Dr. Brown's

The Pooj signals a safety.

(Rocket Fizz Valencia, October 2010)

Dr. Brown’s is probably better known for Cel-Ray soda (celery soda), and for being the go-to soda purveyor to Jewish delis in New York prior to Coca Cola getting its kosher certification back in the 1930s. I am pleased to report that Dr. Brown’s makes a very solid root beer, too. The scent is heavily herb-y, almost bordering on bark-y, and the flavor falls in line with the initial sniff. While I can’t really says there’s a single dominant flavor, there are certainly strong doses of anise and wintergreen, and probably sassafras, too, but I don’t actually know what sassafras tastes like on its own, so I can’t say for sure. Either way, the root-y flavor is strong, and provides a good sharp bite that carries over somewhat to the aftertaste, too. Otherwise, the aftertaste skews slightly towards the wintergreen.

My only complaint about Dr. Brown’s Root Beer is that the carbonation is very hard and stinging. If you let it sit for a little bit after opening, the carbonation dissipates slightly, and it’s easier to drink. …Assuming that I can hold of on drinking it while it’s sitting… That’s probably a good indication I like it – I’ll give it a 4.