There are two things that anyone who knows me can, with 0 hesitation, say that I love: root beer and pizza. Having one accompanied by the other is a recipe for success in my book. It’s possible to upgrade this experience, though, with a couple modifications: The root beer can come out of a draft, and the pizza can be deep dish. This is the pinnacle of modern society. Sugar, fat, and salt all mix together in a Midwestern stomach to signal one thing: contentment. And future health problems. Moderation, y’all. Moderation.
I met my oldest friend for lunch at Yellow Brick Pizza in Columbus on a Sunday. Yellow Brick Pizza is a local, independent pizza shop and bar in the Near East neighborhood. The decorations are strange, nostalgic, and cool; they’ve recently built an arcade in their upstairs space. They’ve got a wide range of gourmet pizza, including an incredible deep-dish. Beer is a big thing there, with a big ‘ol menu and a ton of draft handles visible; but I had 0 interest in that. I was here for the pizza, and was pleasantly surprised to find a unicorn in the wild: draft root beer. I eagerly ordered an Abita Draft Root Beer and waited with gleeful anticipation. Would I be disappointed by the sweet, bubbly brown liquid?
Place of Acquirement: Yellow Brick Pizza, Columbus, OH
Drinking Vessel/Portion: 16oz glass
AROMATICS: 7.5/10
Not particularly pungent, but the smell that’s there is quite enticing.
FIRST SIP: 9/10
Yowza! Holy cow! This is good!!! I am excited to drink the rest of it.
TASTE: 9/10
Wow. The first sip was right! This is one of my favorite root beers I’ve ever had. The taste is incredible, perfectly balanced between sweetness and a little tang of bitterness. It’s got body, it’s got intrigue, it’s got just a sheer pleasantness to it.
AFTERTASTE: 7.5/10
Sliiiightly bitter, but not unpleasantly so. A totally fine aftertaste.
MOUTHFEEL: 7.5/10
Mouthfeel is good, nothing too extraordinary.
DEPTH OF FLAVOR: 8.5/10
As you sip, you can taste more and more flavors. It starts balanced, then a bit of acidity kicks in. The sweetness comes in right after. There’s an aromatic, sort of herbal background taste that pounces into the forefront when given the opportunity.
SWEETNESS: 7.5/10
This is perfection on the sweetness scale. Exactly where I want it to be, Abita perfectly balances the sugar and bitterness.
FLAVOR(S) TASTED:
Root Beer, Herbs?
LAST SIP: 8/10
Taste held throughout the drink. Carbonation faded a little, but that is to be expected with a draft soda.
OVERALL RATING: 9/10
OK, much like my brain thinks it is at 11:30PM when I’m lying awake in bed, it’s time to unpack my feelings. This is good stuff. Like, really good. It’s not the single greatest soda that has ever been made, but it’s definitely in the upper echelon. I’ll definitely be back to Yellow Brick Pizza for the pizza, but I will also 100% be back for the root beer. The Abita Brewing Company is from Louisiana, but their beverages get around. You can check their website for a product locator and try it yourself!
Abita Draft Root Beer