Oak Creek Barrel Aged Root Beer

August 6, 2018
Filed under: root beers — anthony @ 8:08 pm
Type: Root Beer Comes In: 12oz glass bottle
Available: CA, online

Obtained in: online somewhere
Head: Medium Sweetener: sugar, brown sugar
Calories: 150 Sodium: 35mg
Carbs: 41g Sugar: 41g
Caffeine: No
Website: oakcreekbarrelagedsodas.com

so this is the other offering so far from Oak Creek. it too is aged in charred oak barrels for a year. it is supposed to be more robust and all of that and perhaps it is, but perhaps it just has more caramel color. either way, it is different, despite the ingredients being identical.
but how does it taste? it is kind of meh, to me at least. i hoped for something really lively, unusual and popping out. but it is just kind of bland and dull. the carbonation even is lacking. i thought maybe this was an anomaly so i opened a second bottle, which luckily i had around, and it was the same. it could be a bad batch of course but it is what i have. there is some caramel there, some sassafras, but mainly it doesn't have much. i don't dislike it, it is decent yet it could be so much more.
Ingredients:water, sugar, brown sugar, natural & artificial flavor, caramel color, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate


Anthony's Rating: 72
User's Rating: 0
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Oak Creek Blonde Barrel Aged Root Beer

July 30, 2018
Filed under: root beers — anthony @ 5:00 am
Type: Root Beer Comes In: 12oz glass bottle
Available: CA, online

Obtained in: online somewhere
Head: Medium Sweetener: sugar, brown sugar
Calories: 150 Sodium: 35mg
Carbs: 41g Sugar: 41g
Caffeine: No
Website: oakcreekbarrelagedsodas.com

i am fully a fan of what this company is doing. they are expanding the root beer world really, innovating and creating whole new types of soda in a way. each batch of their soda spends at least a year in a charred oak barrel! now, i don't know if that is before or after carbonation, i would assume before really. or maybe just the syrup is aged? it doesn't sound like it. in any case, it seems quite complex and involved. i had heard tales of this brewer from Sagi, who seems to have his ear to the pulse of most new root beer happenings, quite a while ago. i believe there was some incident where all of the batch went bad or something and it wasn't discovered until it was opened after the year of aging. but i could be dreaming that or just making it up. in any case, i am glad this is around and i do hope they keep making new types of things.
although it says it has caramel color, i am suspicious of that as this is the color of cheap, watered down apple juice. i don't mind that personally, the less added color the better in my book. it is made with 25% brown sugar and 75% white sugar, so I am expecting a good brown sugar taste, but not too much. i think i'd prefer a strong brown sugar taste personally but whatever. there is no real info on what the spices and junk that are in here on the bottle, but the website says it has ' Madagascar vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and “allspice”.' i do not know why allspice is in quotes though. i can taste the cinnamon a little, the nutmeg a touch but not really the vanilla or allspice. the brown sugar comes through a little, but again, i would want more of it. it has a light taste, as i figured it would. nothing really complex or developing or too unusual in the flavor either. it is fine. i hoped for an 'oaky-ness' to come through somehow. or maybe a char sort of taste but there is really nothing like that here. i will drink the rest of the case i got but i won't rush to do so.
Ingredients:water, sugar, brown sugar, natural & artificial flavor, caramel color, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate


Anthony's Rating: 82
User's Rating: 0
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Calvin’s 1836 Barrel-Style Root Beer

July 23, 2018
Filed under: root beers — anthony @ 5:00 am
Type: Root Beer Comes In: 12oz glass bottle
Available: MO

Obtained in: trade with Tony
Head: Large Sweetener: cane sugar
Calories: 160 Sodium: 45mg
Carbs: 40g Sugar: 40g
Caffeine: No

i knew of this brew but never had a way to get any until Tony came along and posted in the root beer hunters facebook group that he had gotten it himself. as he is a very kind fellow, i inquired if he had any extra. lo and behold he did! woo and hoo as well to that news!
the label tries to look like an old document to play up the 1836 thing i suppose, browned paper with a slightly darker brown drawing of a couple of buildings and the like. that is fine. i am less of a fan of so many different fonts going on here though. i believe there are at least five on the main part of the label.
when i see a root beer with something in the ingredient list like 'root beer flavoring' or 'root beer extract' or whatever, i am kind of disappointed. it seems a cop out. i am aware that it could really mean that they make their own flavoring or extract or whatever and are not not revealing the secrets of it, but it seems more like they are just buying it from someone else. drinking this really doesn't lead me to believe much different. it is fine, tastes pretty good really, but it isn't anything special. there is a ton of foam and a very long lasting head, but that is purely aesthetic anyway. the added vanilla is a nice touch and does make it probably smoother and creamier than it would be otherwise. overall it is ok. drinkable and better than many, but just mediocre in the grand scheme of things.
Ingredients:water, cane sugar, root beer flavoring, pure vanilla extract, citric acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate


Anthony's Rating: 78
User's Rating: 0
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Studio Brew Big-e’ze Root Beer

July 16, 2018
Filed under: root beers — anthony @ 5:00 am
Type: Root Beer Comes In: 12oz glass bottle
Available: VA

Obtained in: trade with Tony
Head: Medium Sweetener: cane sugar, agave nectar
Calories: 140 Sodium: 15mg
Carbs: 35g Sugar: 35g
Caffeine: No

this brew was obtained from the Tony! he is another fellow with an excellent knack for finding new root beers. the label on this is a little hard to figure out, as the "ze" part of the "e'ze" is much smaller, so i thought it was "Big-e Root Beer" for a while there. otherwise it is a fine label, nothing crazy or exciting but you know what is in there. i have been to Virginia a couple times myself so I am little surprised I was unaware of this beverage, but I can't be on top of them all and I suppose i have not done an extensive search for new stuff there in a bit now.
popping the top is satisfying, it is a non-twist off and luckily i have a couple bottle openers, a little surprising as I am moving, or at least trying to move, currently and most everything is packed up. luckily my bicycle multi tool has a bottle opener as well! which seems to be a little bit of a waste of space and weight when both such things are at a premier.
in any case, this soda is super licorice tasting! woo! i am not complaining though. it is rather smooth otherwise with a very good carbonation level and mix. there are some other spices that jump in after the licorice fades out, some nice sassafras and a little birch action i think. although it is not too crazy unusual, it does what it does very well and is distinct enough to set it apart from most of the crowd. i would get this more if i could.
Ingredients:carbonated water, caramel color, pure cane sugar, blue agave nectar, quillaia extract, natural & artificial flavors, citric acid, sodium benzoate, potassium sorbate (to protect freshness), sparkling foam


Anthony's Rating: 93
User's Rating: 0
# of ratings:0
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