I don’t sell advertising on this blog, but that doesn’t mean I’m not for sale. Occasionally I’ll have brands reach out to me offering free product in exchange for a review. For the sake of transparency, this post is one of those times.

Hank’s reached out to me because they have some seasonal flavors that they want people to know about. They know that I’m a huge influencer in the craft soda community so they shipped me a dozen bottles. I’ve only had one experience with Hank’s so far and it was a relatively negative review of their root beer back in 2016. I’m willing to give that one another shot, but this review is specifically about their Caramel Apple Cream soda.

This was terrific. It sounded amazing and it tasted even better. My expectation was that it would be something along the lines of a sweeter Martinelli’s, but instead it was closer to the barrel aged cream soda that I had from Indian Wells a while back. The dominant flavor was a smooth and creamy caramel. It wasn’t too sweet. I’d say that it was balanced and nuanced. There’s a bit of tartness from the apple that compliments the caramel really well and it all plays together beautifully. For me, it doesn’t scream “caramel apple”, but it’s one of the best cream sodas that I’ve ever had.

My next review will be their Pumpkin Spice soda, but I’ll find time to review the root beer again. I may have been influenced by their generosity, but my fresh impression has been super positive.