Cheers! Root Beers

Keeping a diary as I drink every root beer in the world. What should I drink next? Mssg me: @jwsiddons

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Bundaberg Root Beer is just one of the offerings from the Australian family-owned business Bundaberg Brewed Drinks.  While I was vacationing on Maui in Hawaii I stumbled across this bottle in a local market. Immediately I feel in love with the packaging. According to the manufacturer's website Bundaberg root beer is made from a family recipe with real sarsaparilla root, liquorice root, vanilla beans and molasses. That’s exactly what you could taste after you popped the top on this drink. Upon first taste you immediately taste the sarsparilla root. The overall finish is bitter and the sweetness is dialed down. I do blame myself a little for not getting the experience right as you can see there were clear instructions on the label to invert the bottle before opening which is something I did not do! Overall this is my first Australian root beer ever which was exciting in itself. I would recommend this root beer for any fans who enjoy the strong sarsparilla taste in their root beers!

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Island Root Beer by the Maui Brewing Company was quite a treat to find inside the mini bar at my hotel room when I landed in Maui. Brewed with locally sourced Hawaiian honey and vanilla I was excited to try my first can. Unfortunately there isn’t much to learn from the Maui Brewing Co. about their signature soda because they don’t seem to have any information posted on their website. For me the taste was familiar but also finished on the bitter side. As far as root beers go this wasn’t as smooth a finish as others I’ve had. They also get extra bonus points for having such a strong brand and packaging design in general. While it doesn’t crack my top ten I was just excited to get my first taste of root beer from the islands! 

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Frostie Root Beer is an old brand that was originally manufactured in 1939 by The Frostie Beverage Company of Catonsville, Maryland. It was sold a bunch of times to a few different companies. It’s a good root beer sad to see it passed around like a second hand soda. If you can find it, try it. 

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Langers Gourmet Soda Root Beer made by Langers Juice Company as far as I can tell. They don’t have a soda website that I can find. The root beer was decent, they claim to have honey brewed in it. You could definitely tell. 

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River City Root Beer is made by Blue Dog Beverages in Sacramento, California. According to their website they make three different kinds of soda, Root Beer, Blueberry Lemonade, and Ginger Beer. They also say that River City Root Beer was made specifically for floats! While I didn’t drink this in ice cream, stupid move I now realize, it was tasty just out of the bottle. 

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Chicago Root Beer is a soda company located in Des Plaines, Illinois. It’s a decent local root beer that have a lot of different flavor sodas available in their product line. I mean Green Apple sounds like something I’d give a whirl. 

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Dog N Suds Root Beer made and bottled by Dog N Suds Drive In restaurants. Pretty well known brand of root beer as it goes. I bet a decent amount of people can even find this brand in their local super market chain. Either way, good solid brew. 

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3 Dachshunds Root Beer is  located in Cudahy, WI and brewed by 3 Dachshunds Brewing Company. Not just a delicious root beer but one of the more creatively named. Just look at that label! Extra points for the use of Cane Sugar of High Fructose! 

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Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer brewed by Henry Weinhard’s Brewery in Portland, Oregon. This American root beer recipe was originally made by master brewers during Prohibition. Despite the fact that you cannot learn about Henry’s root beer from their website, they do make a number of soda’s including Cream Soda that I also look forward to trying. 

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Sea Dog Root Beer is a product of the popular restaurant chain Sea Dog Brewing Co. The best part of is it’s hard to find Sea Dog Root Beer any of their menus online except the Kids Menu. If I ever visit one of the restaurants I will be ordering off the Kids Menu then :)

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Abita Root Beer is brewed by Abita Brewing Company about 30 miles north of New Orleans in Abita Springs. It’s common for a brewery to have an extensive offering of beers while manufacturing root beer on the side but I encourage them to continue their soda brewing as this was a delicious brew. 

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Not Your Father’s Root Beer brewed by Small Town Brewery in Chicago, IL. This root beer also includes one special ingredient that most do not, alcohol. I’ve had a few other alcoholic “root beer” but Not Your Father’s is by far the best. In fact if you dig root beer consider this a dangerous beverage for obvious reasons. 

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Black Cow Root Beer brewed by Druthers Beverage Co. in Oglesby, Illinois. The internet tells me to make a float with this root beer is divine. I’m going to have to try that next time!

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Avery’s Root Beer bottled and made out of New Britain, Connecticut since 1904! That’s a long time making soda. What a cool, simple label design. It was sweet, not too fizzy.

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Dang! That's Good! Root Beer 

Brewed in: Milwaukee, WI

Website: http://dangthatsgood.com

Sweet smell, the taste has a metallic hint which comes out stronger in the aftertaste.

3/5 

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Triple XXX Root Beer 

Brewed in: Lafayette, IN

Website: triplexxxfamilyrestaurant.com/rootbeer/default.aspx

Made in midwest with pure cane sugar. It's smooth with a slight tangy aftertaste. The bottle boasts that it "Makes Thirst A Joy," I agree. Delicious.

4/5 

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Grand Teton Brewing Co. Root Beer 

Brewed in: Victor, ID

Website: grandtetonbrewing.com

Smells just like those hard root beer barrel candies you ate as a kid. Tastes like it has low carbonation which makes it very smooth to drink. It has a sweet after taste. Really delicious.

4/5