Bottle and Label: Very classy blue and red label with a big dog on it that help this bottle stand out from the myriad of “brown-centric” labels out there
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, cane sugar, artificial and natural flavors, sodium benzoate, citric acid, gum arabic, caramel color
Smell: The smell from the bottle is very weak and hard to discern. Once poured a licorice smell becomes a bit stronger but it is still very weak
Carbonation: Medium carbonation provides a nice bite from beginning to end. There’s a nice balance between carbonation and flavor
Color: Almost black
Head: Almost no head whatsoever
Flavor: Like the smell, the flavor is not very strong. However, it is pleasant. It has a smooth flavor with some nice vanilla hints. I also think it’s a little sweeter than average. It has a slightly medicinal aftertaste but it doesn’t detract from the overall flavor.
Conclusion: I tend to like my root beer’s to have a pretty robust flavor. Cooper’s Cave Ale Company Root Beer is not exactly robust. The flavor is good but it is just too weak for me. On top of that, the lack of smell really detracts from my enjoyment of the brew. Smell is a big part of enjoying root beer for me so if a brew has a weak or unpleasant smell it really knocks the whole experience down a few notches. That said, if you prefer a brew that is a bit more subtle this might be one you would like.
RBR’s Grade- C+
