Jiminy Christmas, this was not pleasant. I’m willing to bet that this is one of those instances where my personal taste preferences maybe have prevented me from enjoying a quality beverage. Or it’s just objectively bad. I don’t know. But Organic Fair certainly appears to be a reputable company with high quality products.
I purchased this syrup in Vancouver, BC, but the company appears to be based out of Blaine, Washington (just south of the border). Well, after further research I think they’re based out of Vancouver with a presence in Blaine. While they serve a wide variety of organic products the soda syrups are what caught my eye in the store. The bottle is a concentrated syrup that is advertised as enough for up to 4 liters of soda (just add seltzer water).
Here’s what I liked. You can control the strength of your root beer. You like your sodas dry? Go light on the syrup. Oh, you like them sweet and bold? Add more. I also liked the focus on using several herbs and spices. This was very much an old school pharmacy take on root beer.
Unfortunately, the flavor profile they produced was one of my absolute least favorites. There’s a strong molasses presence which comes with a bitter mineral aftertaste. Combine that aftertaste with the natural funk of hops and you have a losing combination. I found it almost undrinkable. Their other flavors are probably more successful, so I’ll try to come back to the brand in the future. The root beer is just a 3.5 out of 10 for me. I didn’t like it, but you might.
Catalog:
Sampled in October 2016, purchased at Choices Market in Vancouver, BC for $9.99 Canadian
The Sodafry 