O-Zell Root Beer

 

Wow... it's been a long time and i can't believe it's taken me this long to finally review this one (sorry, let's just get right to it this time though). I've come across O-Zell several times and from multiple vendors. Though not mainstream enough to show up in most grocery stores (at least not in my region), this is a fairly common root beer to encounter when visiting different boutique soda or vintage candy stores. So I've actually had this in my fridge for... well, years at this point. I don't remember when i picked it up or where but i've seen this one in my encounters in several stores in several states. Yet i knew nothing about it until now. Honestly i am more shocked it's not more popular if only for the fact that O-Zell Soda Co. was established in 1912 and an early investor was Elias Disney, the father of none other than Walt and Roy Disney. Wait, WHAT? You're telling me this has the full backing of the Disney Corporation and it's not absolutely dominating the soda frontier with a brutal competitive edge? I have strong feelings about the Disney Corporation, from as benign and annoying as how they raise their prices every year and continually gouge the consumer when they rival Apple, Google and Netflix in the corporate environment, to the more sinister like how Disney, Coca-cola and McDonald's form the triumvirate of evil by acquiring wealth, property, influence and power with aims on nothing short of WORLD DOMINATION. I'm telling you... keep your eye on them. And the worst part is as much as i detest going to their parks and buying their merchandise and seeing their movies, i do it. Mostly for my kids and my wife, but partially for me too. And that's the hardest part really. I'm giving my money to a behemoth who both doesn't need it and will never even really understand it but just keeps requiring it from me and everyone else on the planet. A company that big and influential is grotesque. But i'm gonna keep funding it and getting minimal entertainment, maximum guilt and (luckily) some decent family memories in return. 

Anyway, back to O-Zell, why isn't this soda everywhere? I don't think it's even in Disney parks, is it? The company was founded in Silver Lake, CA, but it has ties to Chicago, IL if only by the means of funding the restoration and preservation of the childhood home of Walt and Roy Disney. The illustrated story is on the website, complete with heroes and villains, for those who want to read it. The website and label seem fairly professional and not the cheapest option. The cartoon depiction of Elias Disney graces the bottom of the label. The label and website say they use all natural flavors, like Hawaiian sugar cane. And honestly, it doesn't taste bad. It's actually pretty good. So they have a decent product, a professional operation, an inexhaustible financial backing and even the borrowed good will of most of the planet by association alone. So again... why isn't this stuff synonymous with water? It just makes me wonder if they really do have those kinds of resources and cachet, or maybe the management of this branch isn't subject to the same corporate edict of nothing less than ruthlessly and absolutely crushing all competition. 

The taste is a bit thin, but it isn't unpleasant. That sounds like i'm trying to not say i like this stuff. Truthfully, i don't really. But it's not terrible. I would say it's better than most. It doesn't have a "natural" soda taste, which is good, and i doubt they strive to be a healthy alternative. But the creamy root beer flavor, though thin, is pretty decent for a craft soda. The taste doesn't last long and leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but it's enjoyable. My kids both liked it as well, which seems like the target audience if they lean the same way as their corporate masters. So overall i'd say... not too bad.

My official review is that O-Zell Root Beer gets 6 (six) IBCs. This is a good root beer, but it's not in 7 territory. I'd say 6.5 if i did non-integer ratings. But i don't. So it's a 6 (yeah, i rounded down but i think they will be ok). Look, does this soda have any real ties to the Disney Corporation? Probably not. So i am gonna look for it the next time i visit one of the parks with my family. That will be the real tell to know if this stuff is really affiliated with Disney or just part of the corporate machine trying to syphon off of Disney's success. And that's probably the only thing worse than Disney itself.