Soda floats on memories of childhood
Root beer has a unique position in the soda family. Its distinct flavor, although far from universally loved, takes us back, sip by sip, to the hot, lazy days of childhood. And what could be better than a root-beer float? (Keep dreaming,
Mug
($4.29 for 12 cans)
The reactions were all over the place on this one, from "dances a bit on the tongue" to ``tastes evil, like banana-flavored plastic. HATE." But mostly they were right down the middle: ``sticky sweet," `` fruity," "watery yet sweet -- not distinct." ``If it were 99 degrees outside, I'd drink this," one taster wrote. "Otherwise, not."
Stewart's
($3.49 for four bottles)
Barq's actually doesn't have bite, but Stewart's does. This fizzy crowd-pleaser earned praise for its "herbal, spicy" flavor and "notes of burnt sugar." "Reminds me of childhood picnics." The downsides: an "odd maple syrup note," a ``strange, sour aftertaste," and a cry of "too rooty." "It's bitter and musky. Is root beer supposed to age?"
Barq's
($4.29 for 12 cans)
The ubiquitous Barq's was soundly and roundly denounced as an impostor . ``Root beer? Are you sure? Tastes like an odd cola, generic and cloying." It was deemed ``too flat," ``almost fruity," and "insipid" with "not enough root-beer zing." And the insults kept coming. ``IfI wanted a Coke . . ."
Virgil's
($3.99 for four bottles)
This all-natural, microbrewed concoction bills itself as the Dom Perignon of the root - beer world, but our judges begged to differ. It was deemed ``too strong" with a "faint alcohol taste"; one suggested it might be better ``warmed up and sipped by a fire." The word "unpleasant" was used not once but three times, as was the word ``syrupy." "Yuck" turned up only once, but that's more than enough, don't you think?
A&W
($4.69 for 12 cans)
"Find me some vanilla ice cream -- I'm floating," one taster said, and he wasn't the only one who craved a float while sipping this tried-and-true classic. A hint of vanilla was even found in the drink itself. A&W also earned points for its ``distinct sarsaparilla finish" and ``tingle on the tongue." Not bad for a drink in an aluminum can. It was too sweet for some, and a paradox for others: "watery and syrupy -- is that possible?" But it won by a landslide just the same.
IBC
($2.69 for six bottles)
Two named this brand as their favorite, both referencing its sweetness. "I like this a lot. But I also love cotton candy," said one. Others said it was thin, watery, bitter, not fizzy enough, and slightly medicinal: "This could soothe a sore throat." And some were just plain underwhelmed, declaring it ``not an out-of-the-park root-beer experience."
