This is a root beer with more questions than answers I’m afraid. It’s made by Cherry Republic, yet for some reason they call their soda line Boom Chugga Lugga. Another problem with their name is the whole root bear. I imagine that up in Michigan they pronounce the word ‘bear’ similar to ‘beer’ and they’re trying some word play like that whole Route Beer 66 nonsense, Though that’s not the case on the West Coast so it just seems strange. And why bears anyways? I don’t see the connection between cherries and black bears. They boast that it’s a cherry flavored root beer and include cherry juice concentrate in the ingredients. I don’t really like fruity brews so I didn’t really have high expectations for this.
The Body is generic root beer that is quickly eclipsed by a rich black cherry flavor. There’s almost a bubble gum taste to it for just a moment as the root beer fades away leaving only the cherry. It actually works and is quite delicious. The Bite is rather unimpressive. There’s a sharp carbonation sting but really no spices. It ends smooth. The Head is short and fizzes away quickly. It’s better than a two second Head but not much. The Aftertaste is a rich black cherry flavor with some creamy hints that seem like vanilla.
Hmm, I like it. I didn’t expect to at all, but the cherry really works with it. They were wise to use the black cherry flavor instead of a red or maraschino flavor. The latter two I think would have really detracted, but the black blends nicely and doesn’t seem the least bit out of place, rather it’s a nice twist on a root beer. The poor Head and Bite however pull it down. See how it rates against other root beers.
You can’t really mention Faygo without mentioning the Insane Clown Posse and their … fans, the Juggalos. Why? Because a love of Faygo is one of their defining characteristics, though they’d just as soon spray it on themselves and each other as they would drink it. Don’t ask why, they’re the Insane Clown Posse and Juggalos, logic and reason can’t be applied. This is also the reason my sister bought me a 6-pack of this about five years back for Christmas, because she thought those Juggalos were “hilarious” and wanted to see if the brew they were drinking/spraying was any good. Which I must say is the best thing for anyone to do when confronted by a new gourmet root beer, send it to me first, I’ll tell you if drinking said brew is worth it.
This root beer comes from Michigan where they have a Bavarian themed inn for some reason. Not that they need a reason other than being a gimmick, it’s a clever marketing ploy. Leavenworth, WA near where I grew up, has been playing that angle for awhile now and they’re doing just fine. Unlike Leavenworth, however, they make their own root beer, which means that technically they are cooler. I had the hardest time getting this brew. When I ordered it I watched the UPS tracking all the way until it got to Bellevue where the status was updated that it had been destroyed. Huh. So the company sent me another shipment with twice as many bottles. This one made it to me but three of the four had leaked on transit. I don’t know if they were freezing in transit or if UPS likes to practice field goals with their packages but only 1/6 bottles delivered undamaged is pretty dismal. The others were still sealed so I figured I’d still drink the one that had lost the least amount.