I didn't have high hopes for this. I was ready for this to taste "artificial."
Brand: Saranac Shirley Temple.
Origin: Utica, NY.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: High Fructose Corn Syrup.
Review: It surprised me from the first sip - it was quite good! It nailed the "Shirley Temple" flavor as far as I'm concerned. It was very sweet without being too sugary or syrupy.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Monday, June 24, 2013
Route 66 Black Cherry
So far, I've had good luck with "Route 66" sodas: I gave their Root Beer a 9 out of 10, and I gave their Lime Soda an 8 out of 10. So I was hoping their Black Cherry would live up to my past experiences with their sodas.
Brand: Route 66 Black Cherry.
Origin: Lebanon, MO.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This is pretty good. It's not too heavy or syrupy (which I actually LIKE in some sodas), and the flavor is spot on. It could have a BIT more punch, but that'd make some people like it more and some like it less - they seem to have taken the "middle road" and made a good soda to please a good number of people. It's a decent Black Cherry soda as it stands. I'd definitely have this again.
Score: 8 out of 10.
Brand: Route 66 Black Cherry.
Origin: Lebanon, MO.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This is pretty good. It's not too heavy or syrupy (which I actually LIKE in some sodas), and the flavor is spot on. It could have a BIT more punch, but that'd make some people like it more and some like it less - they seem to have taken the "middle road" and made a good soda to please a good number of people. It's a decent Black Cherry soda as it stands. I'd definitely have this again.
Score: 8 out of 10.
Thursday, June 20, 2013
History of Soda Can Logos
I just came across a post (that's a few years old) with the history of some soda can designs :
I'm sad that the "bubbles" so prominent in the 7-Up design (in 1961 and 1980 - 1994) have disappeared.
And I prefer many of the older more simple designs. The 1960s - 1970s have the most of my favorite designs above. I like the 1965 and 1972 Crush cans and the 1990 7-Up can. What do you like?
Labels:
7-Up,
Coca Cola,
Cola,
Crush,
Dr. Pepper,
History,
Lemon Lime,
Logo Design,
Orange,
Pepsi,
Squirt
Tuesday, June 18, 2013
Hank's Gourmet Philadelphia Recipe Root Beer
On Father's Day, I was sent to Kowalski's Market to pick up a few things. I noticed a root beer with my son's name, and I thought it was appropriate to grab a bottle!
Brand: Hank's Gourmet Philadelphia Recipe Root Beer.
Origin: Trevose, PA.
Purchase Place: Kowalski's Market, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: At first sip, it was really smooth and strong on the vanilla. I liked it. But soon it became TOO smooth with too much vanilla. I'm surprised it wasn't labeled as "vanilla root beer." It was good, but it just became a bit too much. If you like "smooth," try this. If you like "bite," stay away.
Score: 5.5 out of 10.
Nevermind the messy background - we were cooking a few big meals for the week! |
Brand: Hank's Gourmet Philadelphia Recipe Root Beer.
Origin: Trevose, PA.
Purchase Place: Kowalski's Market, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: At first sip, it was really smooth and strong on the vanilla. I liked it. But soon it became TOO smooth with too much vanilla. I'm surprised it wasn't labeled as "vanilla root beer." It was good, but it just became a bit too much. If you like "smooth," try this. If you like "bite," stay away.
Score: 5.5 out of 10.
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Nesbitt's Orange
This looked promising. It's a brand that's been around a while, and the bottle looked the part:
Brand: Nesbitt's Orange.
Origin: Waco, TX.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: High Fructose Corn Syrup and Sugar.
Review: Average. It's orange soda that tastes like orange soda. It's not overly carbonated, and it's averagely smooth. I'd give this a "middle of the road" score of 5, but the taste is just a nice "classic" orange soda, that I feel like giving it a little boost.
Score: 6 out of 10.
Brand: Nesbitt's Orange.
Origin: Waco, TX.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: High Fructose Corn Syrup and Sugar.
Review: Average. It's orange soda that tastes like orange soda. It's not overly carbonated, and it's averagely smooth. I'd give this a "middle of the road" score of 5, but the taste is just a nice "classic" orange soda, that I feel like giving it a little boost.
Score: 6 out of 10.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
Berghoff Root Beer
The label looked promising for this root beer:
Brand: Berghoff Root Beer.
Origin: Chicago, Illinois.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This was really tasty and pretty "classic" from the start. Very smooth, and a lot of vanilla. It left a little of a coating on the back of my throat which was the only real drawback. Otherwise, an all-around great root beer.
Score: 8.5 out of 10.
Brand: Berghoff Root Beer.
Origin: Chicago, Illinois.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: Cane Sugar.
Review: This was really tasty and pretty "classic" from the start. Very smooth, and a lot of vanilla. It left a little of a coating on the back of my throat which was the only real drawback. Otherwise, an all-around great root beer.
Score: 8.5 out of 10.
Friday, June 7, 2013
Coco Fizz Chocolate Soda
Chocolate soda?!? How could I NOT at least try it?
I didn't know what color it SHOULD be, but I was a little disturbed to see it was this light:
When the bottle first touched my lips, it was as good as it could be - it smelled and tasted like chocolate syrup. But it wasn't something I really wanted to keep drinking.
Brand: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's Coco Fizz Chocolate Soda.
Origin: Durango, CO.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: Pure Cane Sugar.
Review: My wife said it tasted like a liquid Tootsie Pop. I think it tastes a bit like that mixed with thin Hersey's Syrup. It tastes like chocolate, which is what is SHOULD taste like. But it's not very "drinkable" - it's only "sip-able." This would be a great novelty soda to try with friends or to give to a chocolate lover, but it's not something I see anyone going out to get a case of. It's "fun" just like Lester's Fixins Bacon Soda or Sweat Corn Soda. I'll call this a similar "novelty" soda, but I'll give it a higher rating than either of those 2 sodas.
Score: 3.5 out of 10.
I didn't know what color it SHOULD be, but I was a little disturbed to see it was this light:
When the bottle first touched my lips, it was as good as it could be - it smelled and tasted like chocolate syrup. But it wasn't something I really wanted to keep drinking.
Brand: Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory's Coco Fizz Chocolate Soda.
Origin: Durango, CO.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: Pure Cane Sugar.
Review: My wife said it tasted like a liquid Tootsie Pop. I think it tastes a bit like that mixed with thin Hersey's Syrup. It tastes like chocolate, which is what is SHOULD taste like. But it's not very "drinkable" - it's only "sip-able." This would be a great novelty soda to try with friends or to give to a chocolate lover, but it's not something I see anyone going out to get a case of. It's "fun" just like Lester's Fixins Bacon Soda or Sweat Corn Soda. I'll call this a similar "novelty" soda, but I'll give it a higher rating than either of those 2 sodas.
Score: 3.5 out of 10.
Wednesday, June 5, 2013
Frostie Cherry Limeade Soda
This sounded a bit suspicious...
Brand: Frostie Cherry Limeade Soda.
Origin: Detroit, Michigan.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: High Fructose Corn Syrup and/or Sugar. (I hate labels like this - do they not know what's in there?!?)
Review: This was OK. It wasn't fantastic, but it was a good sugary soda. The "cherry" part of the "cherry limeade" tasted pretty good, but there was something oddly artificial about the "limeade" part. I didn't care for the sharpness in that. I'd have it again, but it was nothing special. I'll see how I feel about Frostie Root Beer when I have that in a few days...
Score: 6.5 out of 10.
Brand: Frostie Cherry Limeade Soda.
Origin: Detroit, Michigan.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, St. Paul, MN.
Sweetener: High Fructose Corn Syrup and/or Sugar. (I hate labels like this - do they not know what's in there?!?)
Review: This was OK. It wasn't fantastic, but it was a good sugary soda. The "cherry" part of the "cherry limeade" tasted pretty good, but there was something oddly artificial about the "limeade" part. I didn't care for the sharpness in that. I'd have it again, but it was nothing special. I'll see how I feel about Frostie Root Beer when I have that in a few days...
Score: 6.5 out of 10.
Sunday, June 2, 2013
Jarritos Mexican Cola
So I have to admit something... I've NEVER had a Jarritos soda before. Ever. Of any flavor. So I started with their Mexican Cola:
Brand: Jarritos Mexican Cola.
Origin: El Paso, TX.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: Sugar.
Review: I expected something "sharp," but it wasn't quite that. It had a smokiness to it that I can't really explain. It's like there was a little bit of smoky root beer (maybe a touch of cinnamon too?) added to cola. It's quite sweet too, but not overly sweet. If you like Coke or Pepsi, try this for a change. Many different deeper flavors than "regular" cola.
Score: 7.5 out of 10.
Brand: Jarritos Mexican Cola.
Origin: El Paso, TX.
Purchase Place: Frattallone's Ace Hardware, Burnsville, MN.
Sweetener: Sugar.
Review: I expected something "sharp," but it wasn't quite that. It had a smokiness to it that I can't really explain. It's like there was a little bit of smoky root beer (maybe a touch of cinnamon too?) added to cola. It's quite sweet too, but not overly sweet. If you like Coke or Pepsi, try this for a change. Many different deeper flavors than "regular" cola.
Score: 7.5 out of 10.
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