Diamond Bear Brewing Co. is brand new to me, and possibly already old news. I take no pride in writing inflammatory reviews…well, maybe a little bit of of pride…but I want to be honest when I don’t enjoy a beverage. That’s exactly what happened with this root beer.
Big Rock Root Beer had some strong ratings online from a devoted fan base in the Little Rock Arkansas area. I don’t doubt those good people that claim to love the beverage, but I can’t echo their feelings. I found this to be light on flavor, light on nuance, and light on mouth-feel.
Big Rock falls into the wintergreen category of root beers, but it’s not aggressive enough and ends up tasting like a glass of seltzer water 5 minutes after brushing your teeth. There was a little bit of spice, and a little bit of vanilla, but but nothing to jump out at you and leave an impression. Out of four root beers I presented to a group of friends this was the least favorite. While not horrible, I wouldn’t go back. A 5 out of 10.
To give Diamond Beer some credit, something may have been lost in the bottling process. They’re a well-regarded brewery, and I could see this being better on tap, but the amalgamated version didn’t speak to me. Your results may vary.
Catalog:
Purchased at the Root Beer Store in Lynnwood on 8/6/2016, sampled on 8/7/2016
The Sodafry 