Wild Bill's Rocky Mountain Root Beer

I just realized something that would be kinda cool. In January, the first month of the year, i reviewed one root beer. In February, i reviewed two. So far this month i have reviewed three. Keeping this trend up would be kinda fun, meaning that in April (the fourth month), i would review four, in May five, and so on. However, when you do the math it comes out 78 root beers for the year, and frankly i only have about half that many on hand and don't know if i could make up the difference. Too bad really, that would have been neat, not to mention a personal best for me as far as the year goes.

Anyway, this one comes to me courtesy of my root beer nemesis. He sent this to me in a trade i did with him  long time ago (i want to say at least a year if not longer ago). It's been sitting in my fridge a while and i am trying to get to the ones i've had the longest. Wild Bill's Soda Pop Co. has been around since 2002 and is based in Bernardsville, NJ. They make several flavors of soda, including root beer. The website says that even though the company hasn't been around long, the founder got the recipe from his grandpa who made soda in his basement. Kind of a sketchy statement, but i suppose back then basements were used for wholesome projects and didn't carry the creepy connotations they do with today's grandpas. The company sells all kinds of stuff along with their soda on the website, and apparently they travel to different events all over the nation (but mostly in the southern states from what i can see in their near future).

I like the label, even if it does come on a clear glass bottle (12 oz.) which normally means the soda isn't very good. It is made to look something like an old-westy type wanted sign complete with a couple bullet holes in it (which are see-through, not black). Its a simple plastic sticker applied to the bottle at a jaunty angle, but it carries a lot of character and color (even though it doesn't have many actual colors). The cowboy figure in on horseback pictured on the label is carrying a mug flowing over with beverage. The website has these stainless steel mugs for sale if you care to drink your root beer that way. Personally, i just like drinking straight from the bottle, but to each his own. (Just so you know though, if you don't drink them this way, you're doing it wrong.)

I have to say, this is a pretty good tasting root beer. I am impressed with it. They use natural ingredients, including cane sugar, and have created an enjoyable beverage. It reminds me a little of Napa Valley Root Beer. Just a little though. There is a good root beer flavor from start to finish. My main complaint is that it isn't very carbonated, and i enjoy me some good carbonation. I was going to give it the benefit of the doubt and say that it has been sitting in my fridge so long that maybe it has lost some carbonation, but the website specifically states that these sodas are purposely made with less carbonation than the big names, because that how this soda "is meant to be enjoyed and experienced." I don't quite agree with that, but that doesn't mean it's not a good root beer. It is quite sweet, and my wife says it's a bit too sweet for her tastes. Luckily, as we all know, you aren't here to listen to what my wife has to say. You can just take that as "constructive criticism" if you'd like since what she says, while i appreciate her input, ultimately doesn't matter. Yeah, that's how i run my household.

My official review is that Wild Bill's Root Beer gets 7 (seven) IBCs. It's almost an 8, i enjoyed it that much. But the intentional lack of carbonation just can't put it over the top for me. Overall though, it's still a good root beer. A rating of 7 is nothing to be ashamed of. I'm liking it. Something tells me you will too, carbonated or not.

Oh, and completely unrelated, but just a heads up today people... beware.