Dang! That’s Good Root Beer

i just have to say, first off, that this is probably the most pretentiously named product i have ever reviewed. it reminds me of some sort of infomercial product like “the greatest chamois cloth ever!” or “the perfect pita toaster” or something. or else something like “i can’t believe it’s not butter” which always makes me ponder who THEY are to tell ME what i can and cannot believe?! especially since i definitely CAN believe that that slop is not butter. but back to the matter at hand, ok?
i have heard quite good things about this soda so i have slightly higher hopes than usual, which may or may not work in its favor. probably not i think.
the design leaves something to be desired, even beyond the name, it just sort of bores me. and slapping “The Original” in the corner there makes me wonder just who was claiming it is NOT the original and whether there are fake, bootleg version of this pop out there.
my first impression of the actual drink is that there is barely any gas escape upon cap removal. that makes me think i may have a bum bottle here. the carbonation seems way too low. i will try another one soon and update this if i find it different. this soda gets yet another superlative, as it is also probably the most syrupy soda i have ever had. that could be a direct result of the lack of carbonation making me notice such things more. being the crazy person that i am though i blame it on the high fructose corn sweetener instead. it just coats my mouth with sweet. that would normally be a great compliment coming from me but here it is just TOO much. too sweet. and that is a shame since the flavor is actually very good besides that. it is not so far from the root beer you would expect that you think it is not root beer yet it is different enough to be distinct. i really do hope this is just a bad bottle as i would like to like this more. i think more carbonation would help it a lot. i think i root (pun not intended) for most small brewers to make a really amazing soda and this one is very close. to me at least.
they make a butterscotch root beer too which i shall review soon i am sure but seeing as how sweet this one is, that scares me a bit. stay tuned…
Ingredients:carbonated water, high fructose corn sweetener, carmel color, citric acid, natural and artificial flavors and sodium benzoate (a preservative)

Anthony’s Rating: 78
User’s Rating: 79
# of ratings:22
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NY Times and junk

ok, so i got interviewed last week for a NY Times article on root beer which should be out tomorrow (6/25/2008) in the Food section, so check it out and i hope it is actually good. very fun for me. keeping my fingers crossed that i actually don’t sound like a foolrod. we shall see. or at least i will. and my mom i bet.
if you are coming here from the article mentioned above, welcome! i am anthony, these are my reviews. i try to update a couple times a month at least, but it is getting quite hard to find new sodas so that is variable. look around, click on Reviews to see links to all of the brands i have reviewed so far, or Availability to see what sodas are supposedly available near you, or any of the other links in the top navigation bar or just jump around the site. write and say hello too! and if you can get any of the sodas in that right side bar deal, PLEASE let me know.
thanks!
and come back again soon!

oh, just to make this not totally worthless, this article is very funny to me:
High School Root Beer Party Raided. especially as someone who has had a root beer kegger or two.
ok, so maybe it was one birch beer kegger…
although i did have a birch beer keg at my wedding too.
i suppose this story was all over the news some time back but it seems i am out of the ole loop. i am not sure when that happened or if i ever actually was in said loop, but i am not now, rest assured.

UPDATE the article is live! check it out. it came out well i think although not a whole lot of the interview was used. but that is cool as site traffic is way up! woo hoo!

Mercury Brewing Company Root Beer

ah, at last, I have some of their root beer to review! not that i have actually looked all THAT hard for it, but just knowing it is somewhere in the general Boston area and the number of times i too have been there and probably less than 1/4 mile from said soda drove me crazy at times. but then my pal Craig came through and brought me a six pack of Mercury pop! woo hoo! go Craig! i do very much enjoy their graphic design. the old school “the Flash” comic book style mascot dude drinking a flagon of some (presumably) Mercury Pop is very cool. the general feel of it is cool too, the intersecting circles and font choices are excellent. anyway, on to the brew as they say in the business!
i admit i like this better than the birch beer. it has a more solid, identifiable taste. it is a morphing sort of taste at that. it develops from just a mild root beer on your tongue to a slightly bitter, full bodied, much more herbal root beer after the swallow. but then a moment later it repeats on you (as my grandma used to say) you get a sweeter version which slowly fades away with your saliva. to me, that bitterness is good and bad. it makes the soda a little more distinct but it also is not a trait i like in general. here is sort of does work, it is kind of kicks you, or maybe it is more of a “bite” if you will. so i suppose when i think about it, i quite like this beverage. i don’t love it but it is better than most. the sweetness is not overpowering or too long lasting, the flavor is identifiable as root beer but unique from most others and the carbonation is about right, there but not making your stomach expand intensely.
Anthony’s Rating: 86
User’s Rating: 68
# of ratings:4
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