Cream Soda

Jared’s ProPops: Cream Soda

History: Jared Toay was in the money management business. He was a suit and tie man. Now he earns his living making popsicles and craft sodas. Business may be a little more casual these days, but it’s still just as serious, because instead of dollar signs, Jared’s Pro Pops is about your health. Healthy soda? Seriously? Stay with me here. The Pro in “ProPops” stands for probiotic. Think of probiotics as good bacteria. “They actually help break down the sugars and break down the food so your body absorbs the nutrients,” says Toay. In other words, they help your digestion and immune system. Toay started his business making popsicles simply because his kids liked them. Through trial and error, he eventually got it down to a science, concocting traditional flavors like Strawberry and Watermelon to wild ones like Spicy Pineapple and Picklesicle. After wanting a little more variety, he ventured into soda. Everything in Jared’s ProPops Soda is organic. They’re made with water kefir, which is just a fancy way of saying probiotic water. Kefir can actually help reduce blood pressure and cholesterol. The whole point of Toay’s venture into this is giving people healthy, delicious alternatives to what’s already out there. He’s trying to make products that improve overall wellness, a novel concept in the world of soda.

Where to get: Jared’s ProPops is based out of Tulsa, Oklahoma. You can order his popsicles directly from his site. As for soda, you can order that too, it just isn’t on the site yet. Contact Toay directly through his site, and he’ll hook you up.

Nose: Fresh vanilla bean; mild maple syrup; raisin; molasses. A lot going on for the senses to process here. Raisin and vanilla bean dominate, but quite varied on the nose for a soda.

Taste: Vanilla bean; molasses; raisin glaze; earthy, light sugar. This is not what you’ll be expecting with “cream soda” on the label. Because this is an all-organic product, remember that everything is going to taste more earthy and less sugary. Vanilla is very up front, but it’s more of a natural vanilla bean taste than vanilla syrup. This isn’t as sweet as a prototypical cream soda because the good bacteria in the soda’s kefir water actually eat sugar. The goal, after all, is to ingest probiotics and not unnecessary sugar. That said, there is a mild cane sugar taste to this that washes over the tongue after the vanilla. Once that fades, you’re left with notes of raisin and molasses, both of which are ingredients. Lots of flavors going on in this bottle.

Finish: Faint vanilla and cane sugar that transition into sweet raisins. Perhaps most interesting is the tartness that comes in right at the very end. This is due to the use of apple cider vinegar. It’s surprising, but nice and not overwhelming.

Rating: This is a hard one to rate because its taste won’t be for everyone. Some will be turned off by its less intense, earthier flavor profile, while organic purists may drink this down like water in the desert. We’re trying to look at this as somewhere in between those two groups. Jared’s ProPops Cream Soda has a complicated flavor profile, even for a craft soda. Typically vanilla-flavored beverages are overly sweet and dominated by that one flavor. The vanilla here tastes very natural and is complimented by prominent raisin and molasses flavors. Like most, we’re used to those flavors being more intense than they are here. We’ll be honest, it’s a little weird, and that’s why we think you should try it. Also, it’s full of good bacteria for your digestive and immune systems. It’s soda that’s good for you. It’s soda that’s healthy. And it’s not every day you get to say something like that.

Blumers: Blueberry Cream

History: Minhas (pronounced Men-hahz) Craft Brewery has a history dating all the way back to 1845. It’s changed ownership and names numerous times before being completely purchased by the Minhas family in 2006. They’re from Wisconsin (Monroe), so you know they either make beer or cheese and I’ve already spoiled the surprise for you. According to Minhas Brewery Operations President, Gary Olson, the brewery introduced a root beer in the mid-90’s to offer a non-alcoholic selection in its taproom. They called it Blumers Root Beer, a throwback to one of the brewery’s former owners in the early 1900’s. Today, Minhas still serves their root beer on draft and in kegs, in addition to bottles. The rest of their soda flavors were introduced in 2003. The brewery uses the same equipment to produce its sodas as it does for its beer. Blumers sodas use only pure cane sugar as a sweetener and all ingredients are sourced from either Wisconsin or Illinois. Monroe is only about 20 miles north of the Illinois border. We decided we’d start with their blueberry cream, certainly a rare flavor. “Blueberry’s hard,” Olson says with a laugh over the phone. If you look through the Blumers soda line, you’ll see gorgeous bright blues and oranges to deep, rustic reds. “We wanted to be colorful and fun,” Olson adds. Let’s see if this soda is as beautiful in your mouth as it is on your eyes.

Where to get: Blumers Soda is sold throughout Wisconsin and also at a sister brewery in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. If you think you want a sampler pack of Blumers, you can order 16 bottles from Wisconsinmade.com. If you’re only looking for a few bottles, Olson encourages everyone to contact the brewery where they can put together a custom order for you. (I know contact forms suck, but they’re good about responding.)

Nose: Old school Lifesavers blueberry vanilla swirl lollipops from childhood, also the kind with the weird loop grip; soft blueberry; creamy vanilla ice cream.

Taste: Blueberry; cane sugar; vanilla; tartness. There’s an upfront kiss of mellow blueberry that isn’t overly artificial or overpowering. Just right for a blueberry-flavored soda. Blueberry is one of those flavors that tends to get blasted at your tongue, so a less intense version of that to begin with is welcome. Next you taste the cane sugar. Definitely a sweeter soda, but again, not overpowering if ingested in moderation. Once you’re introduced to the blueberry and sugar, there a wave of crisp, tartness, due in part to the carbonation that cascades across the sides of your tongue to cut through the initial sweetness. The wave of flavors and sensations is stimulating and very nice on the palate. The creaminess comes in last, but you really get most of that in lingering flavor. The undertones of vanilla in this bottle need some time to breath, so the longer you take in between sips, the more you’ll see that develop. The sugar can be a bit intense if you drink this fast, so be advised.

Finish: Mellow blueberry that fades into rich vanilla with supreme creaminess. Divine.

Rating: Gary Olson is right. Blueberry is a tough flavor to do. It tends to almost always taste too artificial, but Minhas Brewery has managed to take the essence of blueberry and let it dance around a symphony of cane sugar and creamy vanilla in a way that delights the drinker. The blueberry notes in this are mild, but present enough to still hold throughout the body of the soda. The sugar in Blumers Blueberry Cream can be potent, particularly if you don’t take time in between sips to let it settle. Otherwise, the sweetness builds up on top of itself with every sip and can be a bit harsh to digest. Another reason to take your time with this bottle is to let the creamy vanilla finish really permeate your taste buds. We found this to be the best part of the soda. This isn’t quite a sipper, but also isn’t a beverage I’d recommend buzzsawing through. It has a beautiful color that will catch your eye and a flavor that may surprise you for the better. I don’t think a lot of people typically expect something good out of blue sodas, but this one does the trick. It’s pretty, won’t let you down, and gets better as you get to know it more. If you know of any single women with the same qualities, please contact me. You won’t find a lot of blueberry cream sodas out there. Unless you don’t like the fruit itself, I have a hard time seeing why you shouldn’t pop the top on one of these little Wisconsin blueberry bombers. Fizz on.

Fest Cola: Bourbon Cream Soda

History: Are you ready for a little southern hospitality? The phrase probably can’t get any truer when talking about Roy Nelson and Fest Cola. And no, not this Roy Nelson. Not only does he craft his soda from the bayou of New Orleans; he also has a Canadian background! So he’s like the nicest southerner you’ll ever meet, eh? Sorry. Had to. Nelson has over 20 years of experience in the food and beverage industry. Wanting to branch out on his own, he chose craft soda for its blossoming opportunities. Fest Cola is actually not just cola. The company makes four flavors. It was important to Nelson that the brand stayed true to the New Orleans community. Each soda is actually named after some aspect or historical figure from the city. As for the flavors, they’re all standards with a unique twist. Almond Cola? Pecan Root Beer? Bourbon Cream soda? Yeah, those are all real things you can put in your body. Nelson says he wanted “flavors for today.” Fest Cola “needed to have a vintage feel, but something really progressive to establish itself.” They’re proud of their product. They aren’t ashamed to boast that they use expensive ingredients and 100% pure Louisiana ground cane sugar. But mostly, Fest Cola is about being original. In the words of Nelson, “We don’t try to be the best. We just try to be the only one.” And we’ve only heard of one bourbon cream soda. So we had to drink in the originality.

Where to get: Fest Cola is sold throughout the Gulf South region, Texas, and Chicago, Illinois. If that seems random, it’s because it is. Bottlers actually don’t have a lot of control where their distributors sell their products. You can also pick up Fest in Rocketfizz shops across the country. The company is setting up a direct order system through their web site, and they hope to have it live by the summer of 2015. In the mean time, you can get it online at Soda Emporium or by contacting Fest directly through their site to arrange an order.

Nose: Intense vanilla; caramel chews.

Taste: Whoa. There’s actually a bourbon flavor to this. Imagine that. It’s immediate on the tip of the tongue and explodes into rich vanilla waves almost on impact. It’s strong and different. But for a man (aka me) with a pastry chef for a mom, it’s strangely familiar. Dare I venture to guess, this may be actual bourbon vanilla. The vanilla profile here is exquisite. Bold, deep and rich that  lasts in intensity only for a fleeting moment before transforming into a softer vanilla flavor reminiscent of sweet bourbon sauces your grandma used to put on sweet treats like apple dumplings or yams. To be clear, this doesn’t taste like apple dumplings or sweet potatoes, but the vanilla-bourbon note on the backend of this soda is very similar to one found in sauces used to accentuate those desserts. The bourbon taste is long and slowly fades into a lighter version of itself. The sugar here is definitely noticable if you search for it, but really blends nicely under the symphony of sweet bourbon.

Finish: Sweet bourbon vanilla that tails off into light, burned caramel. Extremely pleasant. Maybe even a little bit of a powdered sugar note near the end as well.

Rating: The initial sip on this is an explosion of flavor every time. It’s wild and so incredibly fun, which is what soda should be. Fest calls this soda Lulu. You want to date Lulu. Lulu White was a New Orleans luxury brothel owner. So, actually… maybe you don’t want to date Lulu… unless you’re into that. But you definitely want to drink her…. err, I think I’m making this worse. The point is, it is strongly recommended you put this in your body. Bourbon, vanilla and light caramel highlight this wonderfully unique take on cream soda. Its flavors are bold and noticeable on their own, yet blend to create a layered taste you’ve never had before in a cream soda. Now, if you’re not big into strong vanilla, this may not be for you. That said, we’d still recommend it simply for the fact that you’ve probably never had vanilla in a soda in this way. Go out of your way to try Lulu. Do not go out of your way to find her brothel. This is cheaper, lasts longer and afterward you won’t need to see a doctor. Masterful. Put this in your permanent rotation.

Bickford’s Creamy Soda

History: G’day mate! Bickford’s is an Australian company famous for producing cordials and craft sodas, among several other beverage-related products. After migrating from England in 1839, William Bickford and his wife Anne Margaret opened a pharmacy. Pharmacies, for those of you who don’t know, were the beginnings of soda. Pharmacists would use carbonated flavorings to disguise the horrid taste of medicine. After William Bickford’s sudden death just 11 years later, Anne Margaret took over the pharmacy business and in 1863, formed A.M. Bickford and Sons with her two boys. And so it began. In 1874, the company began producing cordials, the product it’s most famous for to this day. Craft soda came along later for Bickford’s with Lemon and Lime Bitters being its most famous flavor, followed by their cream soda and their version of sarsaparilla.

Where to get: Available widely in Australia throughout grocers and online, this means nothing to Americans. As a stone cold USA review site, wtf mate? Where can we get it? Lemme be real with you… it isn’t readily available here. BUT… but that doesn’t mean you can’t get it. Bickford’s is a large company that employs very nice people. They’ll be more than willing to be accommodating for orders. Contact them directly and they’ll work with you in getting an order out to you. And starting in June/July of 2015, the company will be doing a slow roll out in America, starting in California.

Nose: Intense bubblegum; fruity and floral notes

Taste: Definitely bubblegum up front, though not as strong as it smells. Then there’s a very hard-to-place flavor that follows. It makes you think. If you didn’t notice it from the photo… it’s raspberry. And it’s damn good. The carbonation is intense very briefly when you take a swig and then fades into a creamy bubblegum-raspberry twist. The raspberry comes in first and hits the back of your mouth with a nice tartness that compliments the soda’s overall smoothness. Raspberry, while not a common flavor in cream sodas, is much more common outside the U.S. So if you get your hands on this in America, you’re likely in for something new. Bubble gum, raspberry and light vanilla highlight this elixir from down unda’.

Finish: Slightly acidic raspberry that quickly fades into a vanilla-bubblegum creamy flavor and lingers on the tongue.

Rating: With its cute-as-hell 9.3 ounce bottle and its unique take on an old classic, Bickford’s Creamy Soda is a must-try. Red cream sodas are often packed with intense bubblegum flavor and loaded with enough sugar to make a diabetic pass out after just reading the label, but Bickford’s does a really nice job using their cane sugar to accentuate and not overload the flavors they want to get across. Bubblegum is a very love-hate flavor in the cream soda world and Bickford’s navigates around that by adding touches of raspberry and vanilla cream to balance it out. The result is something you don’t see often, one you’ll want to put in your mouth. Throw this on some ice and kick back. Cheers, mates.