Apr 202016
 

Mom's Root Beer Bottle I find it a happy coincidence that after doing my old post on Dad’s Root Beer the next brew for me to review was Mom’s. It’s clear from the label that they are going for exactly the same thing like some cheap knockoff. The logo is in the same angle and while the letters themselves are different colors, the whole logo sports the same blue, red, and yellow scheme. Also there’s the “The Better Half” quote on the bottle, as if to say that it’s the better half of the Mom and Dad parentage. And why not? We’re all for feminism and equality these days. Why should the fathers be the only ones with their own root beer? We’re about empowerment and #yesallwomen and whatnot now so of course we need a Mom’s Root Beer if we have a Dad’s. They even have their own website, which at the time of this writing, is one of those Godaddy free one-page sites. Talk about a missed opportunity to really support the cause there Mom’s. It is, of course, is still better than the non-existent websites of some companies so there’s that.

The Body is sweet and rich and a little creamy. It has a generic creamy root beer taste that could be a little stronger. The Bite is okay. There’s a bit of spice and fizz. It’s on the smooth side. The Head is average; nothing special but not bad. The Aftertaste is a light caramel vanilla flavor.

This is quite pleasant but nothing special, much like Dad’s root beer. I think that this has a more premium root beer feel (though I didn’t drink them side-by-side) whereas Dad’s is more mass market. Which means … Mom’s rates a little higher. “The Better Half” indeed. See how it rates against other root beers.

Three and a half kegs




Apr 132016
 

Dad's Root Beer BottleAnother iconic brand that is seldom found it glass bottles though commonly found in cans and plastic two-liter bottles. This was one that I had enjoyed as better than the average back in my pre-connoisseur days during the occasional pizza night or barbecue. And by average I mean Cragmont, the precursor to Safeway Select which was the precursor to whatever they have now, Refreshe or something like that. Who cares, they don’t properly bottle it. Anyways. I was traveling up in the Mystic Land of the North on a quest to see The Arrogant Worms, the same quest in which I found the Pirate’s Keg Root Beer. I can’t remember the store where I found this, probably a gas station, but I do remember finding it there. It is the exact same as in the US except with the Racinette on the label. I got three bottles and waited until I had returned to give it a proper review.

This is alright. The Body is good. The Bite is a little harsh for me, I like it smooth. The Head is nothing special. The Aftertaste is not displeasing.

So as we’ve covered before, I was a little, shall we say, less than descriptive in my earlier writings. Whereas before I had thought of it as above average, I’d say it is only an average gourmet root beer, though my standards are much higher than they had been when I quaffed Cragmont “Brown” from the can. It’s still good enough for those pizza parties if you get it in glass. See how it rates against other root beers.

Three kegs




Mar 302016
 

Etna Brewing Company Root Beer Bottle The second root beer that I found way back in 2014 on my TMC Connect road trip. I’d actually known about this one for some time but they wouldn’t answer my emails when I requested info on how to order. So, it wasn’t until I was in Mount Shasta at the Tesla Supercharger on the way back that I finally crossed paths with it. I got it at the Rays Food Place a few minutes walk away. As an aside can I say that Rays Food Place has got to be up there with the greatest grocery store names of all time? Well I’m saying it. Anyways. I didn’t venture to it on the way down to TMC Connect because I was busy looking at other places for brew. So this place is brewed in Etna, CA, a mere hour’s drive from the Mount Shasta supercharger. The bottles has a lot of flavor text like “The Soda with the Good Ol’ Taste!” and “Bringing you a taste of what Root Beer used to be” as well as the predictable but always fun “Get Back to Your Roots”. Add in the whole bald eagle and they’re clearly going for some nostalgic ‘murica experience. Cracking open the bottle brings a wonderful spicy root beer aroma that promises an excellent brew.

The Body has a dominant wintergreen flavor mixed with anise. It’s also rather strange and medicinal tasting and not terribly strong. The Bite is smooth for the most part but sort of sour. The Head is short but frothy, though it does fizz down faster than it should. The Aftertaste is a bitter wintergreen and anise flavor that lingers too long and turns gross as it does.

Eww. I hope that this isn’t a “taste of what Root Beer used to be”. What happened to all of that goodness in the aroma? Maybe it all escaped. What a terrible letdown. I’m sure glad I didn’t mail order this or I would have felt that I paid way too much money for a rather miserable experience. Steer clear. See how it rates against other root beers.

1.5 out of 5 kegs