Americana Root Beer
12 fl. oz.
glass bottle
Orca Beverage Co., Mukilteo, WA
cold, no ice

If you notice that there have been a lot of root beers so far in the Summer of Soda, it's because I (MG) do not put caffeine inside what I like to call "the temple." Oh, I want to, God how I want to, especially in the form of the hard stuff, Coca-Cola Classic. But I am already high strung enough, so I have to satisfy my dark soda cravings with root beer. (Kate, on the other hand, consumes caffeine with relish, and will be tester/taster for caffeinated entries like pure cane sugar Coke from Mexico and Cheerwine.)

Americana is a fine root beer, whether or not it's a stand in for "the hard stuff." It's got a very vanilla-y smell, and a good head. It's quite dark, almost black. Kate loved it, saying, "Even the belches tasted good." I was less satisfied, detecting a slight bitterness in the aftertaste. But that's a quibble. I think I prefer Fitz's, because I value creaminess over complexity of flavor. Or maybe I'm just a homer.

Final verdict: A good, solid root beer, worth seeking out and drinking whenever you can.

KP: 8 of 10
MG: 7 of 10