Northern Soda Company Vanilla Bean Sarsaparilla

this year for a limited edition flavor, Northern Soda Company tried to make a sarsaparilla based on a per-Prohibiton era recipe once popular in the American west. I am going to guess they upped the sugar in that recipe quite a bit, but I could be wrong. I always assume, perhaps incorrectly, that old sodas, like really old ones that people made at home before mass marketing and distribution, were not as crazy sweet as the sodas of today. there really is no basis for that which I am aware of, just the impression in my head for whatever reason. plus Northern Soda Company seem to have very high sugar levels in all their sodas anyway. so how does this stack up, tastewise? well, let’s find out!
ooo, I like it! good spices here. a good amount of clove, a solid portion of licorice/anise and the expected sarsaparilla root. the promised, promoted vanilla bean really isn’t that huge a factor here. you know it has vanilla sure, when I focus on that, but it is not in the forefront of the taste profile. and yes, it is quite sweet. that is fine really, it does not take away from the overall experience and feels right here, not a sticky sweet thing. this is along the lines of what I usually expect a sarsaparilla to taste like, somewhere in the root beer realm but stronger, spicier, more robust. it is not too far along that path, but enough that it falls in the realm. granted it could have just been another root beer, but I am glad they branched out a bit. I look forward to what they do next.

Anthony’s Rating: 90
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Ingredients: filtered carbonated water, cane sugar, natural and artificial flavor, caramel color, citric acid, sodium benzoate (as preservative)