Evan Jacobson

Posts Tagged ‘Anise’

Root Beer, Part 5 of X, by Evan Jacobson

In the first 4 installments of Root Beer, I tested several brands… Please refer to any
of those posts whenever you wish. At the moment, there is a 4-pack of StewartS Root Beer currently camping out in my fridge (many people seem to fancy this brand). The last time I drank StewartS, my wife and I were dining in Cracker Barrel. I remember the rich, sweet, and fresh taste. It was also served in a cold bottle and a frosty mug, which really provides the visual aesthetic. The head (don’t laugh) was large and foamy; the bottle and label were both attractive to the consumer’s eyes. “Since 1924” appears at the top of the bottle (that might be important?). Okay, so the bottle is attractive. A good friend of mine always said, “you can cover a brick with chocolate icing…”

I’ll twist off the cap and taste it now. It’s very sweet and has the Anise flavor, but it tastes artificial and overly sweet. Yet, it is similar in taste to IBC. Let’s check out the ingredients: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (there’s a shocker), some Yucca, preservatives, Quillaia (whatever that is), Gum Acacia, etc. Ok, the ingredients are somewhat disappointing despite the “interesting” flavor. It would work nicely atop Vanilla Ice Cream if you want to float, or experience a diabetic nightmare. Other than that, it tastes okay and is not the worst thing I’ve had.

A few days ago, I purchased a 3 liter, no frills Root Beer from Pathmark. It had a bizarre aftertaste. My students also commented that it had a medicinal taste. That’s what I would expect from a less popular brand for a dirt cheap price tag. StewartS tastes better than that, but not by huge leaps and bounds. The intense sweetness overpowers the other ingredients…

I’m starting to form ideas about a Root Beer that I can drink on a long term basis: It has to be in a bottle, a microbrew, contain several natural ingredients, have a balanced Anise flavor, no caffeine, no HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP (mentioned earlier), or artificial flavors to compensate for the lack of natural flavor. In short, the StewartS is okay overall, but not going to make it in the top five.

The search is still not over. Stay tuned…

Best,
Evan J. wanna be gourmet

Root Beer, Part 2, IBC, December 5, 2009

During the last episode of Root Beer, Part 1, Evan’s beverage was replaced with
Folger’s Decaf; do you think he new the difference?

Now we return to our regularly scheduled programming…

Yesterday, I celebrated International Root Beer Day with my 7th Grade homeroom. It
was the first time in my teaching career that I was able to join the festivities, because
it’s difficult to take time off from work and travel to Venezuela. In short, the brief celebration was a success. My Principal, Dr. Hughes, also wished the school a happy
and healthy Root Beer Day via the school-wide Public Address System. Perhaps, we can do something even more grandiose next year to recognize the importance of this special day which began in the year 1995…

In Root Beer, Part 1, I touted Virgil’s Root Beer as my number one choice;  A & W and MUG were about tied. Since there can only be one Top Chef, then someone has to be sent home and eliminated from the competition. A & W scored 2nd place; MUG scored third. Some of that is about the change…

I just tasted IBC Root Beer and it was delicious. Unlike A & W and MUG, I could taste more of the Anise (basically Licorice) flavor. Some people are not fans of Anise, but I am. IBC does not seem to have caffeine either–a plus in my book. Finally, I had another epiphany: Root Beer seems to taste better in a glass bottle. I tried both A & W and MUG from the cans and the 2 liter plastic bottles. Perhaps it’s psychological. Cans seem to have a tin-like aftertaste (imagine that), and plastic seems to be a practical vessel for transporting gallons of liquids. However, my Science colleagues seem to feel that plastic does break down and affect flavor. That would explain why they bring metal water bottles to school everyday. I don’t purport to be an expert on plastic and its inevitable breakdown measured in parts per million. However, I’ve had a plethora of plastic water bottles throughout my lifetime, and the flavor is certainly different. In short, IBC might end up relinquishing A & W and MUG from second and third place. Before I make my final Judge Judy ruling, it is necessary to try out a few more brands…

Part 3 may be here sooner than you think…