Welcome to Brews Of Root Extraction Online. This post reviews the root beer offered in the “Ultrapop” line of boutique sodas offered by Boneyard Brewing Co., Bend, OR. I purchased the brew from a national chain grocery store, $1.99 for a 12 oz can.
I use five criteria I score from 1-5 to evaluate brews.
A. Sweetness: 4. I hate to say it, but this root beer could be sweeter. It’s sweetened with cane sugar which is great, but apparently not very much of it. The upside is it’s refreshing and not syrupy at all.
B. Lightbody spices: 4. Boneyard eschews the usual wintergreen, and uses something that tastes like a ginger-lemon blend here. Whatever it is, it’s a very pleasant bite.
C. Heavybody spices: 4. As with the wintergreen, Boneyard throws the vanilla out the window. Instead, it’s an earthy black tea sort of flavor, with a little bit of anise (which is smelled in the glass more than tasted upon drinking).
D. Uniqueness: 5. This is one of the more unique root beers I’ve tasted. You can tell it’s meant to be root beer, but it very much drifts towards a carbonated Arnold Palmer, with touches of lemon and an undercurrent of black tea tannins. If you’re tired of syrupy sweet root beers and don’t like artificial sweeteners, this might be one to try.
E. Mouthfeel: 4. It’s just a touch watery, but the bright carbonation puts an exclamation point on the ginger-lemon spices.
Total score 21/25. Try this one if you’re looking for a new spin on the classic root beer flavor in a crisper, lighter but tea-like soda drink.
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