Barrel Brothers Root Beer

Ingredients: Water, High Fructose Corn Sweetener, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Quillaja Extract, Caramel Color, Phosphoric Acid, Sodium Benzoate and Potassium Sorbate as Preservatives.

Smell: When you open this up, you get a strong whiff of vanilla, but it doesn't overpower the rest of the natural root beer flavor. Very good and enjoyable.

Head: As you can see, not exceptionally tall or anything, but it lasted through the drink and I even had a good foam at the bottom of the glass when I finished up.

Flavor: My first impression was that this was going to be a solid B, maybe even an A. The mix of vanilla and sassafras was so balanced, I really enjoyed it. But... then suddenly as the first couple of drinks ended I noticed a funky after taste. Just stale, not sure how else to describe it. Even now, I still have this weird mixture that I can only describe as stale vanilla in my mouth.

Overall: Sadly, the aftertaste knocked this down a whole grade, otherwise I would have given it a B at the very least. But the first few sips are really glorious...

Purchased from Alsip Home & Nurse

Fitz's Root Beer

Ingredients: Filtered Carbonated Water, All Natural Pure Cane Sugar, Natural Flavors, Caramel Color, Vanillin, Sodium Benzoate (preservers freshness) and Citric Acid.

Smells: The first whiff of this gave me the impression that I was going to get strong anise flavored root beer, so needless to say I wasn't too excited. But there were hints of sweetness.

Head: Started dissipating immediately and thought for sure it was going to go all the way to the top, but it instead stopped right where you see it there, and stayed for the duration of the drink.

Flavor: First drink actually surprised me, yes, there was an anise flavor to it, but it was mostly masked by a good sweetness. By the second drink it was all sassafras and vanilla. Then the third drink was the last one, and I wish I had a little bit more...

Overall: Went from being mildly disappointed to really surprised. It's been a few minutes and I find myself craving more. Maybe this one just caught me on a good night. Either way, solid B, didn't rock my world, but was very good.

Purchased from: Given to me by a friend.