odd Lots or Big Lots is better since it is a much more wacky and bizarre collection of stuff from all over the place but dollar stores sometimes play that same role. anyway, i head for the beverage aisle and see this thing sitting on the shelf.
at first i saw just the one can so i grab it but soon after i saw a whole pile of em. now i do not know when IBC started canning their drink, but it seems a weird move. which could very well be why it was at the dollar store afterall. nonetheless, i am glad this did not succeed. if a soda can be put into a glass bottle and sold profitably, it should be. not just because it tastes better but because it recycles/reuses better, save the earth and all of that stuff. i will try this canned craziness sometime and be sure to report back, yet i hope it is not a sign of things to come. although i see Independent Brewing Company’s root beer less often these days, they should be doing well enough to continue with the real glass bottle strategy i would think. so is this a common format for them in other parts of the nation? do share people, i am curious.
i will get some more reviews up this week, do not fret, my fridge is not quite empty yet.