root beer

Three days ago, I posted
this photo on my cover page
and wrote the following.
"June 5
Time for a little experiment, y'all!
Barq's... ?
A&W...?
Let's hear from the root beer fans out there!"

I was thrilled with the responses!
Maybe everyone has voting fever!

Jim Reed: "FROSTY IBC"
Faustina Smith: "No fair! I didn't see that one at the grocery store!"

Christina Smith: "Yuck and yuck."

Christian Grunow: "A&W"

Amanda Kulkoski: "A&W"

Tammy Oostlander: "Neither, I agree with you Christina."

Mark Rand: "A&W in a frosty glass mug."

Ken Neil Hailey: "If from the can or over ice, definitely the Barq's. (I'm actually a big fan of both.)"

Betsy Provost Kameron: "A&W all the way!"

Susan Small Daggett: "A&W but Barq’s is pretty darned good too."

Genie Brazzeal Lawson: "On another note, have you had Vernor’s?"
Faustina Smith: "Sure, I was married to a Michigander for 15 years. Having Vernor's [ginger ale] is the LAW in that land!"
Shayla Edgell: "Faustina Smith that’s the truth!"
Genie Brazzeal Lawson: "Faustina Smith I’d never heard of it until I went to Michigan..."

Carolyn Maggi: "I'm with Mark. Frosty glass mug."

Cathy Lewis: "A & W"

Susan Carlile: "Growing up in Okinawa, A&W hands down! (But Barqs is pretty good too!)"

Andy Peña: "A&W is my sentimental favorite."

Robbie Prouty Rush: "I like A&W over ice cream."

Shayla Edgell: "A&W!"

Jp Parsons: "A&W and Barq’s- over ice cream!!"

Dave Hewitt: "My dad is a root beer fan. We bought him over 30 different brands one year. Needless to say, he loved the gift."

Wow.
I was just giving the scientist in me a chance to come out and play...
and so many others came to play, too!
So, just what was it I was doing?
Well, I'd gone in search of Barq's a month or so ago and, not finding it, bought the A&W.
Then, two weeks ago or so, I found the Barq's, but still had several of the A&W on hand.
I love the A&W when I'm down at Kissimmee having a foot-long Coney, but I totally enjoy the taste of fountain-fresh Barq's with my popcorn at a movie!
Now, which to drink?
Decisions, decisions!
And so you know what that meant: taste test time!
Just as I had done in the pasta experiment and that with the cherries, I set up the parameters and clean-tasted the two root beers.
And what were my findings?
In the can, straight from the fridge, the Barq's is much sweeter than the A&W.
The Barq's also, true to its claims, has more of a bite and a stronger flavor.
I kept taking sips of each over the course of my meal (which was meat sauce with Gouda as a grilled cheese wrap).
How long was I eating?
Well, I am one of the world's slowest eaters, trying to make sure I chew each bite twenty times to give my digestive tract a better crack at getting those proteins turned into amino acids.
I would say the meal was probably close to 45 minutes.
That made it a sure-fire stamina check for those carbonated sodas.
And you know what I found?
As the two beverages warmed, the palate-pleasing ability switched to favor the A&W, as it did not develop a metallic tang like the Barg's did.
In conclusion, I'm not much of a fan of either of them in the can...
but the Barq's is a winner by a carbonated bubble or two.
(smile!)