The Soda Pop Bros – Eric’s Gourmet Root Beer Blog

Fiz Oktoberfest Root Beer

Sep 072022

This is the second Oktoberfest root beer to come out of the collaboration of Roc City (Fiz) and The Soda Pop Bros, that is a limited addition root beer with chocolate as one of the ingredients. The base formula for both is the same, but mixed in different ratios with different levels of carbonation, which makes two similar yet distinct brews. As I mentioned before, the Fiz has more carbonation and about 20% more of the flavoring and sugar, making stronger, stickier, foamier brew as opposed to the Soda Pop Bros more light and refreshing root beer. Whichever one prefers is up to personal preference but I lean more to enjoy the stronger flavors so I was excited to try this. I also really like the label on this bottle, the yellow and the coat of arms makes it feel very Bavarian.

The Body is rich and sweet with an aged sarsaparilla core wrapped in a chocolately flavor that adds darkness and depth. There’s also a little vanilla to round it out. I like it a lot. The Bite is not strong but there is a bit of spice. I like the feel of it too. The Head is very tall and foamy as it should be. The Aftertaste is a nice chocolaty sarsaparilla.

This is good. This is what I like. A nice and sweet and full of yummy flavored brew. This only the second time I’ve chocolate in a root beer and I’m pleased that it worked so well. I hope they bring this back every October because I’d love to celebrate Okoberfest with a tall mug of this. See how it rates against other root beers.

Soda Pop Bros Oktoberfest Root Beer

Bottled Root Beers No Responses »

Aug 032022

Back in September I heard from my good friend Jeremy of The Soda Pop Bros about a limited edition Oktoberfest brew they were making. This was a must try for me, because not only is all root beers a must try, this one had chocolate in it. I’ve heard of chocolate root beers before (and a Root Beer and Chocolate which I can’t quite review with my stringent definitions) but I’ve never been able to acquire them before. I like their label, it’s all Bavarian looking like lederhosen which is what you’d expect at Oktoberfest. Another interesting fact is that it has 2% of the daily needs of calcium and 10% of potassium, so it’s good-ish for you? Or at least got those sweet electrolytes. So how is this Bavarian, hydrating, chocolatey brew?

The Body is sweet and mild with a hint of chocolate flavor mingled with a bit of sarsaparilla. It’s a refreshing yet subtly complex. There’s also a citrus hint. The Bite is also pretty mild and decently smooth. The Head is excellent! Very tall but doesn’t linger too long. The Aftertaste is faint, but of chocolate and sarsaparilla.

It’s different and enjoyable, refreshing even, but do I wish it were just a little stronger. A little more oomph would take it to the next level, though it wouldn’t be as refreshing, probably. I like it stronger anyways. Anyhow, this brew was actually a collaboration with another soda maker with whom the Soda Pop Bros are good friends. The recipes are similar with this having lesser carbonation amongst other things. So stay tuned. See how it rates against other root beers.

Soda Pop Bros Maple Root Beer

Bottled Root Beers No Responses »

Oct 062021

Soda Pop Bros Maple Root Beer Bottle Root beer number 2 from The Soda Pop Bros! It’s a limited edition Maple Root Beer! Because what could be more Canadian than putting maple syrup in your root beer? Apologizing for your coworkers missing a meeting because of opening day of moose season (true story by the way)? Eating poutine at a hockey game while sipping a cup of Tim Horton’s? Being all dressed as a Mounty while eating All Dressed chips and a Coffee Crisp? Maybe but maybe not, because those Canucks love their root beer like their neighbors south of the border, and maple syrup is the glue that holds their country together. The only thing I really don’t get is the beaver. Like what’s a beaver got to do with maple syrup? Maybe they cut down maple trees for their dams? I don’t know, but it’s a cute beaver that somehow feels very Canadian. Anyways, root beer.

The Body has a rich maple syrup flavor on initial contact which is followed by vanilla and aged sarsaparilla. The flavors mix well. The Bite is mild and smooth with a good mouthfeel from the maple syrup. The Head is top notch. The Aftertaste is sarsaparilla and maple. The more you drink the more the maple diminishes and the sarsaparilla grows to almost taste fruity, sadly.

Dang, I wish that Aftertaste weren’t so strong of sarsaparilla. My first drink of this and I was like “Ah, now this is the stuff!” But as I drank more I was all “Is this the stuff?” and unfortunately by the end, I was like, “This is not quite the stuff”. But it’s still better than average, and I prefer it to their normal root beer. The fact they used real maple syrup rather than maple flavor really improves the mouthfeel. It’s definitely worth a try if you can find it. See how it rates against other root beers.

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