Big K Root Beer

This is another one of the "generic" root beers that comes from a big line. Big K sodas come in various flavors and are part of the Kroger family (that link isn't much help when looking up info on Big K, but i couldn't track down any better links). Kroger is not a store, per say, but is a brand of low priced goods in all varieties sold in stores. Kroger makes everything, from sodas to baby wipes to cereal to these terrible little butter cookies that my wife thought were so delicious over the holidays and which we ended up buying several boxes of and throwing most of them out. Anyway, they cover the whole spectrum to try and make a low budget knock off of every product ever for the savvy shoppers out there. Basically, it's synonymous with cheap on many levels and for many reasons. That being the case, Big K is an inexpensive soda, and in the past i have often equated it with Shasta sodas in value and quality. But after the recent revelation that my entire childhood was based on a lie perpetuated by Shasta Root Beer (which is just plain worthless), i have looked at Big K with new eyes. So Big K, are you here to crush my reality also? I don't know if i can stand getting my feet swept out from under me like that again.

Big K is available in cans, 2-liter bottles (as shown in the picture), and i believe 3-liter bottles, but don't hold me to that just yet. The label is the same for all flavors of Big K, just different color schemes. Root beer has a brown base with some light brown and silver squigglies and some blues and the Big K logo written in cursive across the can. Pretty unoriginal, but hey... Kroger isn't looking to wow here, just get the point across. The label of Big K is one of the things that reminds me most about Shasta. Oddly similar for fierce competitors. Hmmm...

A lot of websites i have looked at say that Big K is definitely a good tasting root beer for the cost, and therefore carries a fair amount of value. Here is my opinion... spend a little extra. That's not to say Big K is terrible. It's not, and it's certainly better than many root beers i have tried, including Shasta. But it's nothing special at all. You might as well throw down a bit more cash and pass over value for quality. To tell you exactly what it tastes like, you would have to know what the root beer barrel candies taste like. Have you tried those? Well that's exactly what Big K tastes like. No surprise there, right? It's just straight root beer extract mixed with carbonated water. Nothing amazing, but at least it didn't leave me crying in a corner (again).

My official review is that Big K Root Beer gets 4 (four) IBCs. The low low price is just another one of Kroger's gimmicks. Like the crappy butter cookies, you might start off thinking you really like it and congratulate yourself on a good buy since it's so inexpensive. But in the long run, you just wish you could get a decent root beer after a long day and really begin to question the standard you have set for yourself while choosing a root beer. "Is this really what i want out of my root beer consuming life?" (I'll answer that for you). NO. If you're into the cheap stuff, swing by Safeway and pick up some Parker's. It's inexpensive and actually good. BUT, i wouldn't be me if i didn't tell you that IBC is always the best value for the price.