Sioux City is a fairly prominent brand of “old-style” sodas. It sports a sort of old-timey Western design feel, with a neat font and illustrations of cowboys or desert scenes on the bottles. While this sort of thing always makes me think of Dalton Wilcox, Poet Laureate of the West; what does the soda remind me of?
I’m a bit puzzled straight away by the idea of Birch Beer. I don’t have a firm idea of what any tree tastes like, save for the ones that give fruits or sap. Researching the taste of birch doesn’t give me any firm answers for what to expect, but I did learn you can make birch syrup! Will I be buying 7 gallons of birch syrup after consuming this birch beer? Let’s find out…
Place of Acquirement: Big Lots, Columbus, OH
Drinking Vessel/Portion: 12oz glass bottle, clear
AROMATICS: 8.5/10
Very nice! Smells strongly of wintergreen.
FIRST SIP: 7/10
It’s interesting, really! Definitely get a lot of wintergreen in the taste.
TASTE: 7/10
The soda is reasonably good. Here’s the thing, as much as it is enjoyable; it’s not thoroughly cohesive? I think part of this comes from the fact that I don’t have a firm picture of what the “birch” tastes like. Either way, the soda is still enjoyable. You definitely get a strong, I don’t want to say “earthy” taste, but… green-ish? Not in a negative way.
AFTERTASTE: 8/10
Very nice aftertaste! You get a lot of the minty goodness in this.
MOUTHFEEL: 7.5/10
Standard mouthfeel, pleasant and nice.
DEPTH OF FLAVOR: 8/10
There’s definitely a lot to this soda that I can’t immediately place. I was eager for each sip.
SWEETNESS: 9/10
Sweet! Sweeter than usual, for sure! Not overpowering, but it’s there.
FLAVOR(S) TASTED: Wintergreen, “root beer” taste.
LAST SIP: 7/10
Keeps sweetness, carbonation, taste pretty well.
OVERALL RATING: 7/10
I still don’t have a strong idea of what birch is supposed to taste like. Is that a problem? I wouldn’t say so. Regardless of my understanding, this soda remains an interesting experience. One could argue that not having a firm idea of the soda details is a positive, mysterious feature. It keeps the drinker guessing, or at least wanting more.
Sioux City made a reasonably pleasant soda here that is interesting. If you’re a big wintergreen fan in particular, this soda could end up being your favorite. Otherwise, it’s still worth drinking; if for no other reason than to try to pinpoint the flavors you taste.
