Beaver Natural Soda

Product Type:Carbonated Soft Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz can
BevNET Review: Made with premium ingredients that include sugar, kola nut, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and even a dash of maple syrup, Canadian Cola is an enjoyable tasting cola. The product has clearly been formulated with the mainstream drinker in mind, delivering a sweet body that’s about on par with the level of sweetness you’d find in a Coke or Pepsi. While it’s hard to taste the individual spices or the maple syrup, they combine to give the product a slight note of spice on the finish. The use of maple syrup is more likely a marketing ploy than a real ingredient, but it seems like a great tie back to the Canadian theme. On the outside, we’re not quite sure how we feel about the name “Beaver Soda,” but it certainly doesn’t have the same charm that Beaver Buzz (their line of energy drinks) did. Otherwise, the design of the can is clean and easy to read, with a retro style black and white photo on the bottom portion of the can. Really, our only suggestion is to balance the emphasis on the various elements. In the current design, our eye goes to the logo, the photo, and finally to the flavor. Overall, this is an enjoyable product that’s the best of the lineup.Reviewed on: 5/22/2009

Product Type:Carbonated Soft Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz can
BevNET Review: Beaver Soda’s “Retro Root Beer” is a sugar sweetened product that also features vanilla, chicory root, coriander, and clove for flavoring (with natural flavors, of course). The resulting mix is sweet but has a nice note of vanilla to it and a medium level of carbonation. The packaging, on the other hand, is probably going to be a tough sell in a category (premium root beer) that is generally all about the glass bottle. If nothing else, it seems somewhat unnecessary to call this flavor (and not the others) “retro.” Beyond that, the look of the can is appealing, although there’s too much emphasis on the logo and not enough on the flavor. Speaking of the logo, we’re not sure what beavers have to do with retro style soda. Nor are they an overly appealing animal to help sell a food product. Overall, good stuff inside the can, but we think that a premium canned root beer is going to be a tough sell.Reviewed on: 5/22/2009

Product Type:Carbonated Soft Drink: Regular; Container: 12 oz can
BevNET Review: Saskatoon Berry is a berry flavored CSD that was our least favorite flavor of the three. While the berry flavor is good, it’s not great, with the clear use of flavorings and a finish that tastes a bit off. It doesn’t really taste like berries, just some sort of unidentifiable fruit flavor. Plus, it doesn’t have anything overly unique about it (like maple syrup or spices) and seems to be hanging its hat on the use of sugar. On the outside, the bright blue can catches the eye as do the old time photos of football players. However, the connection between the old time photos, the “Beaver” name, and the Canadian theme seem a bit disjointed. There’s nothing that explains why all these things belong together or why they make this soda better. Overall, we’d like to see some better flavor to this product as well as a more coherent message.Reviewed on: 5/22/2009