Microbrew Sodas

[jhlurie]

To start, for the first time I tried this stuff. It's hellishly expensive here in the U.S. but wow is the stuff unique.

So far I've only tried the Seville Orange Jigger and the Victorian Lemonade.

[Jason Perlow]

I haven't tried them yet, but every time I see them at Whole Foods I utterly WINCE when I see their price tag.

In the Root Beer department, Saranac and Virgils are also in this pricey-microbrew category. While I like them a lot, I rarely buy 'em though.

While I wouldn't call them "microbrew" because as we know the parent company is huge, I really like the 1.5 liter bottles of San Pellegrino Limonata soda. It has a lot of Italian lemon juice in it, giving it a real tangy and fresh taste.

[jhlurie]

Another small batch soda I just found is Barritts.

I'm not usually a big fan of Ginger Beer, but the Pineapple Ginger Beer sure was good.

Wasn't THAT expensive at King's Supermarket. A buck forty or so if I'm remembering correctly, by the bottle.

[Schielke]

How much does this stuff cost? Is it that pricey?

Ben

[AdamLawrence]

I LOVE the Fentimans products. Don't buy them all that often, but they're really nice to have around if one person won't be drinking, and you want something special for them. The lemonade is probably my favourite. They're about a quid a bottle in supermarkets over here.

Adam

[jhlurie]

A new one, with a lousy name but a good taste. It's called "The Switch", probably the most pretentious name possible, but its got the interesting twist that its 100% juice which is carbonated--a novel idea which by all rights should NOT be novel.

As usually happens with things that are 100% juice, most of the juice is grape and apple, but in the flavors I've tasted the balance with more flavorful juices is actually fairly well done. The absense of corn syrup or added sugar creates a more mellow, less artificially sweet flavor than many of the "juice flavored" sodas I've had.

[Rail Paul]

Boylans cherry and root beer sodas aren't bad. Local brewer in NJ, typically $2.99 a six pack, IIRC

[jhlurie]

Reporting on a great soda I've been drinking all week in Kansas City (I'm visiting there) called "Fitz's". Apparently they make kick-ass Root Beer, but since I hate Root Beer I've been sucking down their incredible Cream Soda instead.

This is Cream Soda with a nice bite--its actually got a slightly spicy undertone under the creaminess of the Vanilla. Cane Sugar, of course, is the sweetener of choice in this stuff. No evil HFCS! (although they have Diet varieties with Aspartame)

Click here for their whole product line...

[ladygoat]

I recently tried Journey's Twisted Bean Vanilla Brew and thought it was pretty good.

[Pouncy]

It's all about the Weinhard's Root Beer and Vanilla Cream Sodas. Reason #1 I wanna break diet!

[dscott]

In the Root Beer department, Saranac and Virgils are also in this pricey-microbrew category. While I like them a lot, I rarely buy 'em though.

Saranac's sparkling lemonade is really good too

[Roger Troutman]

Old Dominion Brewing Company in Virginia produces a pretty good root beer, and they also make ginger ale, although I have yet to try it. The root beer is available on tap in many area restaurants and bars.

[Mayhaw Man]

I like this one. But of course I would, I know the people who invented it, although you would ever be able to tell that by the revisionist bullshit in the company history. It's still good root beer (somewhere in the midrange between creamy and herbal, probably slightly o the herbal side) though (and incidentally, the description is wrong-yucca was an addition we made as it helps the drink to RETAIN head, not create it).

[gwilson]

For the people who don't already know, you can order a lot of different sodas that aren't available nation-wide at SodaKing.com. I ordered their root beer 'assortment pack' and was really pleased with it. There were a few in there that I had drank before (IBC), but they were mostly new ones (like Jackson Hole). The only drawback is shipping. The weight of those glass bottles really adds up.

-Greg

[jhlurie]

A product a number of us enjoyed at the recent Big Apple Barbecue Block Party fits this topic: the Balducci's Sparkling French Lemonade

Great stuff--very light and refreshing.

The Fentiman's Victorian Lemonade is probably a bit more exotic, but this is still very solid. Only four ingredients too: Carbonated water, beet sugar, citric acid and natural lemon flavor.

[Jason Perlow]

I wonder what this stuff costs per bottle. Even if it was half what the Fentinmans costs, I'd get it.

BTW, I also have become quite fond of Trader Joe's "Pompelmo" soda from its "Trader Giotti" Italian Soda line. Its basically an exact clone of San Pellegrino Pompelmo, which is only imported in very limited quantities in 1.5L bottles in specialty Italian grocery and gourmet stores. This stuff tastes exactly the same and is cheaper and comes in 12oz cans -- its got a very strong, refreshing Grapefruit taste. The Pellegrino one is made from Israeli grapefruit -- this one is also made in Italy but I am not sure what kinds of grapefruits it uses -- but it does taste nearly the same.

[Andrew Fenton]

I picked up some Boylan's Sugar Cane Cola at Trader Joe's the other day. It's not bad- strong cinnamon taste- but I'm afraid to say that I can't really tell the difference between cane sweetener and corn syrup. (I don't drink enough sugar cola, for one thing.) But at least it comes in a glass bottle.

[redfox]

A new one, with a lousy name but a good taste. It's called "The Switch", probably the most pretentious name possible, but its got the interesting twist that its 100% juice which is carbonated--a novel idea which by all rights should NOT be novel.

As usually happens with things that are 100% juice, most of the juice is grape and apple, but in the flavors I've tasted the balance with more flavorful juices is actually fairly well done. The absense of corn syrup or added sugar creates a more mellow, less artificially sweet flavor than many of the "juice flavored" sodas I've had.

I realize this is reaching back in time significantly, but I recently had one of these and thought it was awful: too, too revoltingly sweet. Also, I resent that it has "no added sugar" but has loads of concentrated grape juice, which is, after all, sugar. I'd love a drink that was like this but closer to the ideal presented on the label.

[Mooshmouse]

Tried my first Boylan's Grape Soda last weekend on a recent outing of the Vancouver Burger Club. Nectar of the gods. Reminiscent of the Fanta Grape that I had as a kid in the Philippines. I'm now anxiously awaiting the opportunity to taste drive Boylan's Orange Soda and Ginger Ale.