Bottle and Label: Clear, short bottle with no neck. The label is easy to spot with it’s skull and crossbones and is probably very popular with aspiring pirates
Ingredients: Carbonated Water, Cane Sugar, Caramel Color, Caffeine, Brazilian Guarana, Sodium Benzoate (to preserve freshness), Citric Acid, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Red #40
Smell: Very nice wintergreen smell from the bottle with hints of vanilla and licorice. It has a nicely balanced smell from the bottle that becomes heavier on the wintergreen once it is poured
Carbonation: Fairly low with just a bit of bite on the tip of tongue and back of mouth. Overall it’s a nice mouth feel
Color: Very dark brown, almost black
Head: Extremely tall head that went almost all the way to the top of my frosty A&W mug when poured. It is also very foamy and long lasting
Flavor: At first taste, when Jack Black’s initially hits your tongue it tastes like a very nice traditional root beer. However, once it reaches the back of the mouth it leaves a bitter and medicinal aftertaste that is not very pleasing at all. I kept going back to it hoping that the aftertaste would lessen as I drank more, but it only got more pronounced
Conclusion: Jack Black’s Dead Red Root Beer is neither very red nor very good. I can honestly say I would rather go to my local grocery store and get a can of A&W than drink this stuff. I don’t know what gives it that strange and unpleasant aftertaste, but it ruins what could be a stellar brew. This root beer has a great head, good carbonation, and a nice smell. However, if a root beer can’t cut it in the all important flavor category, it can’t cut it period. It’s not quite bad enough to garner an “F,” but it is certainly no better than a “D” in my book. You might like this brew if you don’t mind the aftertaste or if you are looking for something with a root beer label that contains caffeine since most brews do not
RBR’s Grade- D
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This is the only place I found to leave a comment about a question I have.
and that is why have you not done a review on IBC root beer?? And do you see yourself doing a review on that. I see that more in the stores here than anything els and I would like to know what your review on that is.
Rafe,
I have actually been meaning to get a review of IBC up. My wife and I have been trying to get prepped for our first baby so the root beer reviews have been put on the side burner for a bit. However, since you asked I will make it a point to buy an IBC at my local supermarket and get a review up ASAP. It probably won’t be until next week, but check back soon and I’ll have one up. Be sure and tell your friends and family about the site and follow me twitter and Facebook for the latest updates!
I had one a while ago, and everything you say makes sense – except for the aftertaste part. I thought it was fine, and I was disappointed when it was gone.