Steve's Root Beer Journal

My boys and I recently got back from 3 days of mountain biking in Cuyuna State Park. On our 2nd day, I found this cool looking can at a fancy ice cream shop:

On the ladder of my boys' bunk bed at our small hotel.

Look at that wild ingredients list! Grapefruit Peel? Rhubarb Root? Black pepper?!?

Brand: Fora the Red Drink by Casamara Club.

Origin: Detroit, MI.

Purchase Place: Victual, Crosby, MN.

Sweetener: Demerara Cane Sugar.

Review: This tasted unlike anything I've ever had. It's basically a flavored, carbonated, and lightly sweetened water. (And it's just BARELY light pink, so I don't know that it deserves to be called "the red drink.") It initially has the citrus hit of lemon, but then the flavor goes much deeper than that. I feel like the black pepper gives it almost a ginger-like "spiciness," and the hibiscus and rose definitely give it some flowery notes. (And maybe that's some of the strawberry coming through as well.) 

Honestly, I didn't love it, but I enjoyed it because it was so unique! My wife (who loves La Croix and Bubly waters) could have enjoyed this. It's a bit sweeter than La Croix as there's actually 20 calories of sugar in this, and I appreciated that. I'll give it an average 5, although the experience was higher and the flavor was lower.

Score: 5 out of 10.

I opened this last night:



Brand: Jackson Hole South Fork Strawberry Rhubarb Soda.

Origin: Jackson, WY.

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Cane sugar.

Review: This tasted like a pretty honest-to-goodness "strawberry rhubarb." The problem with that is I've never been a huge fan of strawberry rhubarb flavored anything. So the short version is the flavor is right on, but I didn't care for the flavor a ton. It has the sweetness of strawberry with a little bitter bite of rhubarb. It's not "bad," but it's just not a taste I prefer.

Score: 4 out of 10.

It was Spring Grove soda that made me want to start this blog. Now, they have a "new limited edition" flavor, and even though it sounded strange, I had to try it.

In my beautiful basement classroom where I teach.

Brand: Spring Grove Limited Edition Rhu-berry.

Origin: Spring Grove, MN

Purchase Place: Blue Sun Soda, Spring Lake Park, MN.

Sweetener: Cane Sugar and Corn Syrup.

Review: It had "natural rhubarb flavor" listed as an ingredient, and I wasn't sure what that would taste like. (You know how cherry soda is a very different cherry flavor than ACTUAL cherries, but we're all cool with that?) Turns out, it's kind of disgusting. It has a berry sweetness, followed by a strong, sharp rhubarb kick that is very unpleasant. I could only tolerate a few sips. Good thing this is a "limited edition" - hopefully it goes away ASAP.

Score: 1 out of 10.