GourmetRootBeer

Johnnie Ryan Root Beer

Dec 262012

I keep wanting to call this Johnnie Walker instead of Johnnie Ryan. Not that I drink whiskey, but I do see it all the time in Duty Free Shops. There’s also several points of branding similarity. Johnny Walker has for a logo a distinguished looking fellow with a top hat and a cane, Johnnie Ryan has got a logo that is just a top hat and a cane, minus the gentleman. Then there’s Johnnie Walker Red Label, and Johnnie Ryan has a red label. So you can see why it would be easy to get confused. As far as I can tell from reading the various websites, there is no affiliation between the two (unlike Dr. McGillicudy’s which makes schnapps and root beer) and so I’m going to just chalk it up to an uncanny coincidence. The bottle is pretty unique and it was the first time I’d seen this type before when I reviewed it. The only downside is that it isn’t quite 12 oz, so you feel a bit ripped off by the whole thing.

This has a full Body that is sweet and slightly creamy. It basically has the standard root beer flavor. The Bite is strong from carbonation but light on spices; I prefer it a little more the other way. The Head is a decent height but low on froth and fizzes away in seconds. The root beer is not left flat by any means however. The Aftertaste is a mild sweet vanilla.

So, it’s a good brew, but not quite exceptional. Maybe if they used some more spices in there and a tad more vanilla. Or, perhaps if they used more “flavor” than preservatives … but what do I know? I’d drink it again, but not by itself, and they don’t need to worry about that extra fraction of an ounce. See how it rates against other root beers.

Zippy’s Giant Root Beer

Bottled Root Beers No Responses »

Dec 192012

First of all, the label is slightly terrifying. I don’t know the style that they are going for, but the guy/girl … person with the enormous eyes, huge lips, and long tongue with a burger in one hand and a root beer in the other is frightening. Secondly, for a ‘giant’ root beer, it is the SAME FREAKING SIZE AS EVERY OTHER ROOT BEER! Though after following the website on the bottle (which actually works to their credit) I learned that this is a burger joint in West Seattle called Zippy’s Giant Burgers, so that’s where the Giant Root Beer comes from. For a single burger joint with only one location to have their own brand of bottled root beer is really cool (and local at that), so they are forgiven for name, and even the terrifying bottle. However, they also claim “a classic since 2008”. Now normally such a claim would require several decades to pass before you can claim you have a classic product, even though technically it is a correct usage of the word, so I’m going to say they’re jumping the gun a bit.

The Body has a medium sassafras flavor with some vanilla and honey that gives way to a slightly sour fruity flavor after several seconds. Though there is vanilla it isn’t very creamy. There is a strong carbonation bite that gives it a harsh mouth feel but there aren’t any spices. So it has a lot of the bad Bite and not much of the good. The Head bubbles up high, but isn’t frothy and fizzes away quickly. The Aftertaste is vanilla fruitiness with a dash of honey that doesn’t last too long.

It’s not bad, but the sour fruity flavor really detracts from the Body, and the Bite and Head could use some work. It’s kind of sad because they use some quality ingredients. I think a major flaw is putting in more citric acid than vanilla extract, but what do I know. I don’t think I’d make a trek all the way back to Seattle just for this. Though, they seem to make some pretty epic burgers and have an ever revolving line of retro sodas in glass bottles (including other root beers) served at their restaurant, so I’ll probably drop by next time I’m in the neighborhood. See how it rates against other root beers.

Grand Teton Brewing Company Root Beer

Bottled Root Beers No Responses »

Dec 122012

What better way to celebrate 12/12/12 than with a root beer review! Up and out of the blue one day, I got an email from Cosmo asking if I’d tried Grand Teton Brewing Company Root Beer and if I was willing to trade for it. At the time I was in the midst of acquiring around 10 different brands and though my root beer budget was stretched, I couldn’t resist. Two days after I agreed and he said he’d ship it, my sister who lives in ID calls me up and asks if I’d tried Grand Teton Root Beer because they sell it at the super market near Boise. Some context, when I got the call, I knew I’d see my sister in two weeks time. Oh well, I’d already committed to Cosmo. I really like the label of this, being an outdoors man myself. “Kettle Brewed” conjures up images of a large, sweet looking brass kettle for some reason over a fire in a brewery. I’m not sure why I think of brass, but you have to admit it would look really cool. So up in the Grand Tetons, some brewers are mixing root beer ingredients in large brass kettles, heating them over fires, and pouring in pure spring water that they’ve tapped near their brewery. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. They also relabel this as Old Faithful Root Beer to sell in Yellowstone National Park which is good that Yellowstone has got such a good root beer, but sad that they didn’t add some little extra goodness, like a dash of cinnamon or cloves, so I could have two different root beers to review.

This has a very rich and creamy Body. It has a strong sassafras flavor with hints of vanilla and wintergreen. It has a solid Bite from carbonation and a little spice, but nothing that really jumps out and demands attention. It goes down very smooth on account of the maltodextrin. The Aftertaste is creamy and minty and lasts the right amount of time.

Yum. It’s very rich and strong. Stronger than I usually prefer, but they’ve somehow pulled it off in a way that it comes across as bold without being overbearing. After the first bottle I was really on the fence about where to rate it, but the second bottle reinforced that this is top notch. It’s good when quaffed, but really, it’s more excellent to sip slowly, enjoying every bit of that rich sassafras flavor washing creamily over your tongue. When I’m in the mood for a bolder, darker root beer flavor, I’m comin’ for this. See how it rates against other root beers.

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