I like the fact that they use cane sugar instead of high fructose corn syrup. It really helps the taste, and it's much better for you as well. Barq's, IBC, A&W all use HFCS and it kills the taste for me.
This must be the worst root beer i have ever had, and ive had a bunch. There is absolutely NO root beer flavor. The ingredients contain both anise AND licorice! why?! these do not belong as the dominant flavor in a root beer!! and definitely there is no need for BOTH of them. I would never drink this again and i actually had a very difficult time getting them down...really quite disgusting.
Posted by Brian Bush (2194) on 5/4/2008 11:37:29 AM
This is NOT a "Root Beer"
This stuff is awful. I am so disappointed. Bevnet led me to believe this is the Root Beer holy grail. I had to venture into the local hippie store just to buy it, that should have been a clear enough warning.
The licorice is so overbearing that I can't taste anything else! The head is nonexistent. The only positive about this drink is the bite, but it isn't worth it. I am going to pour out both four packs I bought right now. It isn't worth choking down.
If you want to know what real root beer should taste like, find something like a Stewart's. It is commonly available and good. If you are on the west coast, pick up Henry Wienhard's so you can see what a difference a root beer with a head can make.
I will never trust the main review on Bevnet again.
Like Elissa, I've just had my first Virgil's RB...marvelous! Rich and smooth with layers of flavors and a creamy mouth-feel. However, it was hard to find and cost $2.35 a bottle here. That will be off-putting to the A&W and Barqs drinkers, but I honestly think if these local merchants would try their own product they'd see it was something special and feature it as such...like a good wine. And like a good wine, not something I can afford to drink every day, but will keep a supply of at hand. Yummy!!
I have just enjoyed my first Virgil's root beer and I had to just jump on the computer to tell you that it was the best I have ever had! Since I was a child, root beer has been my favorite soda, so that is approximately 27 years of "taste testing" and I have now found my favorite and the one I will drink for as long as you keep brewing it; so please PLEASE don't stop brewing it! :-)
THIS STUFF IS AMAZING ALL THE PEOPLE THAT SAY THIS STUFF IS TO HERBY SHOULD JUST SHUT THE HELL UP... THIS STUFF IS VERY EXPENSIVE THAT'S THE ONLY LET DOWN. BUT BESIDES THAT FACT THIS HAS TO BE ONE OF THE BEST ( NOT THE BEST ) THAT I HAVE EVER TASTED. BEVNET.COM DID A GREAT JOB ON THERE REVIEW I AGREE WITH THERE RATING FULLY TRY THIS STUFF...
I absolutely love Virgil's Root Beer but I love Virgil's Diet Root Beer even more. It has less of the herbal taste that the regular root beer has and it only has five calories! It also doesn't contain artificial sweeteners; it has sugar alcohol. I wish all diet drinks used this method because the flavor is so much better. Those who find the regular root beer too strong might like this version.
i know that bevnet reviews are hopelessly skewed towards independent brands, but they were right on the mark with this one. my fiance and i happened upon this in a hotel gift shop near madison wisconsin. we ended up buying 6 to take home with us, and they didn't last the trip back.
did i mention that i don't even *like* root beer (ala a&w, barqs, etc)
people who have knocked this stuff dont understand root-beer. Not all rootbeer is supposed to taste like A&W or IBC. The differnt and exoctic ones are the best(this is an opinion, of course). My favorite root beer is a local brew (Coits,in Oklahoma city).Virgils comes in 2nd.It is good stuff and worth the $1.40 a bottle. You bland and ordinary people stick to the IBC and leave the Virgils for me and the other colorful and creative people!
I think I will have to brew my own root beer to find exactly what I'm looking for, but this one is very nice. Some complained that it doesn't have a sassafras flavor and it is more licorice. I disagree, and think it does taste like sassafras (though not as strong as I would like). It's far different from the cheap Mug and A&W root beers, so if that is what you are used to, maybe this will not taste like root beer to you. It's a much darker beverage than most, and I will be buying more of these. Also try their cream soda.
...despite the label's claim that I'd "swear it's made in heaven." I was under the impression that root beer by definition includes sassafras flavoring. There's not one mention of sassafras in the list of high-quality ingredients and frankly, while this stuff is drinkable and isn't by any means unpleasant, it doesn't taste like root beer. The flavorings include sweet birch, so maybe this should've been marketed as a birch beer except that it just contains too many flavors. One which predominates, unfortunately, is licorice; I love it but not as the most identifiable flavor in a soft drink. I personally don't understand the kudos that have been lavished on this product which is pricey, to boot but what do I know? It's unfortunate that BevNET hasn't reviewed Virgil's Cream Soda at the time of this writing--THAT'S a first-class soda that gets it right.
This is the best root beer ever created. It tastes kind of weird, but that's what makes it so awesome. Don't listen to the bad reviews, because they lie.
Substantially inferior to IBC or even canned A&W. The birch and/or sassafras flavor is washed out by too much honey, vanilla and other extraneous flavors. Great if that's what you want, but root beer it's not.
a perfect example of too much making less. should be called black licorce soda. this has to be the only soda the gets all bad reviews but one. i wonder why? I know why this root beer does not taste like root beer, no sassafras (the MAIN ingredient is missing), How can you not have the main ingrediant? So now we have a herbel, or medicinal taste for you to enjoy if thats what you like!
This is not a traditional rootbeer. But it still tastes more like rootbeer than anything else. Licorice, molassas, anise, and bourbon vanilla can be clearly distinguished in each smooth, refreshing sip. If you are looking for a traditional rootbeer, or you have an aversion to any of the ingredients I just listed, stay away...far away. But if you are looking for a sophisticated soda that's off the beaten path and make your taste buds sing and dance, then definitely give this one a try.
This definitely tastes like what you'd expect hand-crafted rootbeer to taste like. It is obviously not something that comes out of a huge commercial factory like Hires, A&W, etc. Very tasty, but for me, the licorice flavor in this is a little too heavy for my liking. Also, it's a bit pricey & a bit on the pretentious side in comparison to comparable rootbeers, at least, for a 4-pak, but still very good. I like the fact that it's one of the more easily obtainable gourmet root beers--I can get it at my local Trader Joe's--that are made with natural ingredients. The craftsmanship shows. Not my favorite--that would have to be Root 66--but one of my top 5 favorite root beers.
