Abita Rootbeer is welcomed to the Top Shelf

While the Sultan has not been dethroned, there is now a rightful heir. Abita Rootbeer http://www.abita.com/brew/rootbeer.html is an awesome rootbeer brewed in the pines surrounding New Orleans. For those of you looking for a sophisticated beverage that is right between a bitter sarsaparilla and a high end rootbeer, Abita is your selection. Taste has a small bite, but the aftertaste is not overwhelming. Great selection for any occasion and comes highly recommended. I may have to do a taste test in a few months with Snake River.

There are a couple other entries to this weeks post. Benet's Big Bear Rootbeer is a great selection. It is made with real sugar cane, was not too sweet, has no caffeine, and has the lowest caloric content of any of the rootbeers tasted. Good for those New Years Resolutions. http://root-beer.blogspot.com/2006/05/big-bear-big-taste.html

Lastly, XXX Rootbeer was tasted and placed on the bottom shelf. Nothing inherently wrong with the rootbeer, but it tasked a bit commercial, like a Mug or standard A&W. On the website it looks like a great eatery, but I'm afraid this is a working mans rootbeer and really nothing special.

Crazy Rootbeer Dudes!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVrDUD6Shwc

Beware of Imposters

This evening I tried what I thought was a rootbeer. It was named Moxie (a unique elixir). It is actually the first soda in the US that was mas marketed. 10 years before coke. It was marketed as a medicine. I would not buy one it tasted like, yuck...

The Ultimate Rootbeer

Hey Rootbeer fans,

I've been a rootbeer enthusiast for a few years. It started with a New Years Eve tradition, 4-years in the making. The kids and I patronize our local BevMo soda aisle and pick out our favorite micro brew delight. Recently, I got bit more serious and was a bit bored one night so I started a little ode to rootbeer blog. Thought it would be fun, thought it would be educational, but most of all thought it would help me find the ultimate rootbeer. Sounds funny, but a perfect rootbeer is the de-facto equivalent of a perfect wine for those who do not partake.

There is a clear leader at this point (see below) - but it can be overthrown! Please help me in my quest to find the Sultan of Rootbeers. What is your current favorite? What attributes do you look for in a rootbeer (Sweetness, Aftertaste, Fizzy or Flat, Thick Rich Foam, Microbrew or Commercial, Does it have a sarsaparilla sister product, Dry, Unique flavors). In the early stages of this blog - Rootbeer and Sarsaparilla will be seen as one category. If you don't share my enthusiasm for rootbeerology, please share a chuckle in how serious I am taking it. :)

Here is a list of recently reviewed:

The current Sultan of Rootbeers (Topshelf)

• Snake River Sarsaparilla - bar none this is the best rootbeer I've found on the market. Great taste, not too sweet, great aftertaste, awesome picture of two grannies fishing on the bottle (see picture above). Pretty much a perfect rootbeer that needs a friend at the top.

Honorable Mentions (Midshelf)

• Capt'n Eli's - very good rootbeer, not too sweet, sharp but not overwhelming
• Sparky's - Great flavor, traditional like a rootbeer barrel
• Rootbeer 101 Collectors edition - great flavor, and consistency, a very smooth taste with a honey aftertaste that was unique but quite pleasant
• Jack Black's Dead Red Rootbeer - nice flavor, a bit corky but with a vanilla aftertaste. It has a great bottle w/skull and crossbones, but its not red.

Flushers (Bottom Shelf)

• Bayland Rootbeer - not great, rather mediciney, would not recommend.
• Fitz - Decent flavor, lots of rich foam
• Suix City Sarsaparilla - not great, a bit bitter, flat
• Sea Dog - very ordinary, not much rootbeer flavor, a bit sizzly like a coke

Diet Category

• Barq's Diet Rootbeer - is the best that I have found, minimal diet aftertaste and is caffeine free too.

In the fridge now I have 6 new rootbeers that I have not tried to date. I will only drink one a day - as to not disturb the palate. I am a foodie of sorts but looking more forward to getting a couple laughs - and someone to replace the current Sultan of Rootbeers.

Goodnight, p