Bottle and Label: Bottle is brown with a unique label. Unfortunately, the labels that the bottler uses have a poor adhesive quality and most bottles of this brew that I have seen have either wrinkled labels or labels that are beginning to come off. However, the label does give the impression that this really is a home brew that someone cooked up in their kitchen and decided to share with the world.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn sweetner, caramel color, natural and artificial flavoring, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla extract, phosphoric acid, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate added as preservatives

Smell: Mild smell with a hint of cinnamon when smelled from the bottle. After being poured, it has a very strong and almost bitter smell

Carbonation: This brew has a medium level of carbonation with a nicely balanced bite

Color: When poured color is a dark brown, almost coffee looking

Head: Excellent, very fizzy head when poured in a frosted mug

Flavor: This brew is one that stands apart from others in terms of complex flavor. When it first hits your tongue, you think you are having a fairly traditional root beer beverage. However, if you savor it for a moment, you will notice the hints of cinnamon and ginger mentioned in the ingredient list. It is a bit surprising if you are expecting a straightforward root beer, but the brew manages to maintain a balance of unique flavor while still maintaining that distinct qualitiy that make root beer taste like root beer.

Conclusion: This brew had two strikes against it before it even reached my mouth. The first was the label that was about to fall off the bottle. This brew sat in the back of my fridge for some time because I wasn’t sure if I wanted to spend the time reviewing a product that did not have enough care put into it to get the label right. The second strike was the bitter smell after the brew was poured in my mug. Fortunately for Chef Gale Gand, her root beer redeemed itself where it counted. This is a brew to pick up if you are wanting a break from your everyday brews and need something to tickle your palette a bit. This is a brew best enjoyed by itself. Adding it to ice cream would ruin the subtleties of flavor to be enjoyed while drinking it. This brew earns the coveted “Editor’s Choice” award for standing out from the pack with a unique flavor that still maintains everything we love about a good root beer.

RBR’s Grade- A (Editor’s Choice)

Bottle and Label: Bottle is brown with a very well designed label that actually makes you want to read it. It includes a short history of American root beer and an easily recognizable picture.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup, caramel color, vanilla extract, natural and artificial flavors, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate (preserves freshness), honey essence, acacia, sassafras extract

Smell: mild root beer smell

Carbonation: A moderate level of carbonation gives this brew a slight bite without venturing into the realm of typical canned fare. While I tend to favor a smooth drink, Weinhard’s strikes a great balance between bite and smoothness.

Color: When poured color is dark brown

Head: This root beer has the best head I have ever seen. I know from experience that it is the brew of choice for root beer floats because of the great head of foam you get when pouring over ice cream.

Flavor: Here is where the Weinhard’s starts to pull away from the pack. Although it does not use cane sugar as a sweetener, it still has a smooth and natural flavor. It has a flavor that every root beer drinker can appreciate, whether you consider yourself a connoisseur or just need something to quench your thirst on a dry day. This brew is smooth but has just the right amount of bite. It is sweet without tasting artificial. You can definitely catch the hints of honey and vanilla in the flavor and I think it is the mix of those two flavorings that make it work.

Conclusion: Henry Weinhard’s Root Beer is a great brew, in fact, I would say it is my favorite thus far. HW does not try to be something it is not. It is a straightforward brew with great flavor, an excellent head, and just the right amount of carbonation. There should not be a second thought in your mind if you ever have the opportunity to drink this wonderful beverage.

RBR’s Grade- A+ (Editor’s Choice!)

Bottle and Label: Bottle is brown with no raised lettering. The label is brown with two bulldogs on it. It is easy to spot on a crowded shelf.

Ingredients: Carbonated water, cane sugar, honey, maltodextrin, natural and artificial flavors, sodium benzoate, real vanilla, phosphoric acid, salt

Smell: Moderate root beer smell with a hint of honey

Carbonation: This brew has a medium level of carbonation that gives it just enough bite to let you know you are drinking a carbonated beverage

Color: When poured in a glass the root beer is dark brown, almost as dark as coffee

Head: Bulldog has a good head of foam when poured and I know from previous experience that this is one of my personal favorites for root beer floats

Flavor: This root beer has outstanding flavor. It has the right mix of smoothness and carbonation to set it apart from brews that fall too far on one side or the other. It has a great, traditional root beer, flavor with a hint of honey. This hint of honey eliminates any bitterness that some brews leave behind and helps make Bulldog smooth from start to finish.

Conclusion: There is no question that this is a quality beverage. It should be on your short list of root beer brews. The great mix of smoothness and carbonation, the classic flavor with hints of honey, and the lack of bitterness all combine to make this highly recommended to all who enjoy fine root beers. If you ever see this in a store, don’t hesitate; buy it and I am sure you will not be disappointed.

RBR’s Grade- A (Editor’s Choice!)