The fire department in my hometown never had a dog, sadly. If they did, I would’ve done my best to make sure that 1. That dog was a Dalmatan, and 2. That dog was named Sparky. Is it stereotypical? Absolutely. Is it also delightful? Absolutely. Speaking of things that are delightful…
Jungle Jim’s is a delightful, gigantic grocery store in a suburb of Cincinnati. They boast a genuinely incredible selection of international and regional foods. I know there are plenty of people who shop there for their regular groceries, but I’d bet a lot of their revenue comes from people there to look around. You can guess which aisle I spent the most time in. I found Sparky’s Fresh Draft Root Beer in the soda aisle and went for it. Let’s see how it is…
Place of Acquirement: Jungle Jim’s, Fairfield, OH
Drinking Vessel/Portion: 12 oz bottle, glass, dark.
AROMATICS: 9/10
Very nice and herbal, definitely sweet and enticing. Not unlike me on a date.
FIRST SIP: 6.5/10
OK, yowza. So, I love it, but at the same time there’s a strange, bitter aftertaste that puts me off…
TASTE: 7.5/10
This is really killing me. I love it the taste, and the more I drink it, the more I get used to the bitterness. Taking the bitterness out of the equation, it’s a genuinely fantastic taste and would be *at least* a 9/10 if the bitterness was lessened.
AFTERTASTE: 5/10
This is ALSO tough. Upon further review, it’s more the middle-taste that has the bitterness in it, but that still affects the aftertaste heavily.
MOUTHFEEL: 7.5/10
Standard, pleasant, nothing out of the ordinary.
DEPTH OF FLAVOR: 9/10
Definitely high up there. It’s difficult to pick out each flavor, but it’s a very diverse palate of taste.
SWEETNESS: 7.5/10
It’s so perfectly balanced, my gosh. You get a burst of sweetness early on in each sip that fades beautifully, unleashing a further depth to the surrounding flavors.
FLAVOR(S) TASTED: Root beer
LAST SIP: 7.5/10
Loses a little bit of flavor and carbonation, but still very pleasant.
OVERALL RATING: 7/10
This is honestly the toughest review I’ve done, and the most conflicted I’ve ever been. Were it not for the bitter middle-taste, I would be putting this as one of my favorite sodas. As-is, I have to give it a good rating.
Does Sparky’s live up to my idea of it as a Dalmatian pup living at a fire house? No. Is that an unfair expectation of a soda?
Absolutely.
