Jul 062022
 

This is my fourth Sprecher root beer. I really appreciate them for continuing to develop new flavors for me to test. Though, I always have the hardest time finding these. Like, supposedly they’re sold at hardware stores near me, but I never find them. If not for the immense generosity of Vince, I would be left to wander in darkness, groping in vain for root beers always beyond my reach. Or, just drive a little further to a specialty soda store that will have them, but I like to be melodramatic. Plus it’s always fun to meet up with true root beer savant. Anyways. I like vanilla root beers. I love vanilla and making it the dominant flavor in root beer has always worked well. Sprecher being Sprecher, I have no doubt this will also be a great hit. Sadly the crow beast thing on the label is not jovially holding a mug, but I guess this is more coat of arms style. This is flavored with natural vanilla flavor rather than vanilla extract, which I’m not sure makes a huge difference, but does seem a bit weird to me.

The Body is mild with a strong, albeit not creamy, vanilla flavor. It kind of tastes artificial, despite being natural flavor. The Bite is mild as well, with little worth mentioning.  The Head is medium height and staying power. The Aftertaste is more of that vanilla flavor, which while not the best vanilla flavor, isn’t bad.

Well, um, this brew is okay, but not what I’d hoped. Maybe there’s something to that natural flavor vs extract thing. I really don’t get it, but normal Sprecher is so good, why didn’t they just double or triple the vanilla? That would have been amazing. As it is, this is drinkable but not what I expect from Sprecher. Oh well, I guess 2 out of 4 having a Seal is a lot better than most brands. See how it rates against other root beers.

Three kegs

May 042022
 
Seal of Approval

I found this last summer at Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store. I’d known about it for awhile and had tried to find it. Everyone told me to just get it from Menard’s, but every time I went to one they didn’t have it. I’m convinced Sprecher purposely makes new root beers hard for me and me only to find. Anyways. Caffeinated root beer. Can’t say I’m a fan in general as I don’t really drink much caffeine so it affects me a lot. Especially since I usually drink my root beers in the evening, I had to make sure to review these in the middle of day. Any ways. It seems like it is just original Sprecher with caffeine added to it, so it should be good.

It has a rich full body that’s sweet and smooth with vanilla and honey flavors. There’s some slight soapy notes and feel from the caffeine, but this isn’t too much to pull it down much. The Bite is good and spicy, on the milder side yet present enough. It has a smooth, yet slightly soapy finish. The Head is very tall and foamy, better than regular Sprecher. The Aftertaste is a vanilla and honey with that hint of soapy.

I was right, it is just regular ol’ Sprecher with that slightly alkaline caffeine flavor and feel, which is 100% expected and still quite delicious though not quite as good as the original. If I ever need to stay up late, this is what I’ll be drinking. See how it rates against other root beers.

4 kegs
Oct 212020
 

Sprecher Root Beer BBQ SauceThe last good of my Sprecher Root Beer Products order. The Barbecue Sauce. I love me some barbecue sauce. I always put it on burgers, fries, chicken strips, ribs, etc. I always am pouring copious amounts of it on my barbecue. In my opinion, fries are merely a vehicle to eat barbecue sauce. So this was the one I was the most excited for. We waited for a special occasion and then made a nice rack of ribs topped with the sauce for a first taste.

It’s a rather runny sauce, which is unexpected. The flavor is a little ketchupy and tangy, with a bit of tart spice. The root beer doesn’t really come out like it does in their mustard. When cooked on ribs, it thickens nicely and gives a great flavor, though not the root beer flavor that I’d hoped.

That was kind of disappointing. I later tried it on a hamburger and a chicken burger and some fries and I’ll just give it an okay. It’s not really my style, and the root beer doesn’t really shine though. It isn’t bad by any means, just not what you’ll probably be looking for when you get a root beer barbecue sauce. I’m looking for something thick that I can dip all my things, whereas this seems more like a marinade sauce than a finishing/dipping sauce.

My rack of Sprecher Root Beer Barbecue ribs.

My rack of Sprecher Root Beer Barbecue ribs.